Gawar Constructions wins ₹2,037 crore civil contract for Mumbai Metro Line 12

Mumbai, India (Metro Rail Today): Gawar Constructions Ltd. (GCL) has emerged as the lowest bidder and secured the civil construction contract for Mumbai Metro's Line-12 (Orange Line), connecting Kalyan – Dombivali – Amandoot (Taloja), as announced by the Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

Mumbai Metro Line 12, spanning 22.17 km with 19 elevated stations, is an extension of the partially constructed 23.53 km Line-5 (Thane – Bhiwandi – Kalyan), estimated at Rs 4,132 crore. Originally tendered through packages CA-185 and CA-186 in February 2023, the bidding process was canceled in June due to a substantial change in scope. MMRDA re-invited bids via Package CA-240 in December 2023, with an estimated cost of Rs 1,877.88 crore and a 30-month deadline.

The contract's revised scope now includes two additional stations, Kalyan and APMC Kalyan, which were initially planned for Line 5. The financial bids revealed that Gawar Constructions Ltd. submitted the lowest bid at Rs. 2037.20 crore, representing an 8.48% increase over MMRDA's estimate. J Kumar Infraprojects Ltd. submitted the second-lowest bid at Rs. 2158.62 crore.

The project involves the design and construction of an elevated viaduct and 19 elevated stations, encompassing various locations such as Ganesh Nagar, Pisavali Gaon, Golavli, Dombivli MIDC, Sagaon, Sonarpada, Manpada, Hedutane, Kolegaon, Nilje Gaon, Vadavli (khu), Bale, Waklan, Turbhe, Pisarve Depot, Pisarve, Amandoot, with a connecting line to the depot.

While Gawar Construction's bid was slightly higher than the estimate, the marginal difference suggests that the contract may proceed without negotiations. However, MMRDA is known for its extended timeline in awarding contracts after the financial bid opening date, a process that may take between 3 to 6 months.

Anticipating the initiation of basic groundwork post-monsoons, full-fledged construction is expected to commence in Q4 (Oct–Dec) 2024. Notably, Mumbai's package CA-240, covering 22.17 km, will become the longest EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) package in India's metro construction history once construction begins. Currently, Bangalore Metro Phase 2B's 15 km Package 3, under construction by NCC, holds the record for the longest EPC package.