The cost of building an inland water transport system along Mumbais east coast is likely to be higher than expected,as the lowest bidder for the largest portion of the long-delayed project has quoted an amount that exceeds estimates of the state agency implementing the project. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) on Tuesday opened the financial bids for the construction of terminals at Ferry Wharf,Mandwa and Nerul,and an elevated road to connect the Ferry Wharf terminal with P DMello Road and the Eastern Freeway. The agency had invited the bids in three packages. The first package,which is the largest,was for the construction of terminals for a passenger transport service and a roll-on roll-off service for vehicles at Ferry Wharf and Nerul. The second package was for a terminal at Mandwa,while the third was for the elevated road from Ferry Wharf to Orange Gate and Eastern Freeway. There were six bids each for the first and second package and four for the third package In the first package,the bid is nearly 55 per cent above our estimated cost. We have been trying to make sense of it as to why the bid is so high. We will negotiate the amount, said S R Nandagirkar,in-charge of the project at MSRDC. This will push up the total estimated cost of the project. The MSRDC had estimated the cost for the first package to be Rs 209 crore while the cost for the second and third packages was pegged at Rs 68 and Rs 79 crore,respectively. In the second package the lowest bidder has quoted an amount that is six per cent below our estimate,while for the third package the bid is 13 per cent below our estimate, Nandagirkar said. The bids will now be scrutinised internally and contracts are likely to be awarded by July 15 after approvals from the MSRDC board and the state government. The agency plans to raise money for the project by issuing bonds. Construction of the terminals,which will be fully air-conditioned with automatic ticketing,parking bays,shopping and meeting areas,will start by October and the MSRDC intends to make the inland water transport service functional by June 2014. Using the service,commuters will be able to sail from Mandwa to Ferry Wharf for around Rs 100,vastly cutting the travel time. The MSRDC will require about 3 to 4 ha in water for each of the terminals for which a proposal has been sent to the Mumbai Port Trust. Separately,two companies have evinced interest in operating the inland water transport services on the east coast by responding to MSRDCs invitation for expressions of interest. One is an Australian company with an experience of operating services on the Sydney Harbour while the other is a Tata subsidiary,Nandagirkar said.
