Railway receives bids for Ahmedabad Station Redevelopment Project

The bids for the Rs 30 billion Ahmedabad station redevelopment project have been submitted by Afcons Infrastructure Limited, Larsen and Toubro (L&T), and Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC). The Railways said three bids were received for the Ahmedabad station. These bids would now be evaluated for technical qualification before being opened to those who are technically qualified by the tender committee. The union cabinet approved the Indian Railways' proposal for the redevelopment of New Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai's CSMT railway stations in September last year, with an estimated investment of Rs 100 billion. On Monday (March 13), bids for the New Delhi station were opened, and a tender for the Ahmedabad station was opened. Despite participating in the pre-bid meeting, Adani Realty, Tata Projects, and Shapoorji Pallonji Construction did not bid on the Ahmedabad station redevelopment project. The project envisions a new city centre at the station by connecting both sides of the city via an elevated road network and multi-modal integration of the bullet train, metro, BRT, and railway station. The iconic Modhera Sun Temple in Gujarat inspired the design of the redeveloped Ahmedabad station. The station redevelopment programme is a flagship programme of the Indian government. The redevelopment will be completed through the engineering, procurement, and construction process. The Rail Land Development Authority, a statutory body under the Ministry of Railways, has been tasked with redeveloping many iconic stations. The redeveloped station will be built as an iconic new architecture with distinctive towers facing Kalupur — a new landmark for Ahmedabad. To relieve traffic congestion near the station, a 13-kilometer-long elevated road network has been planned all around. A 15-acre roof plaza has been planned over the railway tracks to serve as a waiting area for passengers, complete with toilets, drinking water, retail kiosks, baby care rooms, and other amenities. There will be no development in the restricted areas surrounding the Brick Minar and Shaking Minarets, which are both ASI-protected monuments within the station area. To provide welcoming open spaces for the local population as well as station users, an amphi-theatre inspired by Adalaj stepwell is planned. Redevelopment of the station is inextricably linked to urban revitalization. The redevelopment of these stations will provide world-class amenities to passengers and improve their travel experience. The project will also have a multiplier effect on the local economy, boosting retail, real estate, and tourism sectors and creating job opportunities. See also: Railway seeks private funding to revamp 15 stations 1,275 Railway Stations to be Upgraded on Continous Basis