NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News): The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Tuesday awarded Paras Railtech with an Rs. 43.92 crore contract for constructing a 289.65-meter cut and cover tunnel (Package CC-126A) on the 1.218 km Najafgarh – Dhansa Bus Stand extension of Delhi Metro’s Grey Line.
This underground tunnel of the Phase 3 project’s Package CC-126 was earlier awarded to Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co. Ltd. – SUCG Infrastructure India Pvt Ltd (STEC – SUCG IN JV) in October 2017, and tunnelling breakthroughs were recorded by the team using one tunnel boring machine (TBM) on January 18 and June 26, 2019.
DMRC invited bids for this tunnel’s pending work on September 21 with an estimate of Rs 48.99 crore and opened technical bids on October 13. The duration of the work shall be four months according to the tender document.
Financial Bid Values:
Paras Railtech Pvt. Ltd. – Rs. 43.92 Crores
Pragati Construction Consultants – Rs. 54.81 Crores
The Scope of the work includes Construction of Cut and Cover tunnel box from Chainage 5050.35 (UP Line) to 5340.00 (UP line) for extension of Dwarka Najafgarh Metro Corridor of Delhi MRTS Phase-III.
NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News): Larsen & Toubro recently announced that it had been awarded the contract to build the 237.1 km Package C4 of the 508.17 km Mumbai – Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR Bullet Train) which will connect these two cities through 12 stations. The estimated cost of the project is Rs. 1.1 lakh crore (US$15 billion). It shall be noted that it is first of its kind in India. Package C4 which is the first package to be awarded for the main-line. It represents 46.66% of the main-line making it the longest amongst all and runs elevated from Zaroli Village on the Maharashtra – Gujarat border to Vadodara Station through 4 stations at Vapi, Bilimora, Surat and Bharuch in Gujarat. National High-Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRCL) had opened financial bids from 3 firms on October 23. In the process, L&T emerged as the lowest bidder among all. The final contract value has not yet been made public either by L&T or the National High-Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRCL). It can be a matter of negotiation as experts suggest.
KOCHI (Metro Rail News):Kochi Metro Rail Limited on Friday kicked-off the auto-feeder service at Petta Metro station. The introduction of feeder service is part of KMRL’s efforts to provide last-mile connectivity to its commuters.
Inaugaration of the Auto Feeder Service.
“Kochi Metro has engaged 12 auto-rickshaws as the feeder service. At a time five rickshaws will be available at the metro station. The auto feeder service will be available to 16 locations from the metro station”, it said in a statement. “The fare will be as per the government of Kerala rates. The autos will be available during the working hours of Kochi Metro’s service. D K Sinha, Director (Systems) KMRL flagged off the first auto from the Petta station”, it further added.
Petta Metro Station was inaugurated on September 7th by Chief Minister Pinarayi VIjayan.
CHANDIGARH (Metro Rail News): The suspension of freight trains amid farmers’ stir has affected coal supply for thermal plants in Punjab and hit state’s industrial sector, which is staring at massive financial losses. Nearly all industrial verticals, including bicycle and bicycle parts, textile, hand tools, auto parts, steel, machine tools, among others are facing a dearth of raw materials in the wake of non-operation of goods trains. Goods train services had earlier resumed in the state after farmer unions on October 21 announced exempting them from their weeks-old ‘rail roko’ agitation over the Centre’s new farm laws.
The railways began running goods trains on October 22 but decided to suspend them on October 23 after some farmers blocked their movement. On October 26, the suspension in the state was extended up to October 29. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal had sought Punjab government’s assurance for the safety of trains and crew members to restore freight services after Chief Minister Amarinder Singh asked him to intervene to resume the services. A senior official of power utility Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) was stated saying that against the demand for 6,000 MW of power, the state is managing 5,000 MW from central hydro and biomass plants, leading to a shortage of 1,000 MW.
A private thermal power plant has stopped power generation, while other thermal plants are left with just two to three days of coal, the official said.
“Containers are carrying raw material and finished goods which include thread, steel, cycle parts, hand tools and other items worth Rs 6,000 to 7,000 crore,” Ludhiana-based industrialist S C Ralhan, who is also a former president of the Federation of Indian Export Organisation, said. “We have already faced financial loss to the tune of Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 crore due to non-operation of goods trains,” he said.
