DMRC, German railway company submit bids for Chennai Metro phase 2 operations and maintenance contract

CHENNAI: For the Metro Rail Phase II operations and maintenance (O&M) works, two firms - Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and DB International Operations, a German railway company - have recently submitted bids with the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL).

The bids by the two firms were opened by CMRL during a meeting on March 7 and a contract will be awarded for 12 years. Further, the selected firm will be given an extension of three years upon providing satisfactory work.

Speaking to DT Next, a CMRL higher official said, “In the recent meeting held last week, two companies have applied. Both firms will be evaluated on all the requirements before awarding the contract. Meanwhile, pre-bid meetings have already been conducted.”

The phase II O&M contract will be given for all three corridors – corridor 3 (from Madhavaram Milk Colony to Siruseri SIPCOT II Metro), corridor 4 (from Lighthouse to Poonamallee Bypass), and corridor 5 (from Madhavaram Milk Colony to Sholinganallur).

The contractor will also do the O&M works for the depot at Madhavaram, Poonamalle and Semmancheri along with 128 stations in all three corridors combined.

Meanwhile, in the phase I and extension, CMRL has been taking up O&M in a partial contract manner and employing permanent staff for other operations. Also, CMRL has been preparing to commence the first leg of operations from Poonamallee Depot to Porur Junction by December 2025.

Currently, CMRL has been laying tracks at the particular stretch, where 80 per cent of work has already been completed, and trains will be launched before March 25. The testing of trains will commence by April.

CMRL was established in December 2007 as a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to build, operate, maintain, and manage the Metro Rail system with a 50:50 joint venture between the Union and state governments.