A Journal on Metro & Railway

Sanjay Kumar Mohanty, a 1984 batch of Indian Railways Traffic Service (IRTS), has been appointed as a new Member (Operations & Business Development) Railway Board (Ministry of Railways) and Ex-Officio Secretary to the Government of India by the Ministry of Railways.

Today, Shri Mohanty took over from Shri P. S. Mishra, IRTS, as new Member (Operations & Business Development) Railway Board and Ex-Officio Secretary to the Government of India. Prior to being appointed to the Railway Board, Shri Mohanty was the General Manager of the South Eastern Railway

Shri Sanjay Kumar Mohanty is a Delhi School of Economics alumnus and a member of the Indian Railways Traffic Service’s 1984 batch (IRTS). He held a number of important positions in the Indian Railways, including Principal Executive Director (Traffic Transportation)/Railway Board, Senior Deputy General Manager & Chief Vigilance Officer in the East Coast Railway, Divisional Railway Manager in the Khurda Road Division, and so on.

Shri Mohanty also served in senior positions at Mumbai, Nagpur, Jhansi, and the Konkan Railway, where he was regarded as the System Builder for numerous administrative and train-operational developments. His contribution to Indian Railways’ rail transportation is notable, extensive, and varied.
The post of Member (Operations & Business Development) was established last year as part of the Ministry of Railways Railway Board re-structure strategy to run the board like a corporation. AM/Traffic Transportation is classified under Railway Board Member (Operations and Business Development), led by PEDmM, PED/Chg, AM/T&C, AM/C, and AM/Marketing and Business Development.

Bengaluru India (Metro Rail News): Amit Banerjee has been appointed Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) of Bharat Earth Mover Limited (BEML), an Indian Public Sector Undertaking, with effect from May 1, 2021. The Public Enterprise Selection Board (PSEB) declared his selection at a board meeting on April 26, 2021.

Shri Amit Banerjee is a Mechanical Engineering graduate from the Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi. He joined BEML in 1984 as an assistant engineer, and over the course of his three-decade career with BHEL, he has worked in R&D and manufacturing. His R&D expertise includes the design and construction of a variety of products, including SSEMU, Metro Cars, and Catenary Maintenance Vehicles, among others. His team won the Raksha Mantri Award for Design Effort for Austenitic Stainless Steel EMU & Intermediate Metro Cars for the Delhi Metro Rail Project under his direction. He was instrumental in the gradual indigenization of Rolling Stock aggregates.

Shri Banerjee was Director before taking the current role (Rail& Metro). Due to the retirement of Dr. Deepak Kumar Hota, the seat has been vacant since February 1, 2021. BEML, on the other hand, had delegated his authority to MV Rajasekhar, Director (Mining and Construction) and member of the BEML board of directors.

BEML Limited, a ‘Schedule-A’ company, is critical to India’s core sectors of defense, rail, power, mining, and infrastructure. The company began with a small turnover of Rs.5 crore in 1965 and has grown to a turnover of more than Rs.3,500 crores today, thanks to its diverse business portfolio. BEML Limited’s Rail Coach Factory in Bangalore, India, was the country’s first all-steel integrated rail coach factory, which opened in 1948. It was founded with the help and technological know-how of MAN, Federal Republic of Germany. This factory was built to produce passenger rail coaches (of broad gauge) for Indian Railways in-house.

On May 11, 1964, Hindustan Aircraft Limited (now M/s. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) handed over administrative control of the factory to BEML Limited (formerly known as Bharat Earth Movers Limited).

BEML has delivered over 1,100 metro cars to different projects in India to date. Customers have praised BEML’s achievements in successfully completing the indigenization of rolling stock and expanding its manufacturing facilities.

BEML extended its position in the Metro Sector, commanding a strong market share in India, thanks to its expertise in the manufacture, integration, and testing of Metro Cars. This Rail Coach Factory has produced and supplied over 17,000 mainline passenger coaches of different types for Indian Railways’ long-distance mainline routes since its inception.

This Rail Coach Factory has produced and supplied over 17,000 mainline passenger coaches of different types for Indian Railways’ long-distance mainline routes since its inception.

LUCKNOW, India (Metro Rail News): The Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (UPMRC) awarded a contract of INR 93 crores to East Metals AG of Switzerland for the supply of 17,700 MT Head Hardened Rails (60 El, IRS-T-12-2009,1080 grade HH) for the Kanpur and Agra Metro Rail projects under Contract Package KNAPGT-l.

