Ceigall India secures ₹899 crore civil contract for Bhubaneswar Metro Rail Project

Bhubaneswar, India (Metro Rail Today): In a pivotal development for the Bhubaneswar Metro's Phase 1 project, Ceigall India Ltd. (CIL) has been awarded the contract for Package BBC-05. This major contract, which covers a significant portion of the metro's Line-1, marks a significant milestone in the expansion of Bhubaneswar’s public transportation infrastructure.

Contract Package BBC-05 is the largest of the three primary civil packages in Phase 1 of the Bhubaneswar Metro project. It spans 10.97 kilometers along the northern end of the 26-kilometer Line-1, linking KIIT Square to Trisulia Square. This package includes the construction of six elevated stations located at Nandan Vihar, Raghunathpur, Nandankanan Zoological Park, Barang Station, Phulapokhari and Trisulia Square.

Additionally, the contract entails the construction of a ramp leading to the Phulapokhari Depot & Workshop, which will be developed by M I A Construction under Package BBC-02.

Tender Details and Bidding

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) issued the tender for Package BBC-05 in March 2024. With an estimated budget of Rs. 869.71 crore and a completion deadline of 36 months, the project has attracted considerable interest. On June 19, the technical bids were opened, revealing that 10 bidders passed the evaluation stage. The financial bids were as follows:

• Ceigall India Ltd.: ₹899.00 crore
• Dilip Buildcon Ltd. (DBL): ₹911.60 crore
• Ashoka Buildcon Ltd.: ₹949.65 crore
• H.G. Infra Engineering Ltd.: ₹970.11 crore
• Dineshchandra R. Agrawal Infracon Pvt. Ltd.: ₹979.00 crore
• Kalpataru Projects International Ltd. (KPIL): ₹1,039.40 crore
• Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd. (RVNL): ₹1,101.84 crore
• GR Infraprojects Ltd. (GRIL): ₹1,126.92 crore
• NCC Ltd.: ₹1,148.19 crore
• KEC International Ltd.: ₹1,582.20 crore

Ceigall India Ltd. emerged as the lowest bidder with a bid of Rs. 899.00 crore, which is just 3.37% above DMRC’s estimated cost. Given the narrow margin, it is anticipated that the official contract award to Ceigall will be announced in the near future.

This contract marks Ceigall India Ltd.'s third major Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract for metro projects within the last six months. The company previously secured contracts for:

• Agra Metro Line-1’s Package AGCC-05
• Kanpur Metro Line-2’s Package KNPCC-12

Ceigall’s repeated success in winning these contracts underscores its expertise and expanding presence in the metro construction sector.

Project Timeline and Future Steps

With the anticipated contract award, preliminary pre-construction activities are expected to commence by the end of September 2024. Full-scale construction is projected to start in November or December 2024, as part of the fourth-quarter activities.

Following the awarding of Package BBC-05 to Ceigall and the recent win of Package BBC-03 by Ranjit Buildcon, attention now shifts to the remaining packages. The financial bids for Package BBC-04, which covers the 7.27-kilometer stretch from Acharya Square to KIIT Square, are still pending.

In related updates, DMRC has recently issued a Letter of Award (LOA) to Intercontinental Consultants and Technocrats (ICT) for the Detailed Design Consultant (DDC) role on the line. This consultancy will be instrumental in finalizing the detailed design, ensuring compliance with technical and safety standards.

The awarding of Package BBC-05 to Ceigall India Ltd. represents a significant advancement in the Bhubaneswar Metro project. As construction progresses, Bhubaneswar is set to experience a major transformation in its public transportation network. This development will enhance connectivity and provide a modern, efficient transit solution for the city's residents. With Ceigall’s proven track record, the Bhubaneswar Metro Phase 1 project is on a solid path towards timely and successful completion.