Afcons–SAM JV Bags Rs. 1087.67 cr Underground Contract of Kanpur Metro Phase 1

KANPUR (Metro Rail News): After the Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) invited financial bids, Afcons Infrastructure – SAM India JV emerged as the lowest bidder for constructing Kanpur Metro Phase 1’s second underground section (KNPCC-06) between Nayaganj Station and Transport Nagar Ramp.

This section of the 23.785-kilometre Line-1 (IIT – Naubasta), which includes three underground stations at Kanpur Central, Jhakarkatti, and Transport Nagar, is estimated to be 4.65 kilometres long. It will consist of six tunnel boring machine (TBM)-bored tunnels,  for which a minimum of two machines must be deployed.

UPMRC invited tenders for its construction in June 2021, with a 36-month timeline and a budget of Rs. 1250 crore. In October 2021, technical proposals were opened, revealing eight bidders.

Package: KNPCC-06

The work includes: Design and construction of TBM tunnel, cut and cover tunnel, the underground ramp from Kanpur Central end of Nayaganj station to elevated ramp after Transport Nagar and three underground metro stations (viz. Kanpur Central, Jhakarkatti and Transport Nagar) including architectural finishes, E and M, TVS, ECS etc. on Corridor-1 of Kanpur MRTS Project at Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) will fund this contract with a €650 million (about Rs. 5661 crores) loan granted in July 2020.

Because Afcons-bid Sam’s of Rs. 1087.67 crore was significantly lower than UPMRC’s estimate of Rs. 1250 crore, the contract should be awarded over the coming weeks. When awarded, this will be Afcons’ second win in Kanpur.  They completed Line-1’s 8.728 km Priority Section (KNPCC-02R) between IIT Kanpur and Motijheel in December 2021.

The underground section of Kanpur Metro Line-1 (Permat Ramp – Tranport Nagar Ramp) is 8.621 km and has seven stations. Gulermak – Sam India JV, which is working on the first underground section (Permat Ramp – Nayaganj) in Kanpur, received their first new TBM S93 last week.