Ahmedabad Metro rail project, on Monday, got a major boost when the consortium of Siemens Limited India and Siemens AG, Germany, bagged the contract for power supply and traction. The Metro Link Express for Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad (MEGA) Company Limited placed an order of Rs 578 crore on Monday.
The managing director of MEGA, IP Gautam, said, "We have awarded the contract for power supply and traction to the consortium of Siemens of worth Rs 578 crore. This includes the preparing the third track for the power supply to the metro. It is difficult to lay the overhead power supply line for wheels of Metro in Ahmedabad, because of frequent kite flying and other cables, the power supply will be made through third track laid along with the rail of Metro through viaducts."
"Besides this, The Nippon, of Japan, was given the contract for signalling system and the L&T was given the contract for telecommunications system. We have been calling two to three companies every day and the contract are being awarded for various works. The Metro rail project was put on fast track thus," added Gautam.
The Siemens will be responsible for the electrification of 39.2km route of Metro Rail project in Ahmedabad. The company will provide the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system.
The MEGA has awarded contracts to different 20 around companies for different sorts of works.
Speed breakers ahead of the project
The project also passes through several areas of cities where the land acquisition is still a great issue. Either the private commercial and residential establishments holders have been opposing the land acquisition in various areas on the route of Metro rail including Thaltej. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation’s ongoing projects also become hurdle ahead of the progress of the project.
Project running at snail’s pace
The Government of India in 2014 had approved the fund of Rs 10,773 crore for phase-1 this project on 19 October that year. The government had then approved Rs 10,773 crores for Phase –1 of the project. The ceremony for this project was held on 14 March 2015 for the construction of 6 km long Vastral – Apparel Park stretch of East-West corridor in presence of former CM Anandiben Patel.
