Global Rolling Stock tender invited for Bhubaneshwar Metro Rail Project

Bhubaneshwar, India (Metro Rail Today): Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has invited tenders for the procurement of 39 new standard gauge coaches for Bhubaneswar Metro’s Phase 1 project under Package BRS1. These coaches will form 13 train sets, each with 3 coaches (DMC + TC + DMC), to be operated on the 26 km Line-1 connecting Biju Patnaik Airport and Trisulia Square via 20 elevated stations.

Bhubaneswar Metro will use a 750V DC third rail current collection system, unlike other recent DMRC-influenced projects. The trains will be stabled and maintained at Phulaphokari Depot, a contract awarded to M I A Construction in June. Each 3-coach train will have a capacity of 972 passengers and feature a modern, lightweight stainless steel design with 3 phase AC drive, V.V.V.F. control, regenerative braking, and compatibility with ATP, ATC, and ATO (CBTC).

The trains will conform to Grade of Automation-2 (GoA2) standards, which is one step below driverless operations. The estimated cost of the project is Rs. 509.68 crore, and the contract period is 154 weeks (3 years). Key dates include a pre-bid meeting on August 2, 2024, a bid submission deadline on August 29, 2024, and the opening of technical bids on September 2, 2024.

The contract involves the design, manufacture, supply, testing, commissioning, and training of 39 standard gauge cars. The supplier must complete the preliminary design within 18 weeks and the final design within 46 weeks. The prototype train set must be delivered within 102 weeks, followed by subsequent deliveries in stages.

To support the Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Make in India) initiative, DMRC requires that a maximum of 9 coaches can be manufactured abroad, with the rest produced in India. The contractor must establish local manufacturing facilities either independently or with an Indian partner.

This development is significant as construction on Bhubaneswar Metro's main line has not yet started. Technical bid evaluations for civil packages BBC-03, BBC-04, and BBC-05 are underway. If the schedule is followed, Bhubaneswar will avoid issues with train availability seen in other metro projects.