CHENNAI (Metro Rail News): Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) has emerged as the lowest bidder for the construction of the 10.13 km Sholinganallur Lake – SIPCOT 2 section of Chennai Metro Line-3 (Package C3-ECV-01/RT-01).
The 45.8 km Line-3 segment of the 118.9 km Chennai Metro Phase 2 project, which will connect Madhavaram to SIPCOT 2 through 49 stations, includes 9 elevated stations on Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) at the southern end.
Earlier plans for a train maintenance depot by Chennai Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL) at SIPCOT were dropped in 2020. An elevated stable yard, akin to the one at Wimco Nagar for the 9.051 km Phase 1 Extension project, has now been replaced.
The initial bids for this package were floated by CMRL in January 2021, with a 36 month timeframe. Three proposals were received for the tender in July 2021, but it was subsequently canceled in February 2022 as a result of a significant redesign that disconnected the metro’s viaduct from the proposed IT expressway.
In March 2022, new bids were requested with an estimated value of Rs. 957.50 crore. In May 2022, technical bids were opened, revealing 7 bidders. The technical proposal from URC Construction Pvt. Ltd. (URCC) was rejected.
Financial Bid Values
| Firm | Bid (Rs. Crore) |
| Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd. (RVNL) | 901.15 |
| KEC International – YFC Projects JV | 909.50 |
| Larsen and Toubro Ltd. (L&T) | 1044.00 |
| GR Infraprojects Ltd. (GRIL) | 1047.17 |
| JMC Projects India – Evrascon JV | 1048.91 |
| ITD Cementation India Ltd. | 1095.89 |
Brief Scope of the CMRL’s bids are the Construction of an elevated viaduct (approximate length of 10 km), nine (9) elevated metro stations at Sholinganallur Lake, Ponniamman Temple, Sathyabama University, Semmancheri, Gandhi Nagar, Navallur, Siruseri, SIPCOT 1 and SIPCOT 2 and stabling viaduct at SIPCOT.
RVNL’s tender of Rs. 901.15 crore was 5.89% which is less than CMRL’s projection, so the tender for the contract will be awarded in the upcoming week.
The northern elevated part of the line, which has 10 stations and connects Nehru Nagar and Sholinganallur, was given to L&T back in May 2022.
