RVNL Starts Work on Underground Tunnel for Kolkata’s New Garia line

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10/03/2023

KOLKATA (Metro Rail News): Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL), the implementing agency for the New Garia-Airport Metro corridor in Kolkata, has begun work on constructing an underground tunnel to connect the airport Metro terminal to the line. The tunnelling is expected to be completed by the end of this year, while the 3.5km section from City Centre II to the airport is set to be completed by the end of 2024.

Although the Metro project connecting New Garia with Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport still has several gaps, a 5.4km section is set to be launched commercially this month. The construction of the diaphragms on both sides of the 800m underground section through Airports Authority of India (AAI) land is also being carried out by Afcons Infrastructure.

An official has announced that the New Garia-Airport Metro stretch will include a total of 24 elevated stations, with Phase 1 covering five stations, including the terminal Kavi Subhas station and the Hemanta Mukherjee station at Ruby crossing. RVNL is currently fast-tracking the remaining stations. The airport station will act as the northern terminal of the Metro corridor and will also serve as a stop for the 6.8km Noapara to airport line, which is set to be extended to New Barrackpore.

Afcons’ scope of work includes the 800m tunnel, for which trenching work began near the end of February. The 3.5km mostly elevated segment with two new stations at Chinar Park and VIP Road (Haldiram’s) will connect City Centre II and airport Metro stations. In January 2021, Afcons was awarded the Rs 532 crore civil construction contract with a 36-month deadline.

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NCRTC Expects to Complete 17-km Priority Section of RRTS Corridor March-end

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Staff Reporter

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10/03/2023

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RRTS-trainsets — Representational image only

GHAZIABAD (Metro Rail News): The NCR transport corporation (NCRTC) is making significant progress with the construction of the 17-km priority section of the RRTS corridor, with trial runs already underway. The corporation expects to complete the project by the end of March, which is three months ahead of the official deadline set for June. The 17-km priority section extends from Sahibabad to Duhai and forms part of the 82-km RRTS network, connecting Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut, with a total cost of Rs 30,274 crore.

The six trainsets stationed at the Duhai depot are being tested, with advanced-stage signal testing being conducted manually. The corporation is set to announce the fare module for the RRTS, which is expected to be higher than the estimated Rs 2 per kilometre as per the detailed project report (DPR). The NCRTC is implementing a cutting-edge automatic fare collection (AFC) system for RRTS, including the introduction of the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) for ticketing options.

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Tata Steel to Manufacture 22 Vande Bharat Express Trains for Indian Railways

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Staff Reporter

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10/03/2023

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Vande Bharat Express trains — Vande Bharat Express/Representational image

NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News): Tata Steel, India’s leading steel manufacturer, has signed an agreement with the Indian Railways to manufacture at least 22 Vande Bharat Express trains, India’s fastest and most feature-rich trains, in the coming year. The Ministry of Railways aims to manufacture a total of 200 Vande Bharat trains over the next two years and launch the first sleeper version by the first quarter of 2024.

To expedite production, Indian Railways has signed an agreement with Tata Steel on various schemes. As part of the agreement, Tata Steel will manufacture seats for the Vande Bharat Express, from first AC to three-tier coaches. The company has also been contracted to make Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches for the train, which includes structures of panels, windows, and railways of the trains.

The multinational steel company has been awarded a tender worth approximately Rs 145 crore for manufacturing the train’s parts. The manufacturing process is expected to take 12 months.

The composites division of Tata Steel has already started working on the seating system for Vande Bharat Express, which includes 22 train sets with 16 coaches
each. According to Debashish Bhattacharya, the Vice President of Tata Steel’s Technology and New Materials Business, the seats have been specially designed to rotate up to 180 degrees and include passenger amenities resembling those found on aeroplanes, marking the first time such features have been incorporated into trains in India.

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Maharashtra government proposes ₹40,000 crore for Metro projects, Mumbai to get new lines

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Staff Reporter

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10/03/2023

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MUMBAI (Metro Rail News): The Maharashtra government has proposed a budget of ₹40,000 crore for Metro projects in various parts of the state, with new lines to be added in Mumbai, Thane, Nashik and Pimpri-Chinchwad. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis made the announcement during his speech in the Assembly. The state has sent proposals for new Metro projects in Thane, Nashik, Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the Nigdi corridor of Pune Metro and Swargate to Katraj Metro project are awaiting approval from the central government. Fadnavis stated that the convenience of passengers in Mumbai, MMR and Thane areas is the top priority. A total of 337 km long Metro network is being developed, out of which 46 km stretch has already been opened for traffic, and an additional 50 km stretch is expected to be operational by 2023-24.

