Tender for South-Maharaja's stretch by month-end: Delhi Metro Rail Corporation

KOCHI: After the civil contracting firm Soma Constructions backed out from the metro construction works along the Maharaja’s- Ernakulam South stretch, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is all set to retender the work. Tenders for identifying a new agency for carrying out the works along the 1.01-km Maharajas - Ernakulam South stretch and Kunnara Park and Tripunithura SN Junction will be floated by the month end, DMRC sources said.

The DMRC's Delhi office will be finalising the tender document which will be uploaded on the website soon. "Since inviting new tender for a small stretch is not feasible, the five-kilometre stretch from Kunnara Park near Vyttila to SN Junction will be clubbed with it making it as a single tender," sources said.

Some of the companies which are likely to participate in the tendering are L&T and Gammon India while the partially offloaded Soma Construction can also attend the bidding. The Vyttila - SN Junction stretch is part of the Tripunithura extension.

The DMRC has terminated the agreement with Soma after the firm demanded 40 per cent escalation in the contract amount citing inordinate delay in handing over land. There has been no provision to provide for cost escalation to the civil contractor as per the agreement and the DMRC had to go for a fresh contract.