The company is sending containers through trucks to ports for urgent export supplies, he said, adding that it increases the cost. Ajit Lakra, a garment maker, also echoed similar sentiments saying that any delay in sending goods meant for exports will not only lead to companies losing buyers but will also dent the industry’s credibility. Pahwa also expressed concern on the shortage of coal, saying if thermal plants stop generating power, the industry will not be able to run its operations.
PUNE (Metro Rail News): The Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation (Maha-Metro) has invited suggestions for the naming of the metro card of Pune metro. If the name suggested by a citizen gets selected, they would be rewarded as per the rules.
Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation’s public relation officer Hemant Sonawane, said, “Pune is a unique city. Metro work is in progress and we are launching a card for it.
Instead of giving it a random name, Maha-Metro wants citizens to participate in it.” Sonawane said, “Citizens need to submit their name suggestions till November 16. It is open for all and names can be in English or Marathi.”
Maha-Metro has appealed to citizens to send their entries online at contest@punemetrorail.org. Maha-Metro officials will decide on the final name selection. Citizens need to mention the significance of the name suggested by them in their entries.
LUCKNOW (Metro Rail News):Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL) has emerged as the sole bidder who has qualified the technical bid process for supplying 1620 MT of rails for the 32.385 km Kanpur Metro and 29.40 km Agra Metro‘s Phase 1 projects after officials from the Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) completed technical bid evaluations.
This matter makes SAIL the lowest bidder for package KNPAGT-4. The financial bid was opened on October 27. UPMRC had invited bids for this package in February 2020 with an estimated cost of Rs 11.25 crore. The duration of work shall be 12 months. The Scope of the work includes Supply of 1620 MT Rails (UIC 60 / 60 E1, IRS-T-12-2009, 880 grade, Class A) for Kanpur and Agra Metro of UPMRC.
NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News):Jindal Steel & Power Ltd has reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 903.30 crore, during the September quarter of the financial year 2021, as against a net loss of Rs 321 crore during the same period last year on the back of increased steel prices and better domestic demand in the market. JSPL had reported a net profit of Rs 290 crore during the previous quarter (i.e. April – June 2020). “Quarter ended September’20 went well for the entire Steel industry in India with utilization levels increasing and domestic demand coming back as the lockdown eased and business normalized across the country,” the JSPL said in a statement. “The domestic demand returned and our company increased its sales within India… On the back of increased volumes and the marginal increase in realisations, JSPL standalone reported gross revenue of Rs. 8,667 crore,” a statement read.
The company’s consolidated gross revenue for the quarter was recorded at Rs 9,804, up 22% year-on-year as against Rs 8,047 crore in the same period last year.
JSPL Rails.
JSPL Standalone Performance
During 2QFY21, JSPL Standalone reported highest ever steel production volumes (incl. pig iron) at 1.84 million tonnes (Up 16% YoY) and sales of 1.93 million tonnes (up 30% YoY). As domestic demand returned, the company increased its sales within India, reflected in declining export trend in the reported quarter, declining to 38% (vs. 58% in 1QFY21). Exports stood at 0.74 million tonnes.
While the flat prices rallied during the quarter, long prices were largely range bound during the monsoons, though overall better on a sequential basis. On back of increased volumes and marginal increase in realisations, JSPL Standalone reported gross revenue of Rs. 8,667 Cr. Increasing efficiencies and lower raw material costs helped JSPL Standalone post it’s reported highest ever EBITDA at Rs. 2,435 Cr (Up 33% QoQ).
During 2QFY21, production of pellets was 2.01 million tonnes. The company recorded external pellet sales of 0.73 million tonne during 2QFY21.
JSPL Consolidated (Ex-Oman)Performance
In 2QFY21, JSPL reported Consolidated Gross Revenue of Rs. 9,804 Cr (up 14 % YoY) while Consolidated EBITDA increased to Rs. 2,702 Cr (up 78% YoY).
Net Debt to EBITDA (Trailing) at the end of the quarter ending September’20 stood at 3.52 x (vs 4.20x as of June’2020) (EX-Oman). As of September -end FY2021, JSPL reported Consolidated Net Debt of Rs. 28,910 Cr. On a constant currency basis, based on 31st Mar’20 exchange rates, the Net Debt reported would be Rs. 29,052 Cr (Ex-Oman). (Reduction of 6,867 Cr since March’20).
