Home Blog Page 65

Skoda Group &Tata AutoComp to Manufacture Railway Components in India

DELHI (Metro Rail News): In a move to strengthen the country’s railway manufacturing capabilities and support the growing demand for advanced mobility solutions in the rail sector, Tata AutoComp Systems and the Czech Republic-based Skoda Group entered a strategic partnership on 7 July for the manufacturing of railway components in India. 

Under the agreement, both companies will utilise their respective expertise to manufacture propulsion systems, converters, drives, and auxiliary converters for use in regional trains, metro systems, and other light-rail vehicles. This collaboration aligns with the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative to boost indigenous production and self-reliance in critical mobility technologies.

The establishment of a manufacturing unit will involve high capital. Tata AutoComp has a strong presence in the EV component sector, and this partnership is an opportunity for the company to enter the railway and metro sector by introducing a sustainable mobility solution for the industry. 

On the other hand, Škoda Group contributes its extensive experience and technological expertise in electric rail systems, which are currently in operation across several European countries. The company has a strong track record in delivering reliable and energy-efficient solutions for metro trains and regional rail networks. Speaking on the collaboration, Petr Novotný, CEO of Škoda Group, said, “Together, we are bringing proven technology and innovation to one of the fastest-growing rail markets.”

Bullet Train Project Advances With Completion of River Bridge in Valsad District of Gujarat

National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has achieved another breakthrough in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Project by successfully completing the bridge on the Daman Ganga River, Valsad district, Gujarat. This milestone signifies the completion of the 16th River Bridge for the project.

Furthermore, the completion of the bridge on the Daman Ganga River marks the completion of all 5 bridges located in the Valsad district. In total, 25 river bridges are being constructed along the entire corridor.

Screenshot 2025 07 09 130857

The bridge at Daman Ganga River, spanning 360 metres, falls between the Boisar and Vapi Bullet Train stations. The bridge consists of one circular pier with a 4m diameter, one with a 5 m diameter and 8 circular piers of 5.5m diameter. The height of the piers varies between 19m to 29 metres. The bridge consists of 9 full-span girders of 40 m each. 

Another river bridge that has already been completed between the Boisar and Vapi Bullet Train stations is the Darotha River Bridge. The Daman Ganga River is around 1 km from the Vapi Bullet Train station and 61 km from the Boisar Bullet Train station. 

The Mumbai Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project is an under-construction high-speed rail line that spans 508 km from Mumbai to Ahmedabad, covering 12 stations. Out of 12 stations planned for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project, 8 stations are located in Gujarat, while the remaining 4 stations are located in Maharashtra. 

Stations: Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad and Sabarmati

Recently, National High-Speed Rail Corporation Ltd. (NHSRCL) announced Larsen & Toubro (L&T) as the lowest bidder for the track work package T-1 of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project. To know more about the news: Click Here.

Maha-Metro Floats Tender for AFC Contract of Nagpur Metro Phase 2 

NAGPUR (Metro Rail News): Maha-Metro (Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation) has issued bids for the Automatic Fare Collection Systems (AFC) contract for Phase 2 of the Nagpur Metro Rail Project. 

Tender Details 

Opening Date8 July 2025
Closing Date2 Sep 2025
Tender Id2025_MMRCL_1198035_1
Tender NoN2-059/AFC-03/2025
Pre-Bid Meeting:29 July 2O25
Bid Security (EMD₹ 77,00,000

Contract Value: Rs. 154.30 Crores

Contract Duration: 180 Weeks 

The contract includes the Design, Supply, Installation, Testing, and Commissioning of an Open-Loop EMV NCMC Card and QR Code-Based Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) System, along with CAMC, for the Nagpur Metro Rail Project Phase 2. 

The under-construction Phase 2 of Nagpur Metro spans 43.8 km. The Nagpur Metro Phase 2  aims to extend the two existing lines built in Phase 1 to Kanhan in the north, Butibori MIDC in the south, Transport Nagar (Kapsi) in the east and Hingna in the west. 

Nagpur Metro Phase II map

Nagpur Metro Phase-II consists of the following 4 extensions of the Aqua Line & Orange Line of Phase I. 

Line Route Length 
Orange Line Khapri – MIDC ESR 18.5 Km
Orange Line Automotive Square – Kanhan River13 km
Aqua LinePrajapati Nagar – Transport Nagar5.6 km
Aqua Line Lokmanya Nagar – Hingna6.7 km

Recently, M/S Sterling Wilson Pvt Ltd also received a Letter of Acceptance (LoA) from Maha-Metro for the electrification contract. In contrast, Siemens Limited received LoA for the Telecommunication System Contract of Nagpur Metro Phase 2.