Maharashtra Budget in state assembly — Maharashtra Budget in the state assembly

Mumbai will see the addition of three new Metro lines: line 10 from Gaimukh to Shivaji Chowk in Mira Road, with a length of 9.2 km and estimated cost of ₹4,476 crore; line 11 from Wadala to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, with a length of 12.77 km and estimated cost of ₹8,739 crore; and line 12 from Kalyan to Taloja, with a length of 20.75 km and estimated cost of ₹5,865 crore.

In Nagpur, the second phase of expansion of the Metro network has been approved by the central government, with work on a 43.80 km stretch to be undertaken in 2023-24 at the cost of ₹6,708 crore. Work is also in progress for the Hinjewadi to Shivanagar Metro Rail project in Pune, with an estimated budget of ₹8,313 crore for the 23.3 km length.

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State Bank of India Becomes Sole Bidder for Agra Metro’s Automatic Fare Collection Contract

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Staff Reporter

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09/03/2023

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AGRA (Metro Rail News): The State Bank of India (SBI) has become the sole bidder for Package AGAFC-01, the Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) contract for the Agra Metro Phase 1 project. The Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) will be using a public-private partnership (PPP) model for this systems contract, with the selected contractor being responsible for designing, manufacturing, supplying, installing, testing, and commissioning an end-to-end Open Loop EMV (RuPay/Master/Visa) NCMC card-based AFC system, along with QR code-based ticketing.

All devices will be connected to a central back-office AFC system. This is a retender, with the initial bidding process in July 2022 receiving zero bids by December of the same year. The work period for this retender is set at 1050 days. The scope of the project includes the design, manufacture, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of the open-loop EMV NCMC card and QR code-based AFC system on a PPP basis for the Agra Metro Project. In case UPMRC is not content with SBI’s offer, the package will undergo a retender. On the other hand, if UPMRC is satisfied with SBI’s bid, it will proceed to a technical evaluation that could take up to a month to complete.

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Rail Vikas Nigam Limited invites bids for Rayagada Yard Phase-II works in Odisha

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Staff Reporter

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09/03/2023

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Indian Railways/Representational Image — Representational Image

NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News): Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) is seeking bids for Rayagada Yard Phase-II works and other related works in Package-4 of Sambalpur/Waltair Divisions of East Coast Railway in Odisha, India. The works include balance construction of roadbed works, bridges, installation of track (excluding supply of rails and B.G main line sleepers), construction of platforms, platform shelters, and soft development of Rayagada Circulating Area, among others.

The approximate estimated cost for the project is INR 35,61,40,481 Crore and the period of work is 18 months. The tendered work is part of the project for the 3rd line of the existing railway line between Titlagarh-Vizianagaram of East Coast Railway, and the works are located in between Bissamcuttack-Ladda station yard limits and in connection with the 3rd line track between Titlagarh-Vizianagaram Section.

The scope of work includes Bridge works, Protection works, Formation works, P.way track linking, laying of points and crossings, slewing of track, miscellaneous works, Passenger Amenities at Stations, supply of cement and provision of site facility and related works. The section of Bissamcuttack-Ladda Stations is a part of the 3rd line between Titlagarh-Vizianagaram.

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CMRL Removes Six Stations from Phase-2, Saving 1,200 Crore

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Staff Reporter

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09/03/2023

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CHENNAI (Metro Rail News): Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has removed six metro stations from phase-2 of its project, which is expected to save nearly 1,200 crore. The stations, including Doveton Junction, Foreshore Estate, Natesan Park, Meenakshi College, and Thapal Petti, were all either underground or elevated and situated less than 750m from the next stop. One of the reasons for removing the stations, as stated by CMRL spokesperson L Girirajan, was their close proximity to the nearest stations. Another reason was that the proposed station at Thapal Petti would have had a sharp curve that could be challenging to maintain.

The proposed phase-2 of Chennai Metro Rail is 118.9km long with 128 stations, including 48 underground stations, and is expected to be completed by 2026. Metro stations are generally planned every 1km for easy access and emergency evacuation. The stations that have been removed are on the 45.8km Madhavaram Milk Colony-Siruseri Sipcot corridor-3 and the 26.1km Lighthouse-Poonamallee Bypass corridor-4.

