Monorail: MMRDA invites bids for second time

(File Photo)

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has invited bids for the second time for the operation and maintenance (O&M) of the monorail from Chembur to Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk. The agreement with the existing contractor, Scomi Engineering, came to an end in February this year. “All bidders had a demand that the security deposit and the Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) amount must be reduced. So for that, we had to invite bids again,” said Sanjay Khandare, the Additional Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA.

The document invites bids for the O&M of the country’s only monorail system for a period of 10 years. However, of the 19.7-km corridor, currently only 8.93-km, between Chembur to Wadala, is functional. The remaining length till Jacob Circle is expected to be completed by the end of this year. The monorail has been running on heavy losses.

“We will be handing over the system to the Commission of Rail Safety (CRS) next month. They will take some time to complete the inspection and certification, and then, we will have to implement the suggestions. It should definitely be running by the year-end,” said Khandare. But a senior MMRDA official said the bid got only two responses. “We need minimum three to complete the process. That is why we had to invite bids again,” he said.