To get real-time updates on metro and railway tenders, follow: https://chat.whatsapp.com/FhRoGfM8zUl4secYj1ZQDT

Railway Minister Lays Foundation Stone for Karpoorigram Station Redevelopment in Bihar

BIHAR (Metro Rail News): In a move to provide the nation with a reliable and modern infrastructure, Railway Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of  Karpoorigram Station. The upgradation works will cost around Rs 3.30 crore. The upgrades encompass the modernisation of the station building, including enhancements to waiting rooms, restrooms, and a digital information system. Additional improvements feature drinking water facilities, ramps for individuals with disabilities, and various other passenger amenities.

In addition to this development, the Railway Minister inaugurated various projects at Karpoorigram Station, amounting to  Rs 17.30 crore, which comes under the Samastipur division.

Union Railway Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw also performed the Bhoomi Pujan for a new underground railway subway which will be constructed at Level Crossing Gate No. 59 ‘C’, located between Karpoorigram and Khudiram Bose Pusa stations. This initiative aims to enhance passenger safety and streamline movement by eliminating the need to cross tracks at ground level.

image002GDJE

At the start of his visit, Shri Vaishnaw conducted a detailed inspection of Digha Bridge Halt, focusing on the overall condition and infrastructure available to passengers. The review included a thorough assessment of:

  • Passenger amenities
  • Safety protocols and security arrangements
  • Cleanliness and hygiene standards
  • Platform conditions and accessibility
  • Availability of drinking water
  • Lighting infrastructure

Following the inspection, the railway minister mentioned that Indian Railways strives to provide passengers with a better travel experience. In addition, he directed the officials to uphold all exemplary standards of service delivery across all facilities.

GvUTcf8WgAA Gy9

The Railway Minister reflected on the transformative progress achieved by Indian Railways over the past 11 years. He highlighted that nearly 35,000 kilometres of new railway lines have been laid during this period. This large-scale expansion not only improves connectivity but also plays a crucial role in driving economic growth, particularly in remote and underdeveloped areas. 

Central Boosts Rail Infrastructure in Bihar with Allocation of ₹10,000 Crore

BIHAR (Metro Rail News): In a move to strengthen rail infrastructure, Railway Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that ₹10,000 crore has been allocated in the Union Budget 2025-26 for Bihar. 

During the ‘Bhoomi Pujan’ ceremony for a level crossing gate near Karpoori Gram railway station in Samastipur district, Vaishnaw said, “The NDA government at the Centre, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has sanctioned ₹10,000 crore in this year’s budget for rail infrastructure in Bihar.” as reported by ET Infra. 

The minister also inaugurated a series of passenger amenities at the Karpoori Gram railway and announced that the Karpoori Gram railway will now come under the Samastipur railway division, shifting from the Sonpur division. “A long-pending proposal to bring Karpoori Gram railway station under the Samastipur railway division has been approved,” he said. ET Infra reported 

Minister Vaishnaw further indicated that four new Amrit Bharat trains will soon commence operations in Bihar. These services consist of a daily service from Patna to Delhi, a weekly train from Darbhanga to Lucknow (Gomti Nagar), another weekly service from Malda to Lucknow (Gomti Nagar), and a route from Saharsa to Amritsar.

In addition to these developments, the minister announced various infrastructure and technology projects tailored for the state of Bihar.

  • Bhagalpur-Jamalpur third rail line: ₹1,156 crore, spanning 53 km 
  • Bakhtiyarpur-Rajgir-Tilaiya doubling project: ₹2,017 crore, covering 104 km 
  • Rampurhat-Bhagalpur doubling project: ₹3,000 crore, extending 177 km 

Additionally, the Railway Minister also announced that two new Software Technology Parks of India (STPIs) are set to be inaugurated. 

  • STPI Patna (Patliputra new building) at an investment of ₹53 crore
  • STPI Darbhanga at a cost of ₹10 crore

Minister Vaishnaw asserted that these initiatives will enhance connectivity and digital infrastructure within the state.

L&T Installs 1st U-Girder for Agra Metro’s Corridor 2

AGRA (Metro Rail News): Agra Metro Phase 1 Project progressed as Larsen & Toubro (L&T) launched the first set of 2 U-girders for the construction of the Line 2, which spans 15.09 km connecting Agra Cantonment – Kalindi Vihar through 14 elevated stations.

