J. Kumar, a Maharashtra-based company has emerged as the lowest bidder for three of the four packages of the Chennai Port-Maduravoyal elevated corridor.
According to National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) sources, the contractor, who has worked extensively on the Mumbai Metro, has quoted 15% less than the estimated amount. While the technical evaluation of the bids has already been completed, the bidding is at the financial stage presently for the ₹5,510 crore elevated corridor project.
The 20-km-long corridor that will decongest roads leading to the Chennai Port will have 13 ramps and will be constructed under the Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) mode under the Bharatmala Pariyojana. Under this mode, the contractor will design structures according to Indian Road Congress (IRC) standards. “The NHAI will provide the approved designs and dimensions including distance between spans and pile levels according to the approvals obtained,” a NHAI official said.
In the next stage, the letter of acceptance will be issued and then the contract will most likely be signed. After this, the contractor will mobilise the required personnel, materials and machinery. The work to construct the two-tier corridor is likely to commence by August-September, officials said.
Meanwhile, the Southern Railway has approved the general area drawings meant for the two road-over bridges that are part of the alignment at Chintadripet and Nungambakkam. It has to now approve of the final drawings.
Around 98% of land required for the project is available with the NHAI and only the Navy portion of the land has to be taken physical possession of. “Once we construct 64 houses meant for the Naval officers, we can take possession of that property too,” a source said.
