CVCC-VNC Lowest Bidder for Kochi Metro’s Pending & New Civil Works

A consortium of Cherian Varkey Construction Company and Vijay Nirman Company (CVCC – VNC JV) has emerged as the lowest bidder for completing balance civil work and constructing a 1.92 km extension of Kochi Metro’s 27.5 km Line-1 between Maharaja’s College and SN Junctions stations after officials from the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation opened the financial bids submitted by different companies.

The section from Maharaja’s College to Petta was originally awarded to Soma Enterprise (package KC-04) and Era-Ranken JV (package KC-05) in June 2013, but parts of its were first reassigned in 2014 and then off-loaded in mid-2016 due to extremely slow work by both firms. In July 2016, the DMRC invited fresh bids under package KC-17 and estimated construction work to cost Rs. 294.37 crores. CVCC-VNC JV’s placed the lowest bid of Rs. 395 crore which is approximately 34% higher than the DMRC’s estimate.

Scope of work –

Completion of Pending Work
Construction of Elevated Viaduct, Three Stations viz: Ernakulum South, Thaikoodam and Petta (from Ch: – 18180.058m to Ch: 19329.685m & from Ch: 23532.771m to Ch: 25119.278m excluding Chambakkara bridge from Ch: 24157.754m to Ch: 24452.271m) including Architectural finishing, Plumbing and Electrical Works on Alwaye- Petta Line of Kochi Metro Rail Project.

and

Construction of Tripunithura Extension
Construction of Elevated Viaduct, Two Stations viz Alliance Junction, and SN Junction (from Ch: – 25119.278m to Ch: 27040.000m) including Architectural finishing, Plumbing and Electrical Works on Alwaye- SN Junction Line of Kochi Metro Rail Project.

Southern section of Kochi Metro’s Line-1 – view Kochi Metro map & information

CVCC has no prior experience in the metro industry but has built road bridges in Kerala while VNC has built Kaushambi Station on Delhi Metro’s Blue Line and the Karkardooma & Maujpur stations on the upcoming Pink Line.

The DMRC is currently evaluating CVCC-VNC’s financial bid and will soon take a decision on whether to award a contract or re-invite bids. If the contract is awarded, then they’ll have 20 months to complete work which means the next extension of the line, after the 5 km Palarivattom – Maharaja’s College section on which trial runs have just commenced, will open up for commercial operations in or after 2019.

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

– TMRG