L&T Only Bidder for Chennai Metro’s CMBT – Puzhuthivakkam Section

Larsen & Toubro is the only bidder for the construction of Chennai Metro Line-5’s 12.431 km elevated CMBT – Puzhuthivakkam section after Chennai Metro Rail Ltd. (CMRL) today opened technical bids for Package C5-ECV-02.

This elevated section’s viaduct and 12 sections are right in the middle of the 47 km Line-5 which will connect Madhavaram – Sholinganallur through 48 stations in the 118.9 km Chennai Metro Phase 2 project. It consists of 2 disjointed sections on either side of the double-decker Package C4-ECV-01 (Power House – Porur) which was awarded to Larsen & Toubro in May 2021.

The two sections and other infrastructure within this package include:

1. CMBT to Alwartiru Nagar (approx. 3.2 km) with 3 stations at Grain Market, Sai Nagar Bus Stop and Elango Nagar Bus Stop
2. Porur Junction to Puzhuthivakkam (approx. 9 km) with 9 stations at Mugalivakkam, DLF IT SEZ, Sathya Nagar, CTC, Butt Road, Alandur, Adambakkam, Vanuvampet and Puzhuthivakkam
3. Integrated grade separator (flyover) from Mugalivakkam to MIOT Hospital (approx. 2.5 km double decker viaduct for vehicles and metro trains, like the local one at Vadapalani or the one that opened in Nagpur late last year).
4. Underpass at Vanuvampet

CMRL invited tenders for its construction in January 2021 with an undisclosed estimate and 36 month deadline.

Tender No.: CMRL/PHASE II/CORRIDOR 5/C5-ECV-02

Brief Scope: Construction of Elevated Viaduct of Approx. 12.431 km length from ((Ch: 16178 m to 19296 m, Ch:22962 m to 30199 m, Ch: 31178m to 31241 m & Ch: 31657 m to 33710 m)) between CMBT Metro station (excluding station) and Puzhuthivakkam Metro Station including special spans and Construction of 12 no. of Elevated Stations at Grain Market, Sai Nagar Bus Stop, Elango Nagar Bus Stop, Mugalivakkam, DLF IT SEZ, Sathya Nagar, CTC, BUTT Road, Alandur, Adambakkam, Vanuvampet and Puzhuthivakkam and Integrated highway grade separator from Mugalivakkam to MIOT Hospital ,Vehicular underpass at Vanuvampet and all associated works in Corridor-5 of Chennai Metro Rail Project- Phase-2

This section of Line-5 will be partly financed by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) through a $438.75 million (approx. Rs. 3266 crore) loan. The loan’s concept review was approved on April 7, 2020, and a formal appraisal decision is currently pending.

If CMRL and AIIB are not satisfied with 1 bid, then this package will head to a retender. If they are, then L&T’s bid will be sent for technical evaluation which can take a month or so to complete. If L&T qualifies, which they easily should, then their financial bid will be opened to see if their bid is within a certain range of the budgeted estimate for a contract to be awarded.

With today’s development, here’s a status of all civil packages on Line-5 (north to south):

Package CP10-EV-03 – 10.2 km viaduct, 11 elevated stations and 1 underground station between CMBT and Venugopal Nagar	Bids Invited in February – Bid Opening: July 16
Package UG6 – 5.8 km underground section with 5 stations from Kolathur and Nathamuni	Bids Invited in January – Bid Opening: July 31
Package C5-ECV-02 – 12.431 km elevated section from CMBT to Alwartiru Nagar and from Porur Junction to Puzhuthivakkam with 12 stations	Larsen & Toubro is the only bidder (this post!)
Line-4 & 5: Package C4-ECV-01 – 7.955 km elevated section from Power House to Porur Junction with 9 stations	Awarded to Larsen & Toubro
Package C5-ECV-03 – 11.61 km elevated section with 11 stations from Puzhuthivakkam to Sholinganallur	Technical Bid Evaluation Underway – 3 Bids Received in June

A list of all Phase 2 civil packages and their status can be viewed here.

For more updates, check out the Chennai section or my Home Page!

– TMRG