The contract for the Joka-Esplanade Metro project was awarded yesterday (Monday, 17th August 2020) to GPT Infraproject Limited. The Project faced inordinate delay due to series of land acquisition issues, collapse of Majerhat Bridge and Covid-19. The contract has paved the way for the completion of the entire elevated stretch from Joka to Mominpur of the corridor.
According to sources in Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), the executing agency for the metro project, letter of award (LOA) worth Rs 197 crore was issued to GPT Infraproject Limited chosen through a rigorous e-tender process for the construction of elevated viaduct from Majerhat to Mominpur, two stations, Majerhat and Mominpur and Metro ramp at Joka depot.
Generally, it takes four-months to award the LOA from the time of opening the technical bid. “But in this case, the technical bid was opened on July 29, followed by the financial bid on August 14. Since then, the process of selecting the contractor was done at an extraordinary speed, after complying to all the rules and regulations. It took only 19 days, which is a record,” said a senior RVNL officer.
This was possible only because of RVNL’s shift to e-ways, from pre-bid meeting on digital platform to e-tendering. This awarding of contract sprang a hope of completion of the Metro project as Kolkatans started believing the Metro project will come to a grinding halt at Taratala with the project suffering a series of setbacks.
According to the contract, the work has to start within 42 days of the receipt of the LOA and the entire work must complete within 21 months. Once ready, one would just take a few minutes to reach Mominpore from Joka, which now takes more than an hour.