Mitsui Wins Bangalore Metro Phase 2’s Head Hardened Rails Contract
Besides awarding China’s CRRC Corporation Ltd. with a contract to supply 216 coaches, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) in December 2019 also awarded Japan’s Mitsui & Co. with a contract to supply head hardened rails (HH-Rails) for the 73.95 km Phase 2 project.
These special tracks will be 60E1 – 1080 grade as per Indian Railway Specification T-12-2009, and manufactured through a special heat treatment process to provide additional strength, lower residual stress, elongate track-life and minimize maintenance.
Prior to this, elsewhere in India – Mitsui won a similar contract for Ahmedabad Metro’s 39 km Phase 1 project in August 2017 for supplying 10,600 metric tonnes of Head Hardened Rails.
Bids for this system-package were invited in July 2019 under package HH RAILS/RT01/2019/47, and the BMRCL just updated their website to indicate they issued a Letter of Award (LOA) to Mitsui & Co. Ltd. on December 5, 2019 for combined contract value of $10.8 million USD & Rs. 4.08 crore.
Going by the package’s name (includes “RT01”) – these rails could very likely be installed on the 21.386 km Pink Line (Line-4)’s South Ramp at Dairy Circle (view map), which is a part of package RT-01 awarded to Afcons Infrastructure in November 2019.
Texmaco Rail & Engineering Ltd is the track supplier & installer for the rest of the Phase 2 project’s elevated viaducts, tunnels and depots. They were awarded a Rs. 521.76 crore contract in July 2018, and are currently working on two of the four extensions of the purple and green lines.
Reach 4 refers to the Green Line’s 6.29 km Yelachenahalli (erst. Puttenahalli) – Anjanapura extension, while Reach 2 refers to the Purple Line’s 8.814 km Mysore Road – Challaghatta extension.
For more updates, check out the Bangalore section of The Metro Rail Guy!
– TMRG
Which system contracts are now pending finalization?
Signalling & traction are two of the big ones I can think of. Looking at how things are moving, wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve also been awarded.
How they are able to compete with locals? Astonishing, or we don’t manufacture quality lines.
I believe Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) is the only Indian firm that manufactures them. If they bid (which I’m certain they did), they would have lost out in the financial bidding stage.