The proposed rail link from the Umdanagar station to the International airport at Shamshabad is missing from the pre-qualification tenders floated by the Rail Vikas Nigaml Limited (RVNL) for taking up the much-awaited phase two of the Multi-Modal Transit System (MMTS) last week.
RVNL has recently completed the survey of the works to be taken up across the five routes where the railway lines will have to be doubled, electrified, equipped with modern signalling system, build stations alongside, offices, foot over bridges and also take up construction of bridges.
The State government has already committed to pick up two-thirds of the total cost of the project estimated to be more than Rs.600 crore. The SCR had earlier proposed to lay a new line from Umdanagar station on the Falaknuma route to the airport by doubling the track and electrification.
Estimated cost
The six and half kilometre distance between the airport and the station was estimated to cost about Rs.30 crore two years ago but the GMR group, running the airport, is keen on a swank metro rail link route rather than a on-ground traditional rail, senior officials explained.
This section has been left out in the tender documents put up by RVNL.
It has sought bidders for taking up rail works on different sections dividing them into three packages: Quadrupling of track for the sections between Ghatkesar-Moula Ali and patch doubling between Moula Ali - Seethaphalmandi (package–I).
Doubling between Sanathnagar- Moula Ali, restoration of track between Telapur –Ramachandrapuram (package- II) and doubling between Medchal- Bolarum & Falaknuma - Umdanagar (package- III).
Bidding process
A pre-bid conference has been called at the RVNL’s head office in New Delhi on April 23 and the final bids are to be opened on May 22. If the bids are processed as per schedule, the works will be grounded in the month of June, senior officials said.
Thirty months and 180 days is the period given to the winning bidder for the project to execute the work as per the tender details released.
