By Ashley Karen
Afcons has emerged as the lowest bidder to build the 21-km underground package C-2 of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project.
The financial bids of two technically eligible bidders were opened on Friday, and according to a statement from NHSRC, Afcons Infrastructure Limited has mentioned the lowest bid. Nonetheless, the technical bids of this tender were opened on February 9, 2023.
Package C2 of the central line will connect Bandra Kurla Complex Station to Shilphata Ramp and involves about 3 km “undersea” twin tunnels beneath Thane Creek.
National High-Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRC), an Indian Railways subsidiary, had opened financial bids for 21 km long tunnel construction, which contains the country’s first 7-km undersea tunnel in Maharashtra for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train as part of the MAHSR C-2 package.
At the same time, Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union Minister of Railways, in Parliament claimed that approximately 32.93 per cent of physical progress in Gujarat and 13.72 per cent advancement in Maharashtra, about the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project, had been achieved till February this year.
The minister pointed out to members: “Till now, out of a total 352 km elevated viaduct, approx. 257 km of piling, 180 km of foundation, 155 km of the pier and 37 km of girder launching have been completed in Gujarat and Dadra & Nagar Haveli.”
He replied to a question and said the total cost of the MAHSR project was estimated at Rs 1,08,000 crore in 2015. The minister also informed the Parliament that an expenditure of Rs 38,506 crore had so far been incurred on the project.