Shares of JINDAL STEEL & POWER LTD. was last trading in BSE at Rs.189.6 as compared to the previous close of Rs. 190.55. The total number of shares traded during the day was 373444 in over 4592 trades. The stock hit an intraday high of Rs. 192.85 and intraday low of 185.9. The net turnover during the day was Rs. 70752859.
NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News): Afcons Infrastructure has emerged as the lowest bidder for constructing the 5.68 km underground Package 8 of the 82.15 km Delhi – Meerut (RRTS) Line after the National Capital Region Transport Corporation declared financial bid results. NCRTC invited tenders for this package in February 2020 with an estimate of approximately Rs 1750 crore and has set a deadline of 1310 days (3.6 years) for the work. Technical bids were opened in July.
After the 5.6 km New Ashok Nagar Ramp – Anand Vihar – Sahibabad Ramp Package 4 in Delhi, for which STEC emerged as the lowest bidder in June. This Package is the second and final for the construction of underground section of the line. It will have three stations at Meerut Central, Bhaisali and Begumpul in which Meerut Central and Bhaisal will exclusively serve Meerut’s local metro system.
Financial Bid Values:
Afcons Infrastructure Ltd. – Rs. 1529.10 Crores
Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Ltd. – Rs. 1602 Crores
Yapı Merkezi İnşaat ve Sanayi A.Ş. – Tata Projects Ltd. (YM-TPL JV) – Rs. 1620.33 Crores
Gulermak Agir Sanayi Insaat ve Taahh. A.S. (Gulermak) – Rs. 1707.50 Crores
Scope of the work includes Design and Construction of Tunnels by TBM from near Brahampuri DN Ramp to Begumpul UP Ramp and 3 Under Ground Stations at Meerut Central, Bhaisali & Begumpul by Cut & Cover Method including Architectural Finishing and Design, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of Electrical and Mechanical Systems including Fire detection & suppression System and Hydraulic systems on Delhi – Ghaziabad – Meerut Corridor under this package.
MUMBAI (Metro Rail News): After the Maharashtra government wrote a letter to the railway authorities that the general public is allowed to travel by Mumbai local trains during non-peak hours, the Western Railway and Central Railway on Wednesday said they are ready to augment suburban services keeping social distancing norms.”We are working closely with the Maharashtra government to provide these additional services after consultation with them about necessary modalities accordingly, the Central Railway and Western Railway said.
Earlier, in a letter to the railways, the state government suggested that any person holding a valid ticket be allowed to board local trains till 7.30 in the morning, between 11 am to 4 pm, and between 8 pm till the end of the day.
The time between 8 am to 10:30 am and 5 pm to 7.30 pm should be reserved for essential services staff having valid QR coded identity cards, and there should be ladies special trains every hour, the state government said.
“The state is looking to open up the local train services to the general public while ensuring adherence to all COVID-19 protocols,” said the letter marked to general managers of Central Railway and Western Railway beside the Government Railway Police commissioner. The state government also sought an increase in the frequency of suburban services that are being operated for essential services staff since June 15. Currently, the railway authorities are operating 1,410 special services on the Mumbai suburban network, including 10 ladies special trains.
HYDERABAD (Metro Rail News):Larsen & Toubro (L&T), operator of the Hyderabad metro rail project, said it is in discussions with State Bank of India (SBI) and the Telangana government to make the project financially viable.
“There is huge finance involved; there are other aspects involved. We are in constant dialogue with the government of Telangana and (lead banker) SBI to see what is best from a financial point of view to refinance the project and make it viable,” said SN Subrahmanyan, CEO & MD of L&T, during the company’s post-earnings media call on Wednesday. L&T fully commissioned the Hyderabad metro rail project in February 2020. In March it saw a daily ridership of 500,000 people. Operations came to a grinding halt towards the end of March due to the nationwide lockdown imposed to contain Covid-19. After being fully shut for over five months, the metro rail began partial operations on September 7.
Operations are being resumed in a graded manner. Ridership has only reached 100,000 on a daily basis, as many commuters are keeping away from the metro, fearing a Covid-19 infection, and this is making the recovery all the more challenging. While the lockdown had put the brakes on operations and cash flows, L&T continued to incur fixed operational costs, depreciation and interest expenses. All this raised serious questions on the financial viability of the project, which is also burdening L&T’s balance sheet at the consolidated level.
