The Kalpataru Projects International Ltd. (KPIL) – Gulermak Joint Venture (JV) has secured the position of the lowest bidder for the underground tunneling and construction works (Package BH-04) of Bhopal Metro’s Orange Line, as announced by the Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MPMRCL) today.
Package BH-04 spans 3.39 km and features twin tunnels connecting a ramp south of Sindhi Colony Station to a ramp west of Aish Bagh Crossing Station, encompassing two underground stations at Bhopal Junction Station and Nadra Bus Stand.
This package represents the sole underground component within the 27.87 km Bhopal Metro Phase 1 project. Funding for construction is provided by the European Investment Bank (EIB) through a €400 million (approximately Rs. 3584 crore) loan agreement signed in December 2019.
In May 2023, MPMRCL invited bids for the construction with an estimated cost of Rs. 892 crore and a stipulated construction deadline of 1274 days (3.5 years). Six bidders submitted their technical bids in October 2023.
The scope of work includes the design and construction of twin tunnel cut-cover cross passages, ramps, two underground stations, architectural finishing, water supply, sanitary installation, and drainage works from CH 28375 to 31765 for Bhopal Metro.
KPIL – Gulermak JV’s bid of Rs. 768.99 crore came in significantly below MPMRCL’s estimate, paving the way for the contract to be awarded in the coming weeks, without an extended financial bid evaluation period.
This recent success follows KPIL – Gulermak JV’s win in December 2023, securing the contract worth Rs. 762.50 crore for the 4.08 km underground Package KNPCC-11, which includes three stations, as part of Kanpur Metro Line-2.
Anticipating this development, preliminary groundwork is expected to commence in the middle of Q2 2024, with full-fledged construction kicking off in Q3 2024. MPMRCL is likely to mandate the deployment of a minimum of two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) for the construction of six tunnels under Package BH-04.
Package BH-04 marks the fourth and final civil package of the Orange Line to progress to the financial bid opening stage, following packages BH-01 (AIIMS to Subhash Nagar), BH-06 (Subhash Nagar Depot), and BH-03 (Subhash Nagar to Aish Bagh Ramp and Sindhi Colony Ramp to Karond Circle).