Six consortia have shown interest in constructing the much-delayed Sewri-Nhava Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MTHL) in response to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authoritys (MMRDA) call for pre-qualification bids. The consortia that have submitted proposals are CINTRA-SOMA-SREI; Gammon Infrastructure-OHL Concessions-G S Engineering; GMR Infrastructure-L&T Ltd-Samsung C&T Corp; IL&FS Transportation Networks-Unity Infrastructure-Navayuga Engineering-Rizzani de Eccher; IRB Infrastructure Developers-Hyundai; Tata Realty and Infrastructure-Autostrade Indian Infrastructure Development-Vinci Concessions Development. The MMRDA will scrutinise the submissions within 30 days and shortlist bidders for the MTHL,which has gone through two failed rounds of tendering earlier. This is a giant step forward as far as this project is concerned. I guarantee that the construction will start next year, metropolitan commissioner Rahul Asthana said. The MMRDA,which is implementing the project on a public-private partnership basis,will give the shortlisted bidders 20-24 weeks to prepare actual bids (the process would entail site visits),and plans to pick a contractor by November. The project is expected to be completed within five years. The 22-km MTHL will have a 16.5-km bridge across the Mumbai harbour and 5.5-km viaduct approaches on Sewri and Nhava sides. On the Sewri side,the MTHL will connect to the Eastern Freeway and to Worli via another elevated road. On the Nhava side,it will connect to the NH4B from where commuters can travel to the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The initial traffic is estimated at 44,000 vehicles per day. The MTHL,which was earlier being implemented by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC),has had a few false starts. In June 2008,bids submitted by the Ambani brothers had been found unrealistic,and ultimately did not work out. The second time,the MSRDC tried to execute the project as a cash contract. Thirteen companies had shown interest,but did not submit bids. The mandate was later handed over to the MMRDA. One thing we learned from the past is that till the bidders are comfortable,we wont get good bids. So we have ensured the construction risk and revenue risk are reduced, Asthana said. Of the total project cost of Rs 8,800 crore,the viability gap funding or the states share of the cost would be 40 per cent (Rs 3,520 crore). Half of this would be funded by the Centre. Over and above the viability gap funding,the MMRDA will also provide a soft loan to the concessionaire with a moratorium of 15 years.
