IRCON wins ₹5,142 crores track contract for Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project

New Delhi, India (Urban Transport News): The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) today opened the financial bids of contract package (MAHSR-T2) for track related works for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Bullet Train Corridor.

As per the result, IRCON International Limited emerged as the lowest bidder among other three bidders/consortia L&T Limited, NCC - Rahee Infratech JV and Afcons Infrastructure - Texmaco JV. IRCON has quoted Rs 5,142 crores to win this contract. Financial value of all bidders are as under:

• IRCON International: Rs 5,142 crores (L1)
• Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T): Rs 6,040 crores (L2)
• Afcons Infrastructure – Texmaco JV: Rs 7,285 crores (L3)

However, the forth bidder NCC - Rahee Infratech JV disqualied during the technical round evaluation. Hence, their bids were not opened.

The scope of work includes design, supply and construction of Track and Track related Works including Testing and Commissioning on Design-Build Lump Sum Price basis for Double Line High Speed Railway between Zaroli Village at Maharashtra-Gujarat Border (MAHSR Km. 156.600) and Vadodara (MAHSR Km. 393.700) in the State of Gujarat and the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli for the Project for Construction of Mumbai Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Corridor.

Under this contract package, a total of 237.1 (out of 508.17 km) length track will be covered.

Tender for this contract package was invited in January 2021 with an estimated deadline to complete the work is 7.5 years. Technical bids were opened in August 2021.

As per the information shared by NHSRCL, a special slab track system will be utilized for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Bullet Train project instead of a conventional ballasted track system found in main-line railway lines.

From Japanese experience, it has been learnt that although initial construction cost of Slab Track is about 1.3 times higher compared to conventional ballasted track, but if we consider the life cycle cost in the long run, Slab Track seems to win the race. Because of this fact, the Shinkansen lines constructed in Japan after the first line i.e. Tokaido Shinkansen (Tokyo to Shin Osaka), have predominantly used Slab Track as a track structure. Figure-3 shows proportion of ballasted track and Slab Track on each Shinkansen line in Japan, said NHSRCL.

Tender for the Design, Supply & Construction of Track and Track related works on 114.6 km length between Vadodara and Sabarmati Depot and workshops was issued in August, 2021.