Work on metro rail phase-2’s corridor-4 from Lighthouse to Poonamallee Bypass, which will connect core city localities, could begin quickly. Chennai Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL) is in the final stages of appointing a general consultant that will monitor and speed up the process to begin construction.
According to pre-bid documents, a general consultant will begin providing expertise to the project from January 2021. The consultancy service is funded by China-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, which will loan ₹2,700 crore for construction of a part of the 26.1-km corridor 4.
Officials said seven bidders have been shortlisted and technical and financial proposals sought for evaluating their qualification, experience, technical approach and methodology and competence. One of them will be awarded the contract as a general consultant to oversee construction.
General consultants will provide expertise at all stages, while also ensuring faster construction without any compromise on the quality of work or safety. “They usually coordinate between the detailed design consultant and others. They will be involved in floating tenders for various phases and also bring foreign contractors if needed. They will monitor execution of the work by all contractors.
They will be present till the line is ready for operations and will provide expertise in several issues during the implementation of the project,” an official said. The corridor from Lighthouse to Poonamallee, which will have 30 stations including 12 underground in the 118.9-km phase-2, will connect several central locations including Mylapore, Nandanam, T Nagar, Kodambakkam and Vadapalani with fast developing areas in the west suburbs that are poorly linked by public transport like Valsarvakkam, Porur, Kattupakkam, Karayan Chavadi, Poonamallee and Poonamallee Bypass.
It is also called the orbital corridor as it links all corridors of 45km phase-1 and phase-2. Earlier this year, CMRL floated tenders to construct two stretches — from Powerhouse to Porur and Porur to Poonamallee Bypass covering nearly 16km with 18 stations. In January, Nippon Koei, Aarvee Associates and Balaji Railroad Systems Private Limited were handed over the contract for consultancy work for the 52km priority corridor, funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), from Madhavaram to Sholinganallur and Madhavaram to CMBT covering two corridors.