DRA, Tata & RVNL Win Chennai Metro’s 29 Underground Stations Work
June 15, 2023 Update: CMRL has awarded contracts and issued LOAs for all 5 packages.
May 1, 2023 Original Post: DRA Infracon – Soma JV, Tata Projects Ltd. (TPL) and Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd. (RVNL) on Saturday were declared as the lowest bidders for 5 underground station packages (UG-01 to UG-05) of Chennai Metro’s new 45.81 km Line-3.
This new corridor of the 118.9 km Chennai Metro Phase 2 project by Chennai Metro Rail Ltd. (CMRL) will connect Madhavaram Milk Colony and SIPCOT via 49 stations.
DRA-Soma won Package UG-1-RT01 with 7 stations between Thapalpetti – Perambur, while TPL won UG-2-RT01 with 6 stations between Ayanavaram – Kellys. TPL had started tunneling work for the inter-connecting tunnels on both sections in October 2022.
RVNL won 3 packages (UG-3-RT01, UG-4-RT01, UG-5RT01) with 16 stations between KMC – Taramani Road Junction where Larsen & Toubro started tunneling work in February 2023.
This is a re-tender of Line-3’s 5 underground civil packages. In the original round, TPL, L&T and DRA emerged as the lowest bidders in October 2021. That round was scrapped as the lowest bids were significantly higher than CMRL’s estimate.
CMRL re-invited tenders in December 2021 with 4.25 to 4.7 year completion deadlines. Technical bids were opened in early March to reveal 8 bidders for UG-01, UG-03, UG-5 and 8 bidders for UG-02 and UG-04.
During evaluation, MEIL was disqualified in each package. DRA-Soma JV offered a discount on their bid for all packages, which allowed them to clinch UG-1-RT01.
Package UG01-RT01 (Madhavaram to Perambur)
This package includes entire civil work at 5 stations and partial works at 2 stations.
Brief Scope: Construction of five (05) underground stations at Thapalpetti, Moolakadai, Sembiyam, Perambur Market and Perambur Metro and Crossover at Sembiyam and works other than diaphragm wall of two underground stations at Madhavaram Milk Colony and Murari
Financial Bid Values:
| Firm | Bid (Rs. Crore) |
| DRA – Soma JV | 792.00 (882.83 was original bid) |
| TPL | 807.00 |
| RVNL | 809.74 |
| L&T | 854.97 (972.00 was original bid) |
| URCC | 895.74 |
| ITD Cem | 959.86 |
| HCC – KEC JV | 1075.72 |
Package UG02-RT01 (Ayanavaram to Kellys)
This package includes entire civil work at 4 stations and partial works at 2 stations.
Brief Scope: Construction of Four (04) Underground Stations at Otteri, Pattalam, Perambur Barracks Road and Kellys and works other than Diaphragm Wall of Two Underground Stations at Ayanavaram Puraisaiwakkam Station cum Crossover Box in Corridor3 of CMRL Phase II Project
Financial Bid Values:
| Firm | Bid (Rs. Crore) |
| TPL | 929.62 |
| RVNL | 951.87 |
| L&T | 1016.99 |
| DRA – Soma JV | 1128.60 |
| ITD Cem | 1230.48 |
| HCC – KEC JV | 1239.97 |
Package UG03-RT01 (KMC to Royapettah)
This package includes entire civil work at 5 stations and partial works at 2 stations. The new station-box at KMC (Kilpauk) will form an interchange with 22 km Green Line (Line-2) which connects Chennai Central and St. Thomas Mount, while a new station box at Thousand Lights will form an interchange with 23.10 km Blue Line (Line-1) which connects Chennai Airport and Wimco Nagar.
Brief Scope: Construction of five (05) underground stations at KMC, Sterling Road Junction, Nangambakkam, Gemini, Thousand Lights and Thousand Lights Crossover and works other than diaphragm wall of two underground stations at Royapettah Govt. Hospital & Chetpet Metro
Financial Bid Values:
| Firm | Bid (Rs. Crore) |
| RVNL | 1328.89 |
| ITD Cem | 1385.55 |
| L&T | 1395.00 |
| DRA – Soma JV | 1517.73 (1367.93 after 9.87% discount) |
| HCC – KEC JV | 1628.77 |
Package UG04-RT01 (Radhakrishnan to Adyar Junction)
This package includes entire civil work at 4 stations with partial works at 1 station (Greenways). Thirumayilai will serve as an interchange with Phase 2’s new 26.09 km Line-4 (Light House – Poonamallee Bus Depot).
