The lone bidder for the ‘exclusive developer-contractor’ for the elevated mass rapid transit system (MRTS) for Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode has submitted a bid nearly cent per cent above the estimate of Rs.5,581 crore.
A consortium led by Bombardier Transportation Holdings USA Inc had submitted the financial bid. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), general consultant for the project, opened the bid in New Delhi on Monday after it found the technical bid responsive. Representatives of Kerala Monorail Corporation Limited and Harsh Dhingra, Chief Country Representative, India, Bombardier Transportation, were present
Sources said over 65 deviated items were found in the financial bid and that the consortium had agreed to avoid them unconditionally.
It is learnt that the consortium had quoted more than the estimate prepared by the DMRC in 2012 citing new technology, increased production cost, technical aspects, and change in timeline.
However, managing director of the KMCL P.I. Sheik Pareeth told The Hindu that the variation in the financial bid was above 70 per cent. As the variation was above 10 per cent of the Central Vigilance Commission guidelines, the KMCL board would have to take a decision.
Bringing down the cost through negotiations or by floating fresh global tenders were the options available. The opinion of DMRC principal adviser E. Sreedharan would be crucial for the KMCL board and the government to take a decision.
