Bullet train gains speed: 1st major tender to be floated
THE NHSRCL IS LIKELY TO ISSUE THE TENDER FOR THE 237KM VIADUCT AND FOUR STATIONS IN GUJARAT, AND FLOAT IT BY THE END OF DECEMBER
NEW DELHI: The National High Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRCL), which is executing the ambitious bullet train project between Mumbai and Ahmadabad, is going to issue the first major tender related to the construction of the 508-kilometre corridor. The corporation is finalising the tender for the 237-km viaduct and four stations in Gujarat and will float it by the end of December, said NHSRCL managing director Achal Khare, indicating it may be the highest valued tender in the country.
The foundation stone for the Mumbai-ahmedabad bullet train project was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in September last year.
According to Khare, the pre construction activities in the areas identified, which includes identification of utilities and critical structure, joint measurement survey and geo technical investigation, has been completed and work will begin from there.
To complete the project, the corporation has divided the work in 26 packages, the tenders of which the NHSRCL has targeted to award by the end of 2019, including the procurement of bullet trains.
“We have a large team involved in the preparation of tender documents and we expect the first big tender to be ready by the end of December. This will include construction of viaduct and stations, and I think this will be the highest valued tender in the country. The tender will be for the construction of the 237-km viaduct and four stations – Vapi, Bilimora, Surat and Bharuch,” said Khare. He didn’t reveal the value of the tender but said it will run into at least ~1,000 crore.
The NHSRCL has decided to issue tenders for this portion first as this comes in the middle of the corridor and is mostly free from hindrance. Vapi is close to the Maharastra-gujarat border and the corporation has finalised the design for all these stations.
“We have divided the entire project into 26 packages and tenders for every package will be issued separately. This includes everything from rolling stock to training institute, civil and electrical work, and construction of depots.