By this time next year, the city may be witnessing the construction of many underground stations for Chennai Metro Rail’s phase II project.
Chennai Metro Rail Ltd. (CMRL) has invited bids to initiate the construction of 29 underground stations on the 26.7-km Mahavaram-Taramani stretch.
Instead of floating a single tender for the work, the officials said it had been divided into five sections — Madhavaram to Perambur, Ayanavaram to Kellys, KMC to Royapettah, Radhakrishnan Salai to Adyar junction and Adyar Depot to Taramani Link Road.
Officials said one of the reasons for splitting the work into five tenders was to ensure that they did not depend on a single contractor. “In case a contractor fails to meet deadlines and the pace of work is slow, the whole stretch should not get affected. Hence, we decided to float five package tenders. That way, the work in one stretch doesn’t have a bearing on the others,” an official said.
The tenders may be finalised in seven or eight months and then chosen firms would be awarded the contracts.
CMRL has floated tenders for the tunnelling work along the stretch and is in the process of choosing a contractor.
This work is only a part of the 118.9-km phase II project that comprises three corridors — Madhavaram to Sholinganallur, Madhavaram to SIPCOT and Light House to Poonamallee.
The building of these 29 stations falls under the Madhavaram to SIPCOT stretch. CMRL has been preparing to simultaneously start construction in some sections of the project as well and float tenders one after another, sources said.
Meanwhile, land acquisition from government and private landowners had been on for over a year now.
