With many politicians demanding a boycott of Chinese products and firms following a tense situation on the border with China, there are questions being raised about the Chinese companies that are involved in the Metro Projects in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
There are approximately six Chinese companies involved in infrastructure projects in Mumbai, which is in the process of a massive overhaul of its infrastructure.
The estimated cost of the entire 337 km Metro project is ₹1 lakh crore. Of these, Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co Ltd (STEC), China Railway Tunnel Group Co Ltd (CRTG) and Continental Engineering Corporation (CEC) are undertaking civil and tunnel works for Metro-3 (Colaba-Bandra-Seepz). The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC), which is building the fully-underground Metro, has appointed the SJEC Corporation, a Chinese consortium, for system works.
CRTG in a joint venture with J Kumar Infraprojects Ltd is also building parts of Metro-2A (Dahisar-DN Nagar) and Metro-6 (Swami Samarth Nagar-Vikhroli). Another Chinese company, China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC), is building part of Metro-4 (Wadala-Kasarvadavali) in a joint venture with Tata Projects.
A senior official from Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) said the involvement of the Chinese companies “stands as it is”. “So far there is no advisory [against the involvement of Chinese companies],” said the official on condition of anonymity.