Civil work bids invited for two metro projects in Mumbai

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has invited civil works bids for Metro 2B and Metro 4.    Work on both these corridors will be carried out in five different packages. The packages for Metro 2B are divided into ESIC Nagar to Khira Nagar, Saraswat Nagar to ILFS in BKC, MTNL Metro to Chembur, Diamond Garden to Mandale (Depot), and designing and constructing elevated viaducts for railway crossings near Kurla on Central Railway and near LTT. For Metro 4, the packages are Wadala to Amar Mahal Junction, Garodia Nagar to Surya Nagar, Gandhi Nagar to Sonapur, Mulund Fire Station to Majiwada and Kapurbawdi to Kasarvadavali.   Initially, the MMRDA had planned an elevated corridor via the Eastern Express Highway, but there were apprehensions about its feasibility due to poor ridership projections, following which the alignment was changed. As per reports, MMRDA expects to appoint the contractors by March this year, so that work on the ground begins by May. The authority expects work to be completed by December 2019.   The 23.5km-long Metro 2B will be an elevated corridor and civil work is estimated to cost Rs 1,950 crore. The cost of the 32-km-long Metro 4 is estimated to be Rs 2,700 crore. MMRDA is negotiating with World Bank for a loan to execute both Metro projects.