MP flays re-tendering for Kochi metro coaches

‘Delivery of coaches will be delayed due to revision of specification by KMRL’

An undue intervention made by the Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) in the tender process for getting coaches would lead to a delay in their procurement, alleged P. Rajeev, MP, here on Tuesday.

The KMRL had made the intervention to change the specifications of the required coaches, Mr. Rajeev said.

Addressing mediapersons here, Mr. Rajeev said the KMRL had violated Clause 6.1.3 in the agreement signed with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). “As per Clause 6.1.3, DMRC is vested with the responsibility of inviting tenders and fixing the deal with regard to buying coaches. It would be the responsibility of DMRC to hand over coaches to KMRL. The clause further states that after awarding the contract, DMRC is just bound to hand over a copy of the contract to the KMRL within seven days. KMRL has to inform of any suggestions to the DMRC in another 15 days,’’ said Mr. Rajeev.

“As per the DMRC’s plan, it wanted to use coaches of 2.9 metres width as in the case of Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Jaipur Metros. But it is learnt that the specifications regarding coaches were revised by the KMRL in the re-tender. If the contract was signed as per the previous tender, coaches would have been delivered within 83 weeks. But the revision will cause further delay,” he alleged.

“The tenders floated by the DMRC to procure 75 coaches were cancelled due to intervention of the KMRL. In the re-tender notice, it was found that coaches would be delivered in 96 weeks.

Even if tender proceedings are initiated now, coaches will be available only by July 2016.

Then there will be three months for trial run. With this, the entire project will be delayed by two years” Mr. Rajeev said. The MP also sought a probe into the tender process undertaken by the KMRL which involves procurement at a cost of Rs 700 crore.

According to Mr. Rajeev, the Railways’ adamant stand against surrendering land in its possession for Metro project would not be acceptable.

The land currently in the possession of Railways was given to it by the government after acquiring land from the people. The Railway is challenging poor people who had to surrender small pieces of land in their possession,” he said.