Tender for 80 per cent of net procurable quantity has been awarded to M/s East Metals AG on 20.04.2021 at a total cost of INR 15,00,96,000/- and USD 1,06,20,000/- inclusive of all taxes, duties, levies, cess, roya lties etc. and all other incidental charges based on technical and financial appraisal of offers received on 11.O1.2021 and as per terms and conditions of the Tender KNPAGT.

In February 2020, a tender for this kit with an approximate cost of Rs 126.90 crores was released, and technical bids were opened in January 2021. After technical review, three firms were shortlisted: East Metals AG, Mitsui& Co., and Jindal Steel & Power Ltd (JSPL).

In September of last year, Voestalpine VAE VKN India Pvt.Ltd. was awarded a contract worth Rs 64.52 crore under kit KNAPGT-2 for the supply of standard gauge UIC 60 turnouts, scissor crossovers, and check rails for the Kanpur and Agra Metro.

In February of this year, Larsen & Toubro Ltd (L&T) was awarded a contract worth Rs 363.68 crore under package KNAPGT-3 for the installation, testing, and commissioning of Ballastless Track of Standard Gauge in 4 Corridors, as well as the supply of fastening systems and related Ballasted/Ballastless Tracks in 4 Depots.

However, the contract kit KNAPGT-4 for Supply of 1620 MT Rails (UIC 60 I 60 El, IRS-T-12-2009, 880 grade, Class A) for Kanpur & Agra Metro was cancelled because SteelAuthority of India Ltd submitted a single offer (SAIL).

Bengaluru, On April 29, 2021, the Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited (K-RIDE) issued a tender for comprehensive design consultants (DOC) for a 148-kilometer planned suburban rail project in Bengaluru.

The Scope of the Project

Detailed Design Consultant for Detailed/Conceptual Design and Drawings for all Systems, including Viaduct, Stations (Including E&M Systems), Depot (Including E&M Systems), Track, Signaling & Train Control, Overhead Electrification, Tele Communication,           Automatic            Fare Collection, and Platform Screen Door:PSD), with Interfaces for Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (BSRP)

Important Points

• Tender No.: KRIDE/BSRP/4/2021

• Issue Date: 29.04.2021

• Work Estimated Cost: Rs 54,25,84,000

• Time to complete the work: 4 years

• Pre-bid Meeting: May 12, 2021 at 1130 a.m.

• Bids must be submitted by 10:00 a.m. on June 10, 2021.

• Technical Bids will be opened on l0.06.2021 at 1530 hrs.

The 148-kilometer suburban rail project will be divided into four sections: KSR Bengaluru City-Yelahanka- Devanahalli (4 km), Byappanahalli-Yeshwantpur-Chikkabanavara (25 km), Kengeri-Cantonment- Whitefield (35 km), and Heelalige-Yelahanka-Rajanukunte (46km). Work on Byappanahalli-Yeshwantpur- Chikkabanavara and Heelalige-Yelahanka• Rajanukunte is expected to begin first, according to the schedule.

The Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project is expected to cost Rs 16,657 crores. The project was approved by the Cabinet of the Central Government in October 2020.

NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News): Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (DMRC) now invites online open e-tenders from eligible applicants for the construction of tunnels and underground metro stations on Aerocity-Tughlakabad Corridor for Phase-IV of Delhi Metro.

Name of Work

Design and Construction of Underground UP & Down Tunnels by Shield TBM from end of Cut & Cover tunnel near Sangam Vihar metro Station up to existing Sarita Vihar depot, Underground Ramp and Cut & Cover Tunnels near Sangam Vihar and Tughlakabad metro station and Underground Metro Stations at Maa Anandmayee Marg, Tughlakabad Railway Colony and Tughlakabad including Retrieval/Launching shafts on Aerocity Tughlakabad corridor of Delhi MRTS Project of Ph-IV.

