GMRL sends ₹1,409 cr revised phase 2 metro tender to World Bank

The revised bid excludes traction and design work, while the agency seeks around ₹1,600 crore from Germany’s KfW Development Bank.

The Gurugram Metro Rail Limited (GMRL) has sent a revised, scaled-down tender proposal worth over ₹1,400 crore to the World Bank for the civil construction of its phase two corridor from Sector 9 to Cyber Hub, officials aware of the development said.

A German lender has completed a project appraisal after visiting the corridor, with funding discussions progressing alongside World Bank approval. (HT Archive)

Under the fresh proposal, the metro corporation will construct the railway track and stations along the stretch, but has excluded electrical traction equipment and designing work from the tender’s scope. The move comes as GMRL looks to secure additional funding of around ₹1,600 crore from KfW Development Bank, a German state-owned financier, which conducted an appraisal of the project last week, as per a press note issued by the GMRL.

A senior GMRL official said the revised tender, valued at ₹1,409 crore, has been submitted to the World Bank for approval. “The tender now covers track laying, station construction, and certain double-decker stretches. Since the World Bank is not funding the total requirement of about ₹2,700 crore, we have removed the traction and design components. We are approaching KfW Development Bank for the remaining funds. We expect quick clearance since all prior formalities were already completed,” the official said.

To bridge the funding gap of ₹1,600 crore, GMRL has engaged another financier, which has reportedly expressed interest in the project. “World Bank approvals typically take longer. The Union economic ministry recommended approaching the KfW Development Bank, and they have shown keen interest,” the official said.

A GMRL spokesperson said a four-member delegation from the second financier visited the project corridor last week, assessing the proposed alignment, station locations, commuter patterns, ridership behaviour, and interchange potential with the DMRC Yellow Line. “The discussions were highly constructive and are expected to facilitate further progress in the appraisal and financing process. The Minutes of Meeting, incorporating key deliberations and mutually agreed action points, were finalised and formally signed by representatives of both sides,” the spokesperson said in a statement.