MUMBAI (Metro Rail News): The tender which has been floated for preparing the DPR for Mumbai – Pune – Hyderabad High-Speed Rail Corridor is being seen as a ray of hope. The Mumbai – Pune – Hyderabad High-Speed Rail Corridor is an approx 711 km long corridor. This is a significant development by the central government about the Mumbai-Pune-Hyderabad high-speed rail corridor project.
The government has issued the first Tender in a major action to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) for the Mumbai-Pune-Hyderabad high-speed rail corridor project. Tender is being taken as a big opportunity for companies like IRCON, L&T, TATA, and RITES. The first pre-bid meeting is scheduled to be held on November 5, 2020.
The tenders are scheduled to be issued on November 18, 2020, where the last successful bidder will be awarded the Tender. The survey identifies overhead, ground, underground utilities, and identification power sourcing options for substations along the proposed Mumbai-Pune-Hyderabad high-speed rail corridor.
Few major happenings are likely to take place in the month of November.
NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News): National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has invited bids for the preparatory survey work for developing the Detailed Project Report of the proposed Mumbai – Pune – Hyderabad High-Speed Rail corridor. This is the fifth of six new high-speed rail corridors, planned by the Government of India in 2019, for which basic preliminary work has commenced to start construction on the project.
Others already in the preparatory stage include the 865 km Delhi – Varanasi line, 886 km Delhi – Ahmedabad line, 741 km Mumbai – Nagpur line, and 465 km Delhi – Amritsar line.
The Scope of the work includes Survey, Identification of Overhead, Over Ground, Underground Utilities And Identification Of Power Sourcing Options for substations along with the proposed Mumbai – Pune – Hyderabad High-Speed Rail Corridor. The deadline for the work is 112 after the bid is allocation. On the Mumbai end of the line, the line’s new civil infrastructure is expected to start from Thane, or thereabouts, and branch off from the 508.17 km Mumbai Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor’s Package C3 for which a tender notice is currently pending due to different problems.
KOLKATA (Metro Rail News): Trials and tests for the Dakshineswar Metro are likely to start on November 15. The test runs along the 4-km extension of the city’s existing north-south stretch to Dakshineswar is a prelude to its launch sometime in December, according to officials. The trials will start with the self-operated engine run on November 15 and then there will be a joint testing of the system by Metro Railway and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL). Metro Railway, which runs the Kavi Subhas-Noapara Metro services and the truncated Sector V-Phoolbagan stretch of the East-West Metro, will be operating the new section. RVNL is the implementing agency of the extended corridor. Before the trials start, the crucial Train Protection Warning System (TPWS) equipment — a software that prevents accidents — may arrive from Germany during the first week of November. These issues were discussed at a video-conference between the agencies on Tuesday.
Even as Kolkata Metro Railway has applied for inspection by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) for the 4-km extension, the crucial accident prevention technology, which was due to be delivered by Siemens from Germany in March, ran into lockdown restrictions. A report of the trials and the joint testing undertaken by Metro Railway and RVNL to check the section’s readiness will have to be sent to CRS’ Lucknow headquarters before it agrees to inspect and gives the date of visit. Officials said the trials and testing shouldn’t take much time because this was only an extension of the existing 27-km north-south corridor. “The TPWS software may be delivered sometime next week. It will take four or five days for its installation in the tracks. After this, we shall check the software’s performance,” an official was quoted by TOI.
JAMMU (Metro Rail News): Although a lot of things are being proposed, it’s going to be a long route for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir to get a light rail system. According to sources, the Light Rail System for the capital cities has yet not been sanctioned by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs even after the Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) submitted Detailed Project Reports earlier this year.
“Presently, the DPRs are lying with the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the same are yet to be approved. The Mass Rapid Transit System Projects including metro rail/monorail are cost-intensive which require extensive Inter-Ministerial consultations and their approval depends on the feasibility of projects and availability of resources as such no time limit can be specified for sanction of the projects for Jammu and Srinagar”, an official was quoted saying by a media agency.
As proposed, in Phase-I of the elevated Light Rail Transit System in Srinagar, two corridors will be laid from HMT junction to Indra Nagar and Osmanabad. In Phase-II, two corridors will be laid from Indra Nagar to Pampore Bus Stand and Hazuribagh to Airport. In Jammu, in Phase-I, two corridors from Bantalab to Greater Kailash and Udheywala to Exhibition Ground will be developed while as in Phase-II, corridors will be built from Greater Kailash to Bari Brahamana Railway Station and Exhibition Ground to Satwari Chowk to Airport.
