Bombardier bags Rolling Stock contract of NCRTC's Delhi-Meerut RRTS line

New Delhi, India (Urban Transport News): The National Capital Region Transport Corporation Limited (NCRTC) today opened the financial bids for the supply of Rolling Stock and Depot M&Ps contract for 82.15 km long Delhi-Meerut RRTS project.

The total contract value is Rs 2,577 crores (314 million euros, US$340 million).

As per the result of financial bids, Bombardier Transportation emerged as the lowest bidder (L1) for design, manufacture, supply, testing, commissioning and comprehensive maintenance of RRTS & MRTS Trainsets, and Depot M&Ps for the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS Project including the Meerut Metro Rail Project.

Apart from Bombardier, Alstom, and CAF (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles) participated in the contract. According to the comparison sheet and the rates quoted by the bidders, CAF and Alstom have secured L2 and L3 positions respectively. Here are the positions of all bidders who participated in the contract:

• Bombardier Transportation India – Bombardier Transportation Sweden AB – Bombardier Transportation UK Ltd. JV: Rs 2,577.00 crore (L1)
• CAF India Private Limited – Construcciones Y Auxiliar De Ferrocarriles S.A JV: Rs 2,850.00 crore (L2)
• Alstom Transport India – Alstom Transport S.A. – Alstom Ferroviaria SPA JV: Rs 3,343.00 (L3)

International competitive bids for the aforesaid work were called in August 2019 and the extended last date for submission of bids was 12th March 2020. The project scope involves supplying 30 regional commuter trainsets of six cars each and 10 intracity mass transit trainsets of three cars each, together with 15 years of rolling stock maintenance.

After issuance of the letter of acceptance (LoA) by NCRTC, Bombardier will have to complete the delivery of 210 nos. standard gauge coaches as per the specifications given in the tender documents within 243 weeks and will provide annual maintenance service for 15 years. Here are some of the technical specifications of Rolling Stock to be used in the Delhi-Meerut RRTS project:

• Train Type: Aerodynamic, 3.2m wide 22m long, stainless steel/aluminum body.
• Gauge: Standard Gauge (1435 mm)
• Design Speed: 180 km/h
• Coaches formation: 6/3
• Axle Load: 17T
• Seating Arrangement: Transverse - Aeroplane Type
• Class of Accommodation: Economy and Business
• Traction Power: 25KV AC, overhead catenary type
• Signalling System: Europian Train Control System (ETCS)

This contract was also in controversy as the two Indian Rolling Stock manufactures namely BEML Limited and Titagarh Wagons Limited have submitted their complaints to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry alleging the tender for procurement of Rolling Stock coaches floated by NCRTC does not support the provisions of 'Make in India' initiative of Government of India.

"India’s First Regional Rail between Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut will have 100% Made in India Rolling Stock. All the 30 high-speed state-of-the-art aerodynamic trainsets will be manufactured at Savli, Gujarat by the successful bidder M/s Bombardier Transportation India Pvt Ltd," said in the statement issued by NCRTC.

"First of its kind in India, these Trainsets, designed for 180 kmph speed, will be self-propelled on electric traction and will have more than 83% local content. The committed team of NCRTC worked tirelessly and concluded the bid process even in lockdown to adhere to the schedule," further added.

Vinay Kumar Singh, Managing Director, NCRTC said:

Finalization of the Rolling Stock bid process is an important milestone in the implementation of India's first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project. Our partnership with Bombardier Transportation to supply 100 percent locally manufactured train sets for the entire Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS with over 83 percent local content will be a shot in the arm for the Make in India initiative of the Government of India. We are confident that together we will deliver this transformational project in time to fulfill the aspirations of the residents of the National Capital Region contributing to the improvement in their quality of life.

Commenting on the bid result, Rajeev Joisar, Country Lead, India, Bombardier Transportation, said:

We are proud to be chosen to deliver India’s flagship regional rapid transit system project which will expand public transport in the national capital and connect adjoining fast-growing cities. Our new trains will be truly designed and manufactured in India, and they will enhance passenger comfort and safety.

“This project award for India’s first and most advanced semi-high-speed regional trains, together with maintenance services, reaffirms Bombardier's pioneering position in India’s rail industry. This is also the first project in India for regional and local transit services operating on the same network, progressively realizing India’s vision for the multimodal integration of transport networks," he added.

The project will be executed in accordance with Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s flagship ‘Make in India’ guidelines, with the commuter and metro cars being manufactured at Bombardier’s Vadodara sites in India.

The rolling stock will be designed at the Global Engineering and Technology Centre in Hyderabad, India and local teams will provide maintenance services through two project and maintenance depots established by our customer in Duhai and Modipuram.

It is the first project in India to include maintenance services as part of the rolling stock tender process and Bombardier will deliver globally proven maintenance solutions to ensure the safety, availability, and reliability of the trains.

The 82-kilometer Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS will boast a 180 kmph design speed for the commuter trains and will be implemented in phases between the cities. It will have 22 RRTS stations, of which 16 will be regional stations and the other six stations will be in Meerut. The trains will reduce travel time on the Delhi to Meerut line by 75% to around 62 minutes and the daily expected ridership is around 800,000 passengers.

The 18-kilometre long metro stretch between Modipuram and Meerut South stations with 12 stations on RRTS infrastructure will meet the local mobility needs of Meerut citizens and will provide efficient regional connectivity. The Rs 30,274 crore Delhi-Meerut RRTS project is expected to be operational by 2025.

For more details, please explore the Delhi-Meerut RRTS page of Urban Transport News.