1751342496683
Image Credit: Hirak Senapati

This development was recorded under package AGCC-07. The launching of the U girder took place between piers P/18 and P19 in Agra Cantonment. Each girder spans  27.90m and weighs 155MT.

In November 2024, L&T bagged Package AGCC-07 from Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) at Rs. 1242.79 crore and 24 24-month deadline. 

1751342467474
Image Credit:Hirak Senapati

As per the construction plan, L&T will cast 761 piers for the construction of Line 2’s superstructure and will launch 930 U-girders to form its viaduct. 

The scope of work under Package AGCC-07 includes the construction of Line 2’s viaduct along with 14 elevated stations. The contract also includes the 530m viaduct to Line-2’s Kalindi Vihar Depot and a 2.61 km viaduct from north of Sadar Bazar metro station to Line-1’s PAC Depot.

UPMRC’s Brief Scope: Design and Construction of Main Line Elevated Viaduct from Agra Cantt. Metro Station to Kalindi Vihar Metro Station [Chainage (-77m) to 15016m] including Viaduct Connection with Ramp (Chainage 0.00m to 2610m) from (nearby) Sadar Bazar Metro Station to existing Corridor-1 Depot at PAC ground & Corridor-2 Depot Entry/Exit lines Viaduct with Ramp (Chainage 0.00m to 530m) and 14 nos. of Elevated Stations i.e., Agra Cantt, Sadar Bazar, Pratap Pura, Collectorate, Agra College, Hariparvat Chauraha, Sanjay Place, M.G. Road, Sultanganj crossing, Kamla Nagar, Ram Bagh, Foundary Nagar, Agra Mandi & Kalindi Vihar metro stations including Civil, Associated Ancillary Structures, Architectural Finishes, Water Supply, Sanitary Installation, Drainage, External Development, Fire Fighting, Fire Detection, E&M works and PEB structures in Corridor-2 of Agra Metro at Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India

TBM 427 of Bhopal Metro Passes Factory Acceptance Test in Bengaluru

BHOPAL (Metro Rail News): The Bhopal Metro Rail Project progressed as the Robbins Company, the manufacturer of the tunnel boring machine (TBM), has successfully completed the Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) for the first TBM machine (TBM 427) of Bhopal Metro Phase 1‘s underground package BH-04. The FAT was conducted in Bengaluru. 

TBM 427 stands as the first of two earth pressure balance (EPB) machines that will be deployed by Kalpataru Projects International Ltd. (KPIL) – Gulermak JV to construct three twin tunnels for the Orange Line. The total length of the twin tunnels will be 2.1km.  

The twin tunnels will link the ramp south of Sindhi Colony Station and the ramp west of Aish Bagh Crossing Station through 2 underground stations at Bhopal Junction Station and Nadra Bus Stand.

In March 2024, KPIL– Gulermak JV bagged Package BH-04 of Bhopal Metro from Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MPMRCL) at  Rs. 769 crore with a 42-month deadline. Package BH-04 is the first and only underground package of the Bhopal Metro Phase 1 Project, which spans 27.87 km.

Package BH-04 Brief Scope: Design Construction of Twin Tunnel Cut Cover Cross passages with OR without sump Ramps for two UG Stations including Architectural finishing Water Supply Sanitary Installation and Drainage works in the entire UG from CH 28375 to 31765 for Bhopal Metro. 

Larsen & Toubro Wins Track Contract T1 of Bullet Train Project 

National High-Speed Rail Corporation Ltd. (NHSRCL) has announced Larsen & Toubro (L&T) as the lowest bidder for the track work package T-1 of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project. 

Package T-1 is the third and final track installation package for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR Bullet Train) project, which spans 508.17 km, covering 12 stations.

In October 2024, NHSRCL invited bids for this contract with a 2157-day (5.9-year) deadline. Furthermore, technical bids were opened in May to reveal that 3 firms have submitted bids for the contract. However, during the technical evaluation, the KEC International – Rahee JV bid was rejected. 

Financial Bid Value 

Note: As per the latest conversion rate, this is the INR amount. 

FirmBid
Larsen & Toubro4571.37 cr (Rs. 1685.37 cr + JPY 44.75 bn + USD 28.34 mn)
DRA Infracon – DMRC JV4776.05 cr (Rs. 2789.47 cr + JPY 33.63 bn)

IFB Number: Package No. MAHSR – T-1

The scope of Package T-1 concerns track work for the following packages:

  • Package C-1, which spans 1.028 km and includes the construction of the underground BKC Station by MEIL–HCC JV. 
  • Package C-2 spans 20.377 km and includes the construction of an underground tunnel executed by Afcons Infrastructure. 
  • Package C-3, spans 135.45 km and includes the construction of an elevated viaduct along with three stations being constructed by Larsen & Toubro.