Important Details

Tender Reference Number: DC-07

  Completion period of the Work: 42 Months

  Sale of Bidding documents: From 03.05.2021 to 21.06.2021

  Pre-bid Meeting: 1100 hrs on 19.05.2021

  Bid submission Date: From 14.06.2021 at 09:00 hrs to 21.06.2021 till 15:00 hrs

  Technical Bid Opening date: 1500 hrs on 22.06.2021

  Scope of work –

• Design and construction of Civil structural part of three underground stations namely Maa Anandmayee Marg, Tughlakabad Railway Colony, Tughlakabad Underground Stations along with entry/ exit structures, subways and associated structures such as ancillary buildings, Utilities galleries, AC plant room, ASS rooms, TVF rooms, system rooms and all other rooms, shafts, pump houses, water tanks, diesel generator set room or enclosure etc. as shown in GAD and tender drawings. Any temporary works associated with permanent works are also part of scope. The subways at few locations as shown in the General Alignment Drawings to be constructed by any method other than Cut & Cover Method.
• Design and Construction of Twin Bored Tunnels (UP & Down Line) of finished internal dia 5800 mm by Shield TBM in all types of Soil / Rock Strata/Mix Strata, starting near Tughlakabad Airforce Station and connecting Maa Anandmayee Marg Station, Tughlakabad Railway Colony Station, Tughlakabad Station and upto Sarita Vihar Depot Retrieval/Launching Shaft including Cross passages (Sump and without Sump), Sumps and drainage system as shown in GAD and Tender drawings.
• Design and Construction, in Soil/Rock Strata, of underground ramp beyond Sangam Vihar station from Up Line chainage 16144.757 to chainage 16368.627, twin tunnels (Up & Down Line) by Cut & Cover method (including launching shaft) from Up Line chainage 16368.627 to chainage 16488.130 near air force station Tughlakabad & Cut and Cover tunnel from UP line chainage 21586.752 to chainage 21761.158 (including launching/retrieval shaft) after Tughlakabad Underground station to accommodate the cross over and Cut and Cover tunnel from chainage 23061.261 to chainage 23125.788 near Sarita Vihar depot as shown in GAD and tender drawings including cross passages, sumps & drainage.
• All temporary works associated with permanent construction of the works including temporary steel decking over cut and cover structures, stations under roadways/service roads to allow uninterrupted flow of traffic/pedestrians. Construction and maintenance of temporary diversion roads and services for traffic diversion as required. Temporary walkway in TBM tunnels as required.
• Integration of proposed Tughlakabad underground station with the existing Tughlakabad elevated station and existing PWD sub-way with proposed entry/exit of Underground Tughlakabad station as shown in Tender drawing. All the works required for demolition/modification/reconstruction/remodeling in existing Tughlakabad Metro Station for integration with proposed underground metro station at Tughlakabad along with construction of connecting Foot Over Bridge/Connecting Passage is included in the Lump sum Price (Schedule A of BOQ). Further, All the works required for demolition/modification/reconstruction/remodeling for the integration of PWD subway with proposed entry/exit of proposed underground metro station at Tughlakabad as shown in tender drawing related to integration with proposed station is included in the contract.
• The contractor shall plan launching/ retrieval shaft inside the station box unless otherwise shown in the General Alignment Drawings and properly integrate the tunnel structure with the proposed station.
• All diversion works associated with construction of tunnel by Cut & Cover Method including design & construction of RCC box for the permanent drainage system.
• Waterproofing of all underground structures including walls of all entry/exits, ECS/TVS shafts, Plumbing shafts including Ancillary structures minimum 300 mm above final finished ground level, as per procedure mentioned in section 12 of OCS.
• Providing & Fixing Shear Connectors for Installation of the Rail Track both in Tunnel and Station Areas.
• Provision of one (1) tube well of 5-6 m3/hr yield for each station including providing and installing submersible pump of required capacity with all accessories including panels, cables up to main control panel in station, distribution box, GI pipe line, digital water flow meter, piezometer including connecting same to water storage tanks and ensure pump remain in good working condition up to Defect Liability period (DLP).
• Design and making provision of plumbing system for water supply, drainage and sewage in stations is in the Lump Sum scope. However, providing and laying of these plumbing pipes shall be paid separately under schedule B & C wherever required as per direction of engineer-in-charge.
• Design and Construction of tunnel drainage system is in Lump-sum scope except for following items:

• Providing and laying of drainage pipe from tunnel sump to station sump which will be paid under schedule B & C.
• Providing and installing pumps in tunnel sumps which will be provided by the E&M contractor.

• Make provision in structures for fire detection and suppression system and all other building services and designated contractor services.
• Make provision for accommodating the requirements for LV and MV supply routes for System wide Contractors and cable galleries / cable ways for all the cableways at the station and in the tunnel.
• Supply, delivery and installation, functional testing, and handover of earth mat as per tender drawing.
• Supply & Installation of all embedded pipes as per the requirement of system contractors is to be done by civil contractor. Installation of the embedded HDPE pipes as per requirement and as per instruction of Engineer-in-charge.

