Tata Projects bags first tunneling contract worth Rs 1,999 crore for Chennai Metro Phase 2

Chennai, India (Urban Transport News): The Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) on May 12, 2021, issued a contract worth Rs 1,999 crores to Tata Projects Limited for the construction of 9 km twine tunnel between Venugopal Nagar and Kellys Station under 45.81 km long Corridor 3 (Madhavaram – SIPCOT 2) of Phase 2 of Chennai Metro Rail Project.

The scope of work includes the construction of approximately 9 km twin bored tunnels (total = 18 km) from the TBM Retrieval Shaft near Venugopal Nagar (of Line-5) to Kellys Station, and the construction of diaphragm walls, entry/exit structures of Madhavaram Milk Colony Station, Murari Hospital Station, Ayanavaram Station and Purasaiwakkam High Road Station, including launching and retrieval shafts at the above stations.

Raman Kapil, Vice President & BU Head (Metros & Tunnels) at Tata Projects Ltd, said, “We are happy to have secured the ‘Letter of Acceptance’ for this prestigious order which will benefit the citizens of Chennai. Our company is executing underground metro projects in Mumbai and Pune while having successfully completed Lucknow’s underground metro line. This new order therefore reinforces our leadership position and top-notch expertise in undertaking and successfully executing underground metro rail lines across India.”

The tender for the aforesaid work under contract package CP30/TU01 was issued in January 2020. Technical bids were opened in October 2020 and financial bids were opened on January 22, 2021. A total of four bidders viz. Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T), Tata Projects Limited, Gulermak Agir Sanayi Insaat ve Taahhut A.S. (Gulermak) and Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co (Singapore) Pte Ltd – Woh Hup Pte Ltd Joint Venture (STEC – WH JV) have submitted their bids. STEC – WH JV was disqualified in the technical round.

According to the financial bid results, L&T emerged as the lowest bidder (L1) by quoting Rs 1,998 crores against CMRL's estimate of Rs 1,800 crores but the contract is awarded to the second-lowest bidder Tata Projects Ltd as L&T was already awarded the contract package CP31/TU02 worth Rs 2,385 crores by the CMRL. The new terms & conditions, CMRL does not allow the same contractor to work on the same line.

CMRL is inviting tenders for Underground Bored Tunnels for 2 packages, namely, Contract No. CP30/TU01 and Contract No. CP31/TU02 simultaneously. Tenderers can apply for both packages. However, CMRL will award only one package to one tenderer based on the least cost to the Employer.

Now Tata Projects Ltd has been given 36 months deadline to complete the aforesaid work. Corridor 3 of Chennai Metro's Phase 2 will connect Madhavaram to SIPCOT 2 with 50 stations. 

For more details, please explore the Chennai Metro page of Urban Transport News.