NCC, Simplex & J Kumar Emerge as Lowest Bidders for Mumbai Metro

I just arrived in Miami (see images) for an early start to what will be a fantastic summer, so sorry for not posting any updates over the past couple of days!

3 infra companies – NCC Limited, Simplex Infrastructures and J Kumar Infraprojects have emerged as the lowest bidders to build 3 packages of Mumbai Metro’s 16.5 km Andheri east – Dahisar east metro line! In October 2015, PM Modi had laid this line’s foundation stone following which the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) in December officially invited bids for constructing its elevated viaduct & 16 stations.

I became aware of this development last week and announced it via Twitter on April 8:

News coming in that NCC, Simplex & J Kumar are lowest bidders for #Mumbai's 16.5km Andheri(e) – Dahisar(e) metro line. Getting confirmation.

— The Metro Rail Guy (@TheMetroRailGuy) April 8, 2016

Soon after, the MMRDA’s Metropolitan Commissioner, U.P.S. Madan, confirmed the news to The Asian Age in an article published on April 11. The article doesn’t reveal which company is the lowest bidder for each section/package, but I expect that to be known very soon and will tweet about it whenever released.

Here’s some basic info of the 3 packages which each company will have to design & construct:

• Package 1: Andheri (E) to New Ashok Nagar with 5 stations at Andheri (E), Shankarwadi, JVLR Junction, Mahanand and New Ashok Nagar.

• Package 2: New Ashok Nagar to Mahindra & Mahindra with 6 stations at Aarey, Dindoshi, Pathan Wadi, Pushpa Park, Bandongri and Mahindra & Mahindra.

• Package 3: Mahindra & Mahindra to Dahisar (E) with 5 stations at Megathane, Devipada, National Park, Ovaripada and Dahisar (E).

Alignment of Dahisar (E) – Andheri (E) line along with package numbers

This line’s depot thankfully doesn’t have any issues and will come up at the AAI’s Remote Receiving station in Dahisar along NH-8. Once the 3 contracts are awarded, the 3 contractors will have 30 months (incl. the monsoon period as stipulated by the MMRDA) to build their respective sections. This would be Simplex Infra’s second metro related contract in Mumbai after they had previously won the bid & built the entire viaduct of the 11.4 km line 1 between Versova & Ghatkopar.

FYI, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will open the financial bids for 2 packages of the 18.6 km Dahisar – DN Nagar line in Mumbai this week! They had invited bids to build it in January 2016. Both these lines have a deadline of March 2019 set by the Maharashtra government, but that looks highly unlikely to be achieved. Before you leave, check out the location of these lines’ new stations which’ll form an interchange with Line 1 here: Location of Mumbai Metro’s New Interchange Stations

For more updates on Mumbai’s Metro, check out the Mumbai section of the Metro Rail Guy!

– TMRG