Mumbai, May 11 (EPC News): Five consortiums have been selected by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) for developing long awaited Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) project. 

The five consortia include Cintra-Soma-Srei consortium, Gammon Infrastructure Projects-OHL Concessions-GS Engineering consortium, GMR Infrastructure-L&T-Samsung C&T Corp consortium, IRB Infrastructure Developers-Hyundai consortium and Tata Realty and Infrastructure-Autostrade Indian Infrastructure Development-Vinci Concessions Development consortium.

According to MMRDA official, once the central government approves the shortlisted consortium, they will be provided with bid documents. The request for proposal needs approval from the Union government as the project needs 20% viability gap funding from the Centre.

The Rs8800 crore MTHL project will be developed on public private partnership on design, build, finance, operate and transfer (DBFOT) basis. A 22 km MTHL project will connect Sevri in Mumbai to Nhava Sheva in Navi Mumbai.

A 22 km MTHL project will connect Sevri in Mumbai to Nhava Sheva in Navi Mumbai.

EPC News Bureau

Mumbai, May 09 (EPC News): HCL Axon, the enterprise application service division of HCL Technologies, introduced iMRO solution for the rail industry.  The newly launched solution when used together with the SAP Enterprise Asset Management (SAP EAM) augments operations for the rail industry and offers integrated lifecycle management services for linear assets, rolling stock and road vehicles.  

iMRO, a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) solution endorsed by SAP AG, was earlier used by organizations to maintain complex, expensive and regulated assets in the travel, transportation, high-tech, energy, aerospace and defence industries. 

The latest solution developed for the rail industry is expected to improve productivity and planner visibility, by reducing variations encountered between planning and rail operations. It further allows utilization of higher assets for large and small railways, manufacturers and third-party MRO providers. The product further ensures reduction in implementation time, risks, cost of support and cost of custom development. 

The product encompassing the company’s Ready-For-Rail  Framework, accelerates rail process models, benefits dependency maps, rail-asset cost models, user guides and  rail-specific dashboards for sppeding deployments and increases the value of such investments in SAP solutions. 

Commenting on the company’s recent initiative, Todd Crandall, Executive Vice President & Global Head of Asset Intensive Industries, HCL AXON, says, ““We are delighted to be cooperating further with SAP to optimize global rail asset management processes.  The evolving co-innovation with HCL AXON‟s iMRO since 2008 for aerospace and airlines and now the rail industry emphasizes the longer-term commitment from HCL AXON and SAP.”

EPC News Bureau

Mumbai, May, 07 (EPC News): Construction work over the country’s longest rail-cum-road bridge, Bogibeel Bridge, is on a faster pace and will complete by 2015, informs the Chief Public Relation Officer of Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR), S. Hajong. 

The 4.9 km Bogibeel rail-cum-road bridge comprises of a double line broad gauge track and a 3 lane road-connecting two existing railway networks starting from Chaulkhowa and Moranhat stations (South) and between Sisibargaon and Siripani station of Rangiya-Mukongselek section (North).

“Work on main bridge and north bank rail link between Dhamalgaon (South Bank) and New Sisibragaon (North Bank) including National Highway approach road links is nearing completion,” informs DC Borah, Senior PRO (Construction), North East Frontier Railways.

Further of the 42 pillars, work on 10 pillars is underway. “Construction of 32 out of 42 support pillars and two separate guide bunds of 2.792km (north bank) and 2.043km (south bank) have been accomplished,” says Borah. These bunds built on the banks of Brahmaputra have narrowed the river width from 10.3km to its half. 

Construction of common approach embankment up to south abutment and north abutment inside the river, strengthening of the South Bank Dyke and North Bank Dyke (9km upstream and 7km downstream) and finalization of design and drawing of super-structure equipped with latest technology were highlighted as the project’s major achievements by Borah. 

The project sanctioned in 1997-98, was inaugurated by former Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee in April, 2002. Though the project execution was on a slower pace, the Government declaration of it as a ‘National Project’ in 2007 helped in gaining momentum, believes NFR.

The slower execution has led to cost overruns almost doubling the project’s cost from Rs1,767 crore to Rs3,230 crore. “The inflation in raw materials (steel and cement prices) are a major cause for doubling the project cost,” says Hajong.

He further points the non-availability of longer dry seasons and existence of longer monsoons as the other major hindrance for project delay. 

Of the allotted Rs3,230 crore, around Rs2,404 crore were utilized for the project. The project, a part of the Assam Accord 1985, further facilitates in establishing strong connectivity in the eastern region of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. “This project can strengthen national security of the eastern region of India,” believes Borah. 

NFR also considers this project as a boon for improving the socio-economic activities of the region. The project is considered as a major step towards the Indian Government’s plan of linking all northeastern states with other parts of the country. 

By Veena Kurup

Mumbai, May, 07 (EPC News): The present United Progressive Government still not learning from its past mistake and has again given the shot in the arm to the exchequers of the country by declaring around 190 cost overrun projects. 

Surprisingly, Maharashtra has topped the table with a total of around 51 projects costing Rs82,228 crore, a jump of 19% from its original cost of around Rs68,705 crore. Out of these 51 projects, 18 projects have been identified as a cost overrun projects with an estimated cost overrun of Rs45,606 crore from its original Rs29,305 crore. 

The second in number after Maharashtra is state of Tamil Nadu with total projects of around 35. Out of these 35 projects, the MoSP has identified 13 projects with an estimated cost overrun of Rs35,649 crore against its original project value of Rs20,281 crore, a rise of 30.3%.

Says Srikant Jena, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Statistics and Programme Implementation, “There are 555 Central Sector projects costing Rs150 crore and above on the monitor of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme implementation, (MOSPI) as on 1st February, 2012. Out of these, 190 projects were slipped into cost overruns with respect to their original schedule of completion.”

In a written reply to Rajya Sabha Jena said that the major reasons such as changes in rates of foreign exchange and statutory duty; high cost of environmental safeguards, land acquisition and rehabilitation measures, change in the scope of project, under -estimation of original cost, general price rise-due to normal rise in prices of input materials.

By Rahul Kamat

Mumbai, May, 07 (EPC News): L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) ltd an arm of L&T Infrastructure Development Projects Ltd, has chooses French Co Keolis SA as operation and maintenance contractor for Hyderabad Metro Rail project.

The company (L&T) has decided to involve Keolis during the formative stage of the Hyderabad project in order to take advantage of its expertise in metro rail operations and maintenance.

The project involves a financial outlay of about Rs16,375 crore, including Rs 6,000 crore for civil construction, Rs2,000 crore for development of about six million square ft of real estate, Rs1600 crore