Finally, the Colaba-Bandra-Seepz underground Metro line bids for civil works has received clearance from Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to issue bids and to commence the construction work.
"Recently, we received a No-Objection Clearance (NOC) from JICA and we have already concluded certain processes and some more are pending that are being followed. Soon the bids for civil construction of tunnel and stations will be awarded," said Ashwini Bhide, managing director of Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC).
However, there has been an increase in project cost due to increase in civil construction bids. The range of increase is around 15 to 20 per cent. Out of the entire estimated project cost of Rs23,136 crore, the civil work itself was earlier estimated to cost around Rs10,188 crore without taxes. A few months ago, the increase in project cost was up to 50 per cent.
Through negotiations and cost cutting, by way of changes in station designs, the project cost has been brought down substantially.
The amount of Rs23,136 crore was arrived at as per September 2011 valuation and regulations. However, several parameters have changed since, including the rate of American Dollar. The estimates were prepared by consultant RITES as per the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation's (DMRC) specifications of underground Metro works.
"In Delhi, the underground Metro stations are not at medians, but aside. Here, in Mumbai, it will be at the median, and there are challenges of utilities for which stations have to be constructed deeper as compared to Delhi," added Bhide.
Groundwater table too is high in Mumbai as against its counterpart, plus strata too vary in both the cities.
The 33.5-km long Metro line with 27 stations had received nod from the Union Cabinet back in June 27, 2013.
The bids were floated in September last year for design and construction of 27 Metro stations, and the schedule was to issue work orders by October-November. However, due to substantial differences in price meant more time to tweak designs and cut cost through negotiations.