Brief Scope: Construction of Four Underground Stations at Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai, Thirumayilai , Mandaiveli and Adyar Junction and Two Cross Passage Shafts and One Emergency Escape Shaft and works other than Diaphragm wall of One Underground Station at Greenway
Financial Bid Values:
| Firm | Bid (Rs. Crore) |
| RVNL | 1151.41 |
| L&T | 1242.18 |
| DRA – Soma JV | 1366.13 (1232.66 after 9.75% discount) |
| ITD Cem | 1394.28 |
| HCC – KEC JV | 1690.83 |
| NCC | 1724.94 |
Package UG05-RT01 (Adyar Depot – Taramani Link Road Ramp)
This package includes entire civil work at 3 stations, partial works at 1 station and one ramp leading to Line-3’s elevated section towards Sholinganallur and SIPCOT.
Brief Scope: Construction of three (03) underground stations at Adyar Depot, Indira Nagar and Taramani Road Jn and Ramp and works other than diaphragm wall of underground station station Thiruvanmiyur Metro
Financial Bid Values:
| Firm | Bid (Rs. Crore) |
| RVNL | 665.99 |
| L&T | 828.00 |
| DRA – Soma JV | 838.83 (746.97 after 10.95% discount |
| URCC | 879.91 |
| HCC – KEC JV | 886.70 |
| ITD Cem | 1014.60 |
CMRL’s estimate for UG-1-RT01 is apparently Rs. 927.00 crore which makes DRA-Soma JV’s bid of Rs. 792 cr 14.56% lower, so a contract should be awarded in the coming weeks and formally signed in the coming months pending approval from JICA.
CMRL’s estimate for the other 4 packages remain unknown to me, so I can’t provide an assessment on the chances of contracts getting awarded and the length required to arrive at that stage. With roughly 2 years of delay already behind us, I’m hoping we do not see another retender.
The current bid opening date for the retender of Line-5’s Package UG-06 is May 16, so stay tuned! A complete list of Phase 2’s civil & system packages and their status can be viewed here.
For more updates, check out the Chennai section or my Home Page! Sign up for free instant email notifications on new posts over here. Like this post? Get early-access to updates and support the site over here.
– TMRG
Bullet train project
What about it?
RVNL winning 3 packages seriously? They subcontract most of the work they get. How can they deliver this project on time ?
Most of PSU are taking work through bidding with their vast technical knowledge and experienced staff.
But at ground, they are deploying sub-contractors of labour oriented work.
Some times, they get good contractors, sometime inefficient one, which effect the project work.
Then at that time GC & CMRL monitoring the work and issues various instructions to get output as per Key dates as per contractual provisiond.
RVNL have no experience in building UG metro rail stations. If they decide to subcontract the construction of D-walls, they will have to reach out to companies that have the experience and machinery. Such companies have also bid for this tender and lost to RVNL. RVNL must have done their homework and so let’s hope they are successful.
Hope there’s no retender again! Also the C5 underground section package shouldn’t get delayed again!
What’s the status of UG6 package?
What about kolathur to nathamuni ug tender
As per this report Thapalpetti Metro Station is still alive but CMRL says it is dead. We are in High Court to force CMRL to go back to the actual DPR and reinitiate the all important Thapalpetti station. CMRL is using public fund but deceiving the public by not providing the perfect infrastructure.
In all these tenders the original station names are given because these tenders were invited before cancelling the stations. So thapalpeti station won’t be constructed by the contractor, similarly doveton, St Joseph’s College station from purple line, foreshore estate, Meenakshi college from orange line and koyambedu 100ft road, cmbt, medavakam kamaraj station won’t be constructed. And the stations names which are changed will remain in tender documents as originally given names.
The people of Madhavaram and Mollakadai should fight it out. Due to delay in awarding the station tenders they have removed the Thapalpetti station to avoid paying extra figure to Tata projects for delay.
CMRL is fooling the public by finding ways to fool the public and fill their kitty with public money (tax payer money). They don’t understand that they are committing tactical errors. We are in HC already and CMRL is not responding to our queries. Meanwhile they are using scaring tactics against the public.
But almost madhavaram milk colony to Murari hospital 60 – 70 percent completed in the another way in ug
Are red line and orange line gonna run parallel for 5 stations?
yes, double decker stations are planned.
Not five stations, they’ll run in double decker for 4 stations, porur is not included as the line after crossing alapakkam turns left to join mugalivakam.
Correct.
Civil work will be executed by L&T and track work will be executed by IRCON.
Imma need dat blue line all da way down here Guduvanjeri ASAP fam
Who is the public liason officer?? CMRL Ev 02
We are supplying to Tata and kec international Ltd
what about guduvancheri
Initially from sembiyam to Perambur market ,metro train was planned to pass through Madhavaram high road .Now it is crossing through Raja Street CMDA approved residential areas leaving out all unapproved and occupied lands nearby .Borewells are affected
Can Any one say that when did the adayar depot metro execution process will be initiated
In the Corridor 3 of Phase II extension proposed, elevated stabling station at Siruseri can be given access to Padur areas such as SRR engg.college of JPR and some residential areas through skywalk.