Changes were made by CMRL to decrease the project cost from 89,000 crore to 61,843 crore, which included the substitution of the maintenance depot originally proposed for Siruseri SIPCOT with stabling lines for train parking. Additionally, it has converted some stations from being underground to elevated and decreased the size of the stations by 25% in comparison to phase-1 stations. Sources say that similar emergency structures to the shaft built inside May Day Park at Chintadripet may be built in place of the removed stations.

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Mihan-SEZ and MahaMetro Corporation Sign MoC to Improve Last Mile Connectivity in Nagpur Zone

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Staff Reporter

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09/03/2023

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MoC signing ceremony between Maha Metro, Mihan-SEZ & CIDC/ Photo by Nagpur Metro Rail

NAGPUR (Metro Rail News): Mihan-SEZ and MahaMetro Corporation have signed a memorandum of cooperation (MoC) to improve last-mile connectivity within the zone in Nagpur. Currently, passengers using the Metro rail have to take different modes of transport under the feeder service of MahaMetro to reach the interior units within Mihan after getting down at Khapri station. With the MoC signed, both Mihan-SEZ and MahaMetro Corporation will benefit. The MoC will allow MahaMetro to run as many vehicles as needed as a part of the feeder service. While this can be a multimodal service, there is no requirement for obtaining fresh permission to increase the number of vehicles operating under the feeder service arrangement. However, it should be noted that the vehicles are not allowed to use the SEZ for thoroughfare and must not cross over from the other side.

Furthermore, MahaMetro and Mihan-SEZ signed another MoC with the Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC), a Niti Ayog-established organization that includes members from both the public sector undertakings (PSUs) and the private sector. The goal is to exchange the best practices and foster collaboration between the signatory agencies. Additionally, Mihan will be presented during the India Construction Meet 2023, scheduled to take place in Delhi from April 10 to 12, by the CIDC.

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Shivamogga MP Seeks Financial Aid for KRCL Station Upgrades

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Staff Reporter

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07/03/2023

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MANGALURU (Metro Rail News): Shivamogga MP, B.Y. Raghavendra, has requested Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav to take charge of infrastructure upgradation work of prominent railway stations under the Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd. (KRCL) network. He explained that KRCL is facing financial difficulties and is unable to upgrade the stations on the West coast, which is affecting tourism potential.

Mr. Raghavendra noted that while the demand for merging KRCL with the Indian Railways was justified, until that happens, the Railways should provide budgetary support to KRCL for development works. He pointed out that none of the KRCL stations were included in the Union Budget’s Amrit Bharat Station scheme, which disappointed people in coastal Karnataka.

The MP stated that KRCL was heavily debt-funded for constructing the Mangaluru-Mumbai line and was unable to provide additional amenities to passengers due to a lack of funds. Thousands of devotees visit Kollur through the Byndoor station, and its development under the Amrit Bharat Scheme was much needed. Mr. Raghavendra stressed that without budgetary support, the stations would remain without many passenger amenities, which would negatively impact tourism potential.

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Chennai Metro Rail Limited Invites Bids for Consultancy Services

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Staff Reporter

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07/03/2023

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CHENNAI (Metro Rail News): Chennai Metro Rail Limited has issued a tender inviting digital bids for consultancy services for various projects related to feasibility, transaction advisory services, and market study, including bid process management services for built-up spaces in Chennai Metro Rail Stations and for CMRL land parcels. The consultancy firms will be empanelled for a period of two years, with a contract duration of 120 days. The bid submission start date was February 15, 2023, and the end date is March 15, 2023. The bid opening date is scheduled for March 16, 2023.

The objective of the consultancy services is to help CMRL generate revenue from commercial development and tap the unutilized potential of its assets for non-fare revenue generation. The scope of work for the consultant includes conducting feasibility studies, market assessments, financial analysis end-to-end transaction advisory services for retail spaces and land parcels, and bid process management. The consultant is also expected to appraise CMRL with new project proposals, carry out project structuring and financial analysis, and prepare suitable documentation for successful outcomes.

The tender is open to all eligible consultants who must register themselves on the e-procurement portal with a valid class II/III Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) issued by any agency authorized by the Controller of Certifying Authority (CCA), Govt. of India with their profile.

The consultant is required to submit soft copies of their bids/proposals electronically on the CPP Portal using a valid Digital Signature Certificate. To prevent misuse, consultants should ensure that only one valid DSC (Digital Signature Certificate) is registered under their name, and they should not lend their DSC to anyone else. The procurement of goods and services of CMRL is done through e-procurement to ensure free and fair consultant participation and greater transparency in procurement.

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