MUMBAI (Metro Rail News): Town planning authority Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has cancelled the bidding for the design, manufacture, testing, supply & commissioning of ten monorail rakes received from Chinese manufacturers.
For sourcing 10 rakes for the Jacob Circle-Wadala-Chembur monorail line contract is about Rs 500 cr. The city authority intends to give the contract to an Indian manufacturer. MMRDA said that in the current bid, responses were obtained from a couple of companies, China Rail Road Co. and Build Your Dream.
These Chinese manufacturers were continuously questioning for revisions in terms and conditions with eligibility criteria, even after uploading of a common set of deviations (CSDs).
Metropolitan Commissioner RA Rajeev said in a statement that in the current economic situation due to the lockdown, in line with the many policies published by the govt of India to promote the ‘Make in India’ schemes, as the govt has been determined to look for an Indian Technology partner for long term support & development.
In view of this, govt chose to cancel the current tender and commence the retendering process quickly with changed eligibility norms like for last ten years manufacturing facilities established in India on related projects to facilitate the participation of Indian companies. It has been also selected to begin the dialogue with Indian manufactures such as — BHEL, BEML, Rajeev said.
RA Rajeev said that the 2 Chinese companies are dictating us to change tender conditions, MMRDA administration has chosen to find technology partners in India & develop it in India. In March 2019, the MMRDA commissioned the operations of the 2nd phase with a distance of 19.54 km monorail project after it took over operations and maintenance of the monorail by Scomi Engineering after the latter failed to supply rakes and components such as signalling systems to the MMRDA.
The L&T-Scomi consortium had got the Rs 2,460 cr contract in 2009 to develop and operate the 19.5 km monorail network on the Chembur-Wadala-Jacob Circle corridor combining the eastern periphery of the island city to the central parts.
