The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) is likely to award bids worth Rs11,000 crore for the construction of Colaba-Bandra-Seepz underground metro by the end of September this year. Thus, there is a possibility that the car depot location may not be changed despite protests by Aarey Milk Colony residents and activists.
The technical evaluation of bids is likely to be through by mid-September, followed by awarding of work orders by September end. However, the construction on the underground project will commence only during the first quarter of 2016.
Although the report on Aarey car depot is yet to be submitted to the chief minister to take a final call, metropolitan commissioner UPS Madan on Monday said it would be done soon.
"The alignment of the project will remain same irrespective of the car depot location. If the committee on Aarey car depot decides to shift it, some changes will have to be made at the Seepz end of around 200-300 metres. That apart, a connector line will have to be constructed wherever the depot location is. However, the possibility of the car depot location not changing cannot be ruled out," said an official.
There are seven alternative sites for the car depot: Aarey Milk Colony, Kanjurmarg, University of Mumbai Campus at Kalina, Dharavi, Mumbai Port Trust land at Wadala, Mahalaxmi Race Course and Backbay Reclamation.
The first package has Cuffe Parade, Vidhan Bhavan, Churchgate and Hutatma Chowk; the second has CST Metro, Kalabadevi, Girgaon and Grant Road; the third consists of Central Metro, Mahalaxmi, Science Museum, Worli and Acharya Atre Chowk; the fourth includes Siddhivinayak, Dadar and Sitaladevi; the fifth has Dharavi, Bandra Kurla Complex, Vidyanagari and Santacruz; the sixth comprises Domestic Airport, Sahar Airport and International Airport; and the last package has Marol Naka, MIDC, Seepz and Aarey Depot.
The 31 bids are from nine consortia that includes AFCONS Infrastructure Ltd-Kyivmetrobud, Continental Engineering Corporation-ITD Cementation India Ltd-Tata Projects Ltd, DOGUS-SOMA, IL&FS Engineering and Construction Company Ltd-China Railway 25th Bureau Group Co Ltd, J Kumar Infraprojects Ltd-China Railway No.3 Engineering Group Co Ltd, Larsen & Toubro Ltd-Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co Ltd, OSJC Moscow Metrostroy-Hindustan Construction Co Ltd, Pratibha Industries Ltd-Guandong Yuantian Engineering Co and Unity Infraprojects Ltd-IVRCL Ltd-China Railway Tunnel Group Co Ltd.
