Maha Metro invites bids to appoint General Consultant for Pune Metro Phase 2

Nagpur, India (Metro Rail Today): On 4th October 2024, the Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (Maha-Metro) invited bids to appoint a General Consultant (GC) for the highly anticipated Pune Metro Phase 2 project. This marks a significant milestone in a project that has been under consideration since at least 2021.

The General Consultant contract, designated as Package Consul-01, is the first major contract for Phase 2. The project’s draft Detailed Project Report (DPR), prepared by the Urban Mass Transit Company (UMTC), was submitted to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for approval in September 2022. Since then, the Phase 2 plan has undergone revisions, notably integrating extensions of the operational 14.665 km Aqua Line into the first phase of the project. The extensions include a 1.12 km segment from Vanaz to Chandni Chowk and an 11.63 km stretch from Ramwadi to Wagholi.

Pune Metro Phase 2 will likely encompass approximately 69.65 km of new lines, including:

• Line-5: Spanning 25.65 km from Khadakwasla to Kharadi, featuring 22 stations.
• Spur Line of Line-5: An 8 km connection from SNDT to Warje, with 6 stations.
• High Capacity Mass Transit Route (HCMTR or Ring Line): A 36 km route running from Ambedkar Chowk to Kirloskar, featuring 44 stations.

The tender notice was released on Friday, with detailed documents available for download after 4 PM on October 7. This will provide further insights into the scope of the project and its requirements.

Tender Details:

• Contract Duration: 60 months (5 years)
• Pre-bid Meeting: October 18, 2024, at 11 AM
• Bid Submission Deadline: October 28, 2024, at 4 PM
• Technical Bid Opening: October 29, 2024, at 4:30 PM
• Tender Notice Number: P2-Consul-01/2024

The scope of work for the General Consultant includes assisting with design, supervision, safety, quality control, and contract management throughout the project’s execution.

It’s important to note that Pune Metro’s 18 km Line-4, running from Civil Court to Loni Kalbhor, is not part of Phase 2 plans. This line, along with the under-construction 23.3 km Line-3 (Hinjawadi to Civil Court), is being executed under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. However, Lines 4 and 5 will share a common alignment for approximately 4.6 km along Solapur Road, between Pul Gate and Hadapsar (Magarpatta).

Currently, Pune Metro Phase 2 awaits approval from the Maharashtra state government. The appointment of a General Consultant is crucial for ensuring the project’s successful execution and adherence to safety and quality standards.

This isn’t Maha-Metro’s first attempt to appoint a General Consultant for Pune Metro Phase 2. In July 2020, AECOM – SYSTRA – CEG JV was the sole bidder for a significant contract that also included Nagpur Metro Phase 2 and Thane Metro. However, the GC services for Pune Metro Phase 2 and Thane Metro were eventually de-scoped due to pending approvals.

As Pune moves forward with its metro expansion plans, the involvement of a dedicated General Consultant is expected to streamline the project’s execution and help bring this vital transportation infrastructure to fruition.