B'lore metro rail tunnel work to begin in April

Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has taken yet another step towards realising the metro rail project by commencing the tendering work for the 9-km stretch of underground tunnel of the proposed project.

The work, estimated to cost about Rs 2,400 crore for two underground links in the Majestic area in the centre of the city at the Bangalore City Railway Station, is expected to begin during April 2009. The BMRCL has shortlisted seven global bidders from the 10 companies that participated in the initial bids.

The seven bidders include Fireman Transport SPA, Caserata, Italy; Norico, China Changchun Railway Co, China Jessop and Co Ltd, Kolkata; Siemens AG, Earlangen, Germany Siemens Ltd, New Delhi; Bombardier Transportation, Berlin, Germany Bombardier Transportation India Ltd, New Delhi; BEML, Bangalore Rotem, South Korea Mitsubishi Corporation, Tokyo, Japan Mitsubishi Electric, Tokyo, Japan; Alsthom Transport SA, Perret, France Alsthom Projects, Mumbai and CAF SA, Madrid, Spain.

According to BS Sudhir Chandra, director (projects and planning), BMRCL, “We have invited the shortlisted bidders for a site visit in November last week. After this, they will have to submit a detailed final bid by January 2009 and then the successful bidder will be announced by March 2009”.

The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), which is part-funding the project, will select the final bidder after a detailed evaluation, he added. The BMRCL has divided the underground tunnel project into two sectors which are 4-5 kms each, costing Rs 1,200 crore each sector. The east-west corridor links B R V Grounds to Magadi Road and north-south links Swastik in Seshadripuram to Bangalore Medical college near KR Market.

In addition to the underground work for the metro rail, the corporation has divided the project into four reaches. The reaches are elevated sections. R-1 will run from Byappanahalli to M G Road. R-2 will be from the City Railway Station to Mysore Road. R-3 will be from Yeshwantpur to Swastik station. R-4 will be from K R Road to R V Road.