Three firms bid for AFC Contract of Bhopal and Indore Metro Rail Projects

Bhopal, India (Metro Rail Today): In a significant development for the Bhopal and Indore Metro projects, three firms have submitted bids for the Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) contract under Package BHIN-07-01. The Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (MPMRCL) is overseeing this crucial project, executed on a public-private partnership (PPP) model. The chosen contractor will undertake the comprehensive responsibility of designing, manufacturing, supplying, installing, testing, and commissioning an end-to-end Open loop EMV (RuPay/Master/Visa) NCMC card-based AFC system and QR code-based ticketing. Each device will be seamlessly connected to a central back-office AFC system.

The tender for this contract was initiated by MPMRCL in March 2022, setting a four-year deadline and estimating the project cost at Rs. 230 crore. The participating bidders are -

• Asis Elektronik ve Bilişim Sistemleri A.Ş
• NEC Corporation India Pvt. Ltd.
• Shellinfosg Global Digital Technologies

The scope of the project includes the design, manufacture, supply, installation, testing, commissioning, and maintenance of an open Loop EMV NCMC card and QR code-based Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) System for both Bhopal and Indore Metro Rail Projects.

The technical bids are currently undergoing evaluation, a meticulous process that may take several months to complete. Following the technical assessment, the financial bids of the technically qualified bidders will be opened, revealing the lowest bidder and, subsequently, the likely vendor for the AFC system.

ShellInfosg, a participant in this bid, had previously secured AFC contracts for Chennai Metro Phase 2. Asis Elektronik has a track record of winning contracts for Pune Metro's Phase 1, Kochi Metro's Phase 1, and Mumbai Metro's Line 3 in consortiums with prominent financial institutions.

Notably, the State Bank of India (SBI) was the sole bidder for the financial banking contract associated with Indore and Bhopal Metros' AFC systems in October 2022.