Brief Scope: Design, Supply and Construction of Track Works including Testing and Commissioning on Design-Build Lump Sum Price basis for Double Line High Speed Railway between Mumbai Stn. at Bandra-Kurla complex (MAHSR Km. -0.255) and Zaroli Village (Km . 156.600)

Track Work contracts for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project

PackageStatus
T-1 (Maharashtra): Design, Supply & Construction of Track & Track related works between HSR station at BKC/ Mumbai and Zaroli Village on MH/GJ border (156.855 km)L&T is the lowest bidder 
T-2 (Gujarat): Design, Supply & Construction of Track and Track related works between Zaroli Village and Vadodara (237.10 km)Installation underway by IRCON International
T-3 (Gujarat): Design, Supply & Construction of Track and Track related works between Vadodara and Sabarmati Depot and workshops (114.60 km)Installation underway by Larsen & Toubro

PMRDA Completes the First Trial Run on Pune Metro Line 3

PUNE (Metro Rail News): The Pune Metro Rail Project progressed as the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) successfully completed the first trial run on Line 3 between Hinjawadi and Shivajinagar.

Pune Metro Line-3, also known as the Puneri Metro, is a 23.3 km elevated metro corridor designed to connect Hinjawadi with Civil Court through 23 elevated stations.

A PMRDA Official said, “The metro work of Hinjawadi to Shivajinagar is 87 per cent complete. The first trial run of it was successfully completed from Mann depot to PMR 4 station,” as reported by The Indian Express.

The Pune Metro Line 3 is being developed on a public-private partnership (PPP) model through a joint venture of TATA and Siemens under the name Pune IT City Metro Rail Ltd. The deadline for the already delayed Metro Line-3 in Pune is March 2026.

Currently, Phase 1 of the Pune Metro is operational. Phase 1 consists of two operational corridors, Purple Line and Aqua Line, spanning a total length of 31.254 km. The Aqua Line spans 14.665 km between Vanaz and Ramwadi through 16 stations, and the Purple Line spans 16.589 km from Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) – Swargate through 14 stations. 

Recently, the Central Government has also approved the extension of the Aqua Line under Phase 2 of the project, with a total estimated cost of ₹3,626.24 crore. The expansion includes a 1.12 km western extension from Vanaz to Chandani Chowk (Corridor 2A) and an 11.36 km eastern extension from Ramwadi to Wagholi/Vitthalwadi (Corridor 2B). To learn more about this news, click Here.

Delhi Metro: RVNL Wins Civil Contract of Saket G Block- Lajpat Nagar Corridor

DELHI (Metro Rail News): Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has announced Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) as the lowest bidder for carrying out the viaduct & platform construction for the Golden Line Extension (Lajpat Nagar- Saket G Block) under Contract D2C-02.

The Golden Line’s Extension spans 8.385 km between Lajpat Nagar and Saket G Block. Originally, the Golden Line of Delhi Metro Phase 4 spans 23.622 km between Aerocity and Tughlakabad through 15 stations. 

DMRC invited bids for this contract with a 1095-day deadline. Technical bids were opened on 25 April, revealing that 5 firms have submitted bids for the contract. The Technical Evaluation took place on 2 July. However, 2 firms’ bids out of 5 were rejected during this round. Financial bids were opened on 2 Jul,y revealing that RVNL is the lowest bidder for the contract. 

Financial Bid Values 

Firm Bid Value 
Rail Vikas Nigam Limited₹ 447.4 Cr 
H.G. Infra Engineering Limited₹ 553.1 Cr
PNC Infratech Ltd₹ 76.2 Cr 

The awarded contractor will be responsible for the construction of a 7.298 km viaduct, including the construction of 7 stations (Only Platform) between Pushp Vihar and the Lajpat Nagar section of Golden Line’s Extension. 

Brief Scope of Work: Part Design and Construction of Viaduct of Length 7.298 kms. from Chainage 1202.782 m to Chainage 8501.25 m including seven (07) stations (Only platforms) namely Pushp Vihar, Saket District Court, Pushpa Bhawan, Chirag Delhi, GK-1, Andrews Ganj and Lajpat Nagar including Pre-Engineered Building Structure in all stations of Lajpat Nagar to Saket G Block Corridor of Delhi MRTS Phase-IV Project.