Further Details

For more information and further detailed scope of work, tender documents can be obtained online after registration of the tenderer on the website www.eprocure.gov.in/eprocure/app.

Bentley Acceleration Initiatives today announced the acquisition of Chennai, India-based Nadhi Information Technologies Pvt. Ltd., a specialist in project controls, analytics, and decision support for construction supply chains. Nadhi serves some of India’s leading construction sector participants, including contractors Larsen & Toubro and Kalpataru Power Transmission Ltd., real estate developers Mahindra Lifespaces and RMZ, and owner-operators DMRC (Delhi Metro) and Welspun Enterprises. Founded in 2008, Nadhi was incubated in the IIT Madras Research Park with advisors from the IIT Madras Building Technology and Construction Management faculty and the Lean Construction Institute.

Bentley Acceleration Initiatives is the internal incubator for strategic investments of Bentley Systems (Nasdaq: BSY), the infrastructure engineering software company. Its objective is to bring together ecosystem partners in digital co-ventures. Nadhi brings to Bentley a critical mass of field-experienced professionals in construction automation, attuned to their region’s specific challenges and project dynamics. The acquisition strengthens Bentley’s focus on Asia, which is experiencing huge demand for new construction of infrastructure and has a keen appetite for digital workflows to help address this need. According to Fitch Solutions Country Risk and Industry Research, while China and the U.S. will remain the two highest-value construction markets globally, India and Indonesia will rise to the third and fourth highest-value markets by 2029.

Currently, project teams in Asia are often held back by conventional construction methodologies and obstacles to public cloud deployments, experiencing delays and cost overruns because of poorly coordinated schedules and the lack of visibility into project status. Project managers are looking for a solution that helps them interconnect their data silos—spanning documents, schedules, budgets, issues and risks, resources, and materials—all in one environment.

Some of the best-managed construction projects are now using Nadhi’s services to solve these challenges and improve their project delivery using digital workflows. Since offering lean construction consulting services in 2008, Nadhi has pioneered mobile-enabled project controls. In an offering explicitly configured for the needs of project teams in Asia, the integrated project controls in Nadhi’s nPulse software combines data-driven decision support and predictive analytics to give engineering and construction projects early warning of schedule risks and potential delays in milestone completion, advancing project planning and execution from reactive to proactive.

Dr. Ashit Gandhi, senior director, accelerated business development, Bentley Systems, said, “We are very pleased to welcome Nadhi’s construction automation experts as Bentley colleagues. Together, we see a significant new opportunity to help construction projects throughout Asia, especially for road and rail linear infrastructure, in ‘going digital’. Combining Nadhi’s proven project controls and analytics capabilities with Bentley’s SYNCHRO 4D construction modeling and field-based construction delivery will enable more integrated and efficient digital workflows, tailored specifically to Asian needs.”

Kalyan Vaidyanathan, CEO, Nadhi Information Technologies, said, “The whole team at Nadhi is excited to be joining Bentley Systems at this pivotal moment for India’s construction community. We look forward to deepening our capabilities in core areas of project controls and expanding our reach both in and beyond India for new opportunities. We believe, as part of Bentley, we will be even more strongly positioned to help our users to stay in control of their projects and to generate insights through analytics to avoid delays and improve confidence through visibility.”

Nadhi will add approximately 30 colleagues; its annualized revenues and profitability are not material to, and are not expected to meaningfully impact, the BSY financial outlook for 2021.

PUNE: Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation (Maha Metro) has completed the construction of first underwater metro tunnel below the Mutha river bed for the Pune Metro Rail Project.

Under Phase-1, Line-1(Purple Line) has an underground stretch of length 5.019 km from Agriculture College to Swargate with 5 underground stations. The work is divided in two packages – Package 1 from Agriculture college to Budhwar Peth and Package 2 from Budhwar Peth to Swargate. Both packages have been awarded to the JV of Tata-Projects-Gulermek.

Two TBM (Tunnel Boring Machines) i.e. S78 (Mutha) and S79 (Mula) were commissioned last month to build twin tunnels. Work on 1.6 km underground tunnel from between Agriculture College and Shivajinagar has been already completed. Tunnel work for the stretch between Civil court to Budhwar Peth started in March. After few days, Maha-Metro entered the riverbed of the Mutha river and now the tunneling work beneath Mutha river bed is completed.

According to the official Twitter handle of MahaMetro’s Pune Metro Rail Project,” Another 1st for Pune! 10s of bridges over Mutha river, some of them centuries old. Pune Metro has constructed 1st underwater metro tunnel below the Mutha river bed. Tunnels of ~240 mtrs. by Mutha & 223 mtrs. by Mula TBM completed between Civil Court & Budhwar Peth.”

With this development, Pune has become the 4th city in India after Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai to have an underground metro rail crosses the river.

This work is a part of 16.59 km long Purple Line of Pune Metro that will run from PCMC Bhavan to Swargate with 14 stations.

DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand Metro Rail Corporation (UKMRC) reinvites open e-tender (EOI cum RFQ) for the development of Personalised Rapid Transit (PRT) System in Haridwar city of Uttarakhand called “Haridwar Darshan” on PPP mode.

Name of Work – Development of Personalised Rapid Transit (PRT) System in Haridwar city of Uttarakhand called “Haridwar Darshan” under Design Built Finance Operate and Transfer (DBFOT basis) – (PPP MODEL).

Important Details

Tender reference No: UM-140/EOI cum RFQ PRT Haridwar/2021-22/01

Contract Value: INR 1000 Crores

Period of Completion: 1095 Days

Document Download Start Date: 20-Apr-2021 from 06:00 PM

Document Download End Date: 04-Jun-2021 till 03:00 PM

Bid Submission Start Date: 20-Apr-2021 from 06:00 PM

Bid Submission End Date: 04-Jun-2021 till 03:00 PM

Bid Opening Date: 04-Jun-2021 at 03:30 PM

Pre Bid Meeting Date: 20-May-2021 at 04:00 PM

As per the tender inviting notice of UKMRC, the technology of PRT proposed by Applicants must be already in passenger operation for minimum 1 year and on a minimum stretch of 1.5 Km. Interested Applicants are required to download the EOI cum RFQ document from website https://uktender.gov.in

Proposed PRT Corridors –

• Sitapur – Bharat Mata Temple 14.0 km
• City Hospital – Daksha Temple 3.0 km
• Ganeshpuram – DAV School 2.0 km
• Valmiki Chowk – Laltaro Bridge 0.65 km

• Total 19.65 km

The PRT corridors are mainly on the Major roads of the city and are planned to be elevated within the Right of way (ROW) on the central verge of the roads.

Previously, PNC Infratech Ltd emerged as the only bidder for this project and being the single bidder or based on technical or financial evaluation, UKMRC may not have find suitable to go ahead with the single bidder and cancelled the tender, as a result, reinvites tender for this project. Hopefully, this time there will be more bidders and works on the project finally takes off.

MUMBAI: Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) on 22nd April achieved 37th breakthrough at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) Metro Station out of the total 41 breakthroughs planned for the 33.5 km long Colaba-Bandra-Seepz underground line (Line-3) of Mumbai Metro.

The contract for this work under Package UGC-01 was awarded to the JV of Larsen & Toubro and Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Company which operates Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Surya-2 for the construction of tunnels and four stations at Cuffe Parade, Vidhan Bhavan, Churchgate & Hutatama Chowk.

According to MMRC, TBM Surya-2 completed its final drive of 569 meters from Hutatma Chowk to CSMT Metro Station in 106 days using 418 concrete rings. With this 2.9 km long downline tunnel from Cuffe Parade to CSMT Metro Station is completed.

“Tunnelling in the heritage precinct, which is also in the close proximity to the sea, is a daunting task. MMRCL team of contractors, consultants, engineers and workers scientifically dealt the challenge successfully. I am happy that 96% of tunnelling has been completed in package-1 by ensuring the safety of the historical buildings”, said Mr. Ranjit Singh Deol, Managing Director, MMRC.

With this breakthrough, 52 km of tunneling is completed out of the total length of 54.5 km which is approximately 95% of the total project.

The issue regarding construction of car shed for Mumbai Metro Line-3 is still not resolved as the Bombay High Court is yet to decide whether the salt plan land in Kanjurmarg, where the metro depot is proposed to be constructed, belongs to the Centre or State.

The 9 KMs long elevated Priority Corridor between IIT Kanpur and Motijheel is being constructed under the Kanpur Metro Rail Project. Last night another ‘Steel Girder’ was erected at Rawatpur Tiraha. In this span the first ‘Steel Box Girder’ was placed on March 27, 2021. These girders are of 45m length, assembled near the location and erected by cranes in the night on the busy crossing.

On this occasion, Managing Director, UPMRC, Shri Kumar Keshav said, “In view of heavy traffic at Rawatpur, it was planned that no Piers should come in the middle of Rawatpur Tiraha and due to this the distance between the two Pillars was increased up to 45 meters in this section. This is the reason that in this span two specially designed light weighted ‘Steel Box Girders’ have been placed instead of U or I-girder. UPMRC always strives to ensure that the Metro Corridor is planned and is executed in such a way that traffic movement doesn’t get affected.”

Three locations have been identified between IIT and Naubasta (Corridor-1), where Steel Girders are to be laid. The first Steel Span has been placed near Rawatpur, the second will be erected at Sisamau Nala and the third one near Vasant Vihar.

Why ‘Steel Box Girder’?

• It was not possible to place a U or an I-girder of this length at the said span hence ‘Steel Box Girder’ has been introduced.

• The length of the steel girder is longer than the U-girders that are being used in the Corridor but relatively lighter in weight. It is also to be mentioned that the length of the referred steel span is 45 meters while U-girder has an average length of 27 meters. A 27-meter U-girder weighs about 147 tons, while 45-meter Steel Span weighs about 120 tons.

• Three locations have been identified between the 23KMs long IIT & Naubasta stretch in where Steel Girders are to be laid. The first Steel Span has been placed near Rawatpur, the second will be erected at Sisamau Nala and the third one will be placed near Vasant Vihar. Separate steel girders are to be laid for up-line and down-line.

Each 45-meter long steel girder is being prepared by connecting 5 segments.

MUMBAI: Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has invited open e-tenders for the construction of balance works of Package CA06 which is related to Line 2B (D.N Nagar-Mandale) of Mumbai Metro Rail Project. The balance work includes construction of elevated viaduct and 5 elevated stations from MTNL Metro to Chembur.

Name of Work

Part Design and Construction of Balance Works of Package CA06, Elevated Viaduct and 5 Elevated Stations viz. MTNL Metro, S. G. Barve Marg, Kurla East, EEH and Chembur (excluding Architectural Finishing and Pre-Engineered Steel Roof Structure of Stations) from Chainage 46860.384m to Chainage 52729.312 of Line 2B [D.N Nagar-Mandale] of Mumbai Metro Rail Project of MMRDA.

Important Details

Contract No: MMRDA/MMRP/L2B-C102

Estimated Cost of Work: INR 631.82 Crore

Completion Period: 30 Months

Bids Document Download Date: 22/04/2021 from 18.01 Hrs to 07/06/2021 till 15.00 Hrs

Bid Submission Date: 22/04/2021 from 18:31 to 09/06/2021 till 18.00 Hrs

Pre Bid Meeting: 06/05/2021 at 11.00 Hrs

Bid Opening Date: 11/06/2021 at 11:00 Hrs

MMRDA has invited bids for this work multiple times while originally in 2017 contract for this work was awarded to RCC Infra Ventures Limited but the contract was terminated in January 2020 due to poor progress of work.

Last time when MMRDA invited bids for this work, NCC Limited emerged as the lowest bidder (November 2020) quoting bid value of INR 719.27 Crores which was way above the MMRDA estimated cost of INR 568.55 Crores and further negotiations between the two did not result in any positive outcome leading to re-inviting of tenders.

Now it remains to be seen how the work progress on this section of Mumbai Metro Line-2B as work is already got delayed. Hopefully, this time tenders invitation will culminate to starting of construction on the given section which will take another few years before operations of metro trains start on this section.

There is also a proposal to build three iconic bridges on this 23.64 km long Metro Line 2B from DN Nagar to Mandale. The designs for the bridges are already ready and tenders were floated for the second time in June 2020 for their construction. The bridges to be constructed are Arch shape bridge over Mithi River, Zero shape bridge at Vakola Nala and the Sword shape bridge at BKC Entry. The purpose is to give aesthetic look to the surrounding areas through these all three cable-stayed bridges. Mumbai will look more beautiful through these bridges and the bridges will be visible from far distances creating new skyline for the city. Hopefully, construction of bridges will start at the earliest to add another jewel to the city that never sleeps.