Six firms in fray for civil works on metro corridors.

Six firms have submitted bids for constructing Kochi Metro viaduct in the Maharaja's Ground-Ernakulam Junction railway station and Vyttila-Pettah-Thripunithura corridors.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) retendered the stretches after Soma Constructions and Era-Ranken were ‘partially offloaded’ from the two corridors. Fresh tenders were invited after Soma Constructions was partially offloaded from the stretch for seeking ‘high’ rate revision following a three-year delay in land acquisition. Earlier, Era-Ranken was partially offloaded from the Vyttila Kunnara Park-Pettah stretch for inordinate delay in executing work.

It opted for retender in January since only an Ukranian firm, which had joint venture partnership with an Indian firm, responded to the tender. The DMRC’s estimate for the work was ₹280 crore, but the firm quoted approximately 55 % more, following which the bid was retendered.

DMRC officials said that the six firms which are presently in the fray to take up the viaduct work include Soma. Their technical and financial bids will be opened shortly and the contract will be awarded to the lowest bidder in May.

The metro agency had issued a notice to Soma a few months ago to speed up works on S.A. Road. It has also been asking Era-Ranken to complete its viaduct work on the 1.20-km-long Vyttila-Kunnara Park stretch as soon as possible, since even girders have not been launched in the short corridor, about four years since works began.

In the meantime, land acquisition is almost over on the stretch leading to Ernakulam Junction railway station. But it is incomplete in the Kunnara Park-Champakkara-Pettah-Thripunithura corridor.

THE HINDU