NCC & Simplex Awarded Chennai Metro Phase 1 Extn Contracts

Officials from the Chennai Metro Rail Ltd. (CMRL) have revealed that NCC Ltd. and Simplex Infrastructure Ltd. have each been awarded with a contract to build the 6.20 km elevated extension between Korukkupet Ramp and Wimco Nagar on the 32.10 km Blue Line. This elevated section is the last major piece of the Rs. 3,770 crore 9 km extension between Washermenpet and Wimco Nagar which was approved by the Ministry of Urban Development in June 2016.

CMRL in November 2016 invited bids for this section’s substructure/foundation works (piles & pile cap) under package ECV-103. The contract for that was awarded to NCC in March 2017 and ground work commenced in July.

CMRL then invited bids for the superstructure work (piers, viaduct & stations) in May 2017 under package ECV-101 & ECV-102 with each package consisting of 3 stations –

ECV-101 – Viaduct from Korukkupet Ramp to Thangal with 3 stations at Tondiarpet, Tollgate and Thangal (3.25 km)
Contractor: Simplex Infrastructure

ECV-102 – Viaduct from Thangal to Wimco Nagar with 3 stations at Gowri Ashram, Tiruvottiyur and Wimco Nagar (2.85 km)
Contractor: NCC

No further details on the award date or contract value have been announced. I’ll add that piece when available. As per one reader, pier work has already started with rebar for many visible close to the Thiruvottiyur Ajax Bus Station, so its likely that CMRL’s revelation is dated.

This is the first major metro contract for both firms in Chennai. In the past, Simplex has performed piling work for building CMRL’s headquarters in Koyambedu while NCC has been roped in to finish remaining construction work on Little Mount, Guindy, OTA, Alandur and Ekkattuthangal (SIDCO) stations.

Phase 1 extension project (Washermenpet – Wimco Nagar) – View Chennai Metro map & information

CMRL in December 2015 first logically invited bids for the time-consuming 2.4 km underground section (package UAA-08 Washermenpet – Korrukupet) and awarded the contract to Afcons Infrastructure in June 2016. With the help of north Chennai’s soil profile, they just achieved their final TBM breakthrough for the package on October 31 – 4 months ahead of the deadline.

With this development, the new Wimco Nagar Depot is the only civil component of the 9 km Phase 1 extension project which requires a contractor to be assigned; bids for that were invited in September.

For more updates, check out the Chennai section of The Metro Rail Guy!

– TMRG

written by

Global traveler who prefers mass rapid transit

11 Responses to "NCC & Simplex Awarded Chennai Metro Phase 1 Extn Contracts"

  1. Navnit S says:

    That’s good news. Given that the underground section was started earlier, do you think that both the UG and elevated will be completed roughly around the same time ?

    Reply
    • TMRG says:

      I don’t see the elevated section opening up before the last quarter of 2020. UG section should open up much sooner – sometime in 2019 as 12-18 months from the final breakthrough is standard.

      I don’t know if Korrukupet has a train reversal facility (usually a cause of concern in operations), but the CMRL has demonstrated twice that they’re ready for single line operations if the need arises.

      Reply
      • Navnit S says:

        Thanks !. Yeah i guess even they weren’t expecting the 5 month ahead of deadline breakthrough.

        Reply
      • Manick says:

        IL&FS was awarded the two underground stations, excluding the diaphragm walls; Afcons’ package included diaphragm walls and the tunnels. I am not sure whether IL&FS will be able to finish the stations in about 12-18 months.

        Reply
        • TMRG says:

          True – we’ll have to wait and watch how this plays out. I found it strange that they broke the UG section into 2 parts. Never seen that happen before in India. Have you?

          Reply
          • Manick says:

            No. I have worked in Singapore, Chennai & Mumbai Metro. This is the first time I am coming across such kind of split in scope of works.

            The general trend in Singapore is to make the package smaller. Earlier, it was common to give 4-5 stations and the connecting tunnels. But, now they prefer to go with one station and one stretch of tunnel.

            I don’t find it logical to award diaphragm walls to a separate contractor. Expecting some interface issues if there are some defects in diaphragm walls.

        • bhaski says:

          To manick
          Y not? Do u know that cut and cover and ramp portion how many utilities are there they don’t have a one ft space from out side of sheet pile to existing building where they going to divert the existing utilities.
          Have u seen old vijayakanth film? He is fighting with villain in underground sewer line that is located in the same place
          Have u done any site visit is there?
          Afcons are simply done the Dwall.
          IL&FS will do they are capable

          Reply
          • Manick says:

            Bhaski,

            You misunderstood me. My intention was not to say anything bad about IL&FS. All I said is IL&FS contract was different from Afcons. It was awarded at a later stage. So, they may find it difficult to complete in 12-18 months. If d-wall and station/ cut and cover construction was a single contract, it would have been easier to plan utility diversions.

            I did visit the site & that’s why I am doubtful whether it would be possible to finish in 12-18 months of tunnel completion.

  2. SENTHIL KUMAR says:

    Dear sir,
    When will start the Phase 01 Extension work job ECV-01 and ECV-02 any updates available.

    Reply
  3. Ganaaji says:

    Above u r mentioned little wrong.
    NCC get ECV 101 Package
    Simplex get ECV 102 Package.

    NCC Limited Work is :-
    CHENNAI METRO RAIL PROJECT – CONSTRUCTION OF ELEVATED VIADUCT FROM CH. 2900.000 TOCH. 6151.000m (3250m APPROXIMATE) FOR STANDARD GAUGE TWIN TRACK METRO RAIL AND THREE ELEVATED STATIONS – TONDIARPET,TOLLGATE AND THANGAL, ARCHITECTURAL, PLUMBING, ROOFING,SIGNAGE, INCLUDING DESIGN OF TEMPORARY WORKS (SCAFFOLDING, STAGING ETC.), RAFFIC DIVERSION, UTILITY SHIFTING AND ALL ASSOCIATED WORKS EXCLUDING PILES AND PILE CAPS FROM CH. 3320.000 TO CH. 5308.435m.

    ​?Best Regards ,
    Ganaaji

    QC (Civil) Dept.

    NCC Limited.

    (formerly Nagarjuna Construction Company Limited

    Website http://www.ncclimited.com

    Reply

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