11 companies bid to construct Mumbai Metro-4

This is the second time bids were invited as those received the first time were scrapped for being 25% higher than the estimated cost of the project.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) received bids from 11 companies for the Metro-4 (Wadala-Thane-Kasarvadavali) project on Monday. The planning authority had, for the second time, invited bids for five packages worth Rs2,700 crore in November. The bids floated early in 2017 were scrapped as it was 25% more than the estimated cost of the project.

The 32-km-long Metro line in Mumbai is estimated to cost Rs 14,549 crore. (Representational Image)

The bidders include J Kumar infraprojects limited, JMC Projects (India) Limited, IL&FS, Supreme Infrastructure, NCC Limited, L&T, Gammon Engineers and Contractors Private Limited, Rinfra-Astaldi and Chec-TPL among others. Dilip Kawathkar, joint projects director, MMRDA, said, "We have received bids from 11 companies for five packages. We will need a week to verify the bids and then will open the financial packages."

The 32.32-km-long Wadala-Ghatkopar-Thane-Kasarvadavali Metro, which is estimated to cost Rs 14,549 crore, will connect Wadala in central Mumbai and the neighbouring Thane district.

According to MMRDA, the Metro corridor will lead to development around the alignment. The corridor will provide another north-south rail connectivity and reduce the burden on suburban rail network.

Despite a nod from the state in 2016, the line has faced delays in the awarding contracts. A senior official from the MMRDA said, “We floated nine packages for Metro-4 and Metro-2B together, resulting in bids that were 25% higher. When we separated the two projects, like in the case of Metro-2B, and floated tenders for a few packages, we received bids that were just 8% higher.”