Indian civil engineering and construction firm J Kumar Infraprojects has secured an order from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to execute the balance rail project works.
Under this contract, the company will implement the balance civil work of a 12.8km-long elevated section of Mumbai Metro Line-2B, including the construction of an elevated viaduct and ten stations.
In a regulatory filing, J Kumar Infraprojects said: “The company has received a letter of acceptance from Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) for part design and construction of balance works of Mumbai Metro Rail Project of MMRDA, amounting to $181.65m (Rs13.08bn).”
The project is expected to be completed in a 30-month period.
In 2017, this contract for the elevated section was awarded to Simplex Infrastructure.
However, the contract was cancelled due to slow work progress in January 2020.
Thereafter, a tender was re-invited in August 2020 with J Kumar surfacing as the lowest bidder during the opening of the financial bids in November 2020.
The MMRDA has also started the testing of Metro-2A on the yellow line and Metro-7 on the red line.
During the testing, oscillation trials of a prototype six-car train at various speeds will be operated.
The metro is expected to commence services after four months of the trial run.
While the first phase from Dahanukarwadi to Aare is expected to commence by September this year, the second line is anticipated to begin in January 2022.
On 6 October 2015, the Maharashtra government sanctioned the Mumbai Metro lines 2A and 7.
A daily average of nine lakh (900,000) passengers will be able to travel once they open to the public.
