MahaMetro Rejects Simplex’s Bid; Re-invites Bids for Pune’s Line-2

Whenever I post news about financial bids being opened to reveal the lowest bidder’s name, I add a small caveat that the lowest bidder will only be awarded the contract if no issues arise as things can always go awry in the financial bid evaluation step. This as well as Afcons’ recent bid for Vijayawada’s Metro are good examples where tenders have been cancelled in the last stage due to issues arising of different nature.

The Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MahaMetro) this week re-invited bids for constructing a 7.150 km elevated viaduct between Vanaz and Civil Court in western Pune – the 1st section of Pune Metro’s 14.665 km east-west Line-2. This package is now officially referred to as P1C-02(R) and is overall the 2nd section, after the 10.795 km PCMC – Range Hills section, for which bids have been invited.

MahaMetro originally invited bids in early April 2017 and opened financial bids in May to reveal Simplex Infrastructures as its lowest bidder. The exact reason for rejecting Simplex’s Rs. 348.30 crore bid is unknown at this time, but it could be due to it being significantly higher than the estimate of Rs. 300 crores.

Notice Inviting Tenders – P1C-02 (Recall)
Design and Construction of Elevated Viaduct of Length 7.150 Kms from CH:(-)625 to CH:6525 between Vanaz and Civil Court on the East-West Corridor of Pune Metro Rail Project
– link to notice

Earlier this year, the line’s alignment was revised in central Pune – see the new official map here. In the coming months, MahaMetro will invite separate bids for the construction of 7 stations on this section which will be located at Vanaz, Anand Nagar, Ideal Colony, Nal Stop, Garware College, Deccan Gymkhana, Sambhaji Park:

Vanaz – Civil Court section of Pune’s Metro – view Pune Metro map & info

MahaMetro has estimated the viaduct package of this section to cost Rs 300 crore. The last date for submitting tender documents for bidding is July 18 2017 (4 pm) after which the bids will be opened & evaluated for eligibility at 4:30 pm. Looking at extremely short timeframe of Reach-1’s bidding, the financial bids for this section are expected to be opened in August-September 2017 and once the contract is finalized, piling work for this section of the line can be expected to begin in Q4 2017.

Meanwhile, NCC has started site preparation work for constructing the 1st pier of Line-1’s 10.795 km PCMC – Range Hills section near Nashik Phata –

Update: Foundation of #PuneMetro 1st pillar near Nashik phata progressing as planned & excavation for next 2 pillars started #AaliApliMetro pic.twitter.com/lql5zBJ1Fy

— Pune Metro Rail (@metrorailpune) June 30, 2017

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

– TMRG