Four Firms qualify for Construction Contract for Bhopal Metro Line 2

Bhopal, India (Metro Rail Today): On October 22, 2024, four construction firms, including one consortium, qualified for the civil construction contract BH-05 for the Bhopal Metro Phase 1 project’s 12.915 km Blue Line (Line-2). This significant line will connect Bhadbhada Chauraha to Ratnagiri Tiraha, featuring 14 elevated stations.

The contract, issued by the Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MPMRCL), encompasses the complete construction of the Blue Line's viaduct, 13 stations, and a ramp leading to the Subhash Nagar Depot. This depot will be shared with the 14.99 km Orange Line, which runs from Karond Circle to AIIMS, and will facilitate the maintenance and stabling of 27 Alstom Movia train sets.

Originally designated as the Red Line, Bhopal Metro’s Blue Line will include an interchange station at Bogda Pul with the Orange Line, which is being constructed by URC Construction under Package BH-03.

MPMRCL initiated the bidding process for the Blue Line construction in June 2023, estimating the contract value at ₹1,121.63 crore, with a three-year completion timeline. Technical bids were opened in October 2023, revealing seven bidders. After a lengthy evaluation period, the following firms have qualified:

Qualified Bidders

1. Afcons Infrastructure Ltd.
2. Kalpataru Projects – Gulermak JV
3. Larsen & Toubro Ltd. (L&T)
4. Tata Projects Ltd.

Disqualified Bidders

1. Dineshchandra R Agrawal Infracon – YFC Projects JV
2. J Kumar Infraprojects Ltd. (JKIL)
3. Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd. (RVNL)

Scope of Work

MPMRCL's brief for Package BH-05 includes:

• Design and Construction: Elevated viaduct and 13 elevated metro rail stations, including key stations such as Bhadbhada Chauraha, Depot Chauraha, Jawahar Chowk, and Ratnagiri Tiraha.
• Chainages: The work will span from chainages 50+000 to 62+915, with depot access from 00+155 to 01+100.

Evaluation Timeline

The technical evaluation took 12 months to complete, which is unusually lengthy for MPMRCL. It is anticipated that this delay was due to awaiting approval from the European Investment Bank (EIB), which is financing the contract through a €400 million loan.

MPMRCL plans to open financial bids for the qualified firms on October 29, 2024. This package represents the last major civil contract pending award for Phase 1 of the Bhopal Metro project. The outcome will be crucial in determining the next steps for the development of the Blue Line and the overall enhancement of Bhopal's urban transit infrastructure.

Stay tuned for updates on who will win this significant contract!