CHENNAI (Metro Rail News): Chennai Metro Rail has now finalised one more contract, with Linxon being the lowest bidder for carrying out the overhead electrification work on two lines, as the enormous phase II project rapidly picks up speed across the city.
According to the officials of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), the contract will be awarded shortly to the firm after some formalities. “This company will provide the design, manufacturing, installation of substations, overhead electrification work, SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) for two stretches in the phase II project, which include CMBT to Shollinganallur and Shollinganallur to SIPCOT,” an official said.
The phase II project would consist of three corridors that will cover a total distance of 118.9 km and cost 61,843 crores each: Madhavaram to SIPCOT (corridor 3), Light House to Poonamallee (corridor 4) and Madhavaram to Shollinganallur (corridor 5).
The electrification contract in this award includes two stretches that are part of two corridors. The Madhavaram to Shollinganallur corridor will cover the CMBT to Shollinganallur stretch. The Madhavaram to SIPCOT corridor however,will cover the stretch from Shollinganallur to SIPCOT.
Sources said the contractor will be given nearly three years to finish the work. “The work will begin only after the construction of stations and the viaduct and the laying of tracks,” another official said.
Though the construction work is in progress across the city at present, Chennai Metro Rail’s primary focus will be on completing the work between Poonamallee and Power House on priority as this stretch will be the first one to be opened to the public in three years. Meanwhile, the tunneling work between Madhavaram and Kellys too shall begin in a few weeks for building the underground stretch, officials said.
