Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Airport Metro Limited (HAML) has picked consulting firms to prepare Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for Phase III, which is a crucial step toward the extension of the Metro network.
HAML’s Managing Director NVS Reddy announced this significant development on Saturday.
Five consulting firms submitted offers for the project through a competitive bidding procedure. The HAML tender committee determined that four of these agencies, namely Aarvee Associates, Systra, UMTC, and RITES, were technically qualified to do this assignment.
The financial proposals from these qualifying agencies were opened on August 30th at the Metro Rail Bhavan.
Aarvee Associates emerged as a front-runner, with the highest technical score and the lowest financial bids for all four packages. As a result of the tender terms, Aarvee Associates was given two packages, while Systra, the second-highest technical scorer, received the other two after matching the lowest financial price, a press release informed.
Preliminary Project Reports (PPRs) must now be prepared within two months by the selected consulting firms. This involves performing traffic surveys, anticipating travel demand, estimating ridership, analyzing alternative possibilities, and proposing appropriate modes of public transportation, it further said.
They will then have three months to prepare comprehensive DPRs that include critical details like Metro Rail alignment, viaduct/at-grade/underground options, stations and depots, electric traction, signaling & train communication, coaches, environment/social impact assessment, transit-oriented development, last-mile connectivity, cost estimates, fare structure, financial analysis, and project implementation plans.
These selected agencies will have to first submit Preliminary Project Reports (PPRs) in two months duly carrying out traffic surveys, travel demand forecasting, ridership estimates, alternative options analysis, etc., and recommend suitable modes of public transport.
They are further instructed to prepare DPRs in two months with details of Metro Rail alignment, viaduct/at grade/underground options, stations and depots, electric traction, signaling and train communication, coaches, environment/social impact assessment, transit-oriented development, last mile connectivity, cost estimates, fare structure, financial analysis, project implementation plan, etc.
“As instructed by chief minister Chandrasekhar Rao, the agencies have been directed to start the field surveys immediately in all the corridors simultaneously,” the Hyderabad Metro Rail’s MD said.
HAML is the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) of the Telangana government along with the Hyderabad Metro Development Authority (HMDA), Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL), and Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC) who will be the equity partners to build Airport Express Metro project.
On July 31, the state cabinet made a series of significant decisions, including the Rs 60,000 crore for the expansion of the Hyderabad Metro Rail and the merging of TSRTC with the government.
In the second phase of the Metro project, two routes were proposed from Lakdikapul to BHEL (26 km) and Nagole to LB Nagar (5km). Apart from this, another route from the Airport to Mindspace (32 km) was also taken up.
As per the Hyderabad Metro’s MD, the Phase 2 project will include 4 elevated corridors – 1 new line and 3 extensions of the existing lines built in the 67 km Phase 1 project. However, it hasn’t been finalized whether this phase will be developed on the EPC method or on the PPP (Public-Private Partnership) route.
NVS Reddy emphasized that, in accordance with the chief minister’s directions, the selected agencies have been asked to conduct field surveys throughout all specified corridors at the same time, the press release informed.
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