Indian Railways floats ₹18,902 crore EPC Tender for Sarkhej–Dholera Semi High-Speed Rail Project

Ahmedabad, India (Metro Rail Today): Western Railway has floated a massive ₹18,902 crore Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) tender for the proposed Sarkhej–Dholera Semi High-Speed Rail Corridor in Gujarat, making it one of the largest live railway infrastructure tenders in India.

The single integrated contract covers almost the entire railway system, from civil structures and trackwork to electrification, signalling, telecommunications, operations control and final testing and commissioning. The project is also expected to include dedicated spur connections to the Lothal National Maritime Heritage Complex and the Dholera Airport terminal, further strengthening connectivity to two strategically important destinations.

₹18,902 Crore Integrated EPC Package

The scope of the tender encompasses construction of the railway formation and viaducts, bridges and station buildings, along with complete track infrastructure. The track package will include both ballasted track and ballastless track (BLT) systems.

The contractor will also be responsible for installation of the overhead traction system, signalling and telecommunications infrastructure, development of the Operating Control Centre (OCC) and integration of all railway systems.

The contract will culminate in integrated testing, commissioning and readiness of the corridor for operations, making it a comprehensive system-level EPC package rather than a conventional civil construction contract.

High Qualification Threshold for Bidders

Given the scale and technical complexity of the project, Western Railway has prescribed stringent financial and technical qualification requirements.

The tender carries an Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) of ₹378 crore, while no tender fee has been specified. Bidders must have a minimum net worth equivalent to 5% of the project cost, translating to approximately ₹945 crore.

Technical capacity requirements are equally substantial. Eligible bidders must demonstrate technical capacity equivalent to at least 2.5 times the project cost over the preceding five years and must have completed at least one railway project valued at 50% or more of the estimated project cost.

The tender defines similar works to include major rail infrastructure projects such as railways, metro, RRTS and high-speed rail, with experience involving at least 20 km of viaduct.

Consortium Participation Permitted

To enable participation by large infrastructure companies with complementary capabilities, joint ventures and consortiums of up to four members have been permitted.

The structure could bring together major Indian construction companies, railway engineering firms, systems specialists, track contractors, electrification companies and signalling and telecom technology providers for the integrated project.

Tender Schedule and 42-Month Construction Period

The pre-bid meeting is scheduled for 25 September 2026. Bid submission will open on 25 November 2026, with the deadline set for 9 December 2026 at 11:00 AM.

The prescribed construction period is 42 months, placing significant emphasis on coordinated execution across civil, track, electrical and railway systems packages.

Strategic Importance for Gujarat

The Sarkhej–Dholera corridor is expected to play an important role in strengthening rail connectivity to the rapidly developing Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR) and emerging industrial ecosystem in Gujarat.

The proposed connectivity to the Dholera Airport and the Lothal National Maritime Heritage Complex adds strategic importance to the project, potentially supporting industrial mobility, tourism, logistics and regional economic development.

With a single EPC package covering civil works, track, electrification, signalling, telecom and systems integration, the ₹18,902 crore tender represents a significant opportunity for India's railway infrastructure and engineering industry.

The project also highlights the increasing scale and sophistication of India's next-generation rail infrastructure programme, where conventional railway construction is increasingly being integrated with advanced signalling, high-speed-compatible track systems, modern traction and centralised operational control.