DRA, Tata & RVNL Win Chennai Metro’s 29 Underground Stations Work

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.

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– TMRG