SBI Awarded Agra Metro’s Automatic Fare Collection Contract on PPP

14 Jun 2023 CW Team

The State Bank of India (SBI) won the Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) contract AGAFC-01 for the 29.40 km Agra Metro Phase 1 project in mid-May.

This systems contract by Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) is the final major systems contract that needed to be finalized before commercial operations on Agra Metro's Priority Corridor connecting Jama Masjid Station to Taj East Gate Station could begin.

The contract will be performed under the PPP (public-private partnership) model, with SBI responsible for the end-to-end design, production, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning. An open loop EMV (RuPay/Master/Visa) NCMC card-based AFC system and QR code-based ticketing are used, with each device linked to a centralized back-office AFC system.

This is a renewal bid. When the first round of the tendering process finished in December 2022, UPMRC had received no offers despite inviting contracts in July 2022. Shortly later, a new tender notice with a 1050-day work term was published. When technical bids were opened in March 2023, SBI was the only bidder.

According to the provisions of the agreement, SBI would provide UPMRC a royalty of Rs. 15 lakh every year for ten years. Following the completion of Phase 1 of the Agra Metro project, Year 1 will begin and last for 365 days. On the last day of each of these years, payment would be required. SBI will be eligible for 4% of the money collected from fare boxes and other sources.

Technology

29 Jul 2026

AI-Enabled Workflows Lift Profitability and Productivity

Organisations modernising frontline workflows with artificial intelligence, automation and real-time data are reporting stronger financial performance, higher productivity and improved employee engagement, according to a global study by Zebra Technologies and Oxford Economics.The research covered 1,000 senior leaders across retail, manufacturing, transportation and logistics in the US, Mexico, the UK, Germany, India, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.In transportation and logistics, 54 per cent of companies that improved picking and packing operations reported faster operational performance, wh..

India Leads Global AI Readiness but Implementation Lags

Indian companies lead global averages across all eight artificial intelligence readiness indicators tracked by JLL, but only 19 per cent have started making changes to their workplaces, according to the JLL 2026 Future of Work Survey.The study found that 77 per cent of Indian business leaders expect AI to change their office requirements, creating a 58-percentage-point gap between awareness and implementation. The survey covered more than 2,200 CEOs, CFOs and real estate leaders across 21 countries during the first quarter of 2026.Despite concerns over automation, 58 per cent of Indian leaders..

Three WOLFF Cranes Build Riyadh Cable-Stayed Bridges

Three WOLFF 180 B luffing jib cranes are supporting the construction of two cable-stayed bridges alongside the existing Wadi Laban Bridge in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The project is being developed for the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and executed by the ICRC joint venture comprising IC Ictas and Al Rashid Trading & Contracting Company.The cranes are handling lifting operations including formwork, reinforcement, concrete placement, work platforms, surveying equipment and other construction materials. Each crane is fitted with a 40 m jib, reaches a hook height of 157 m and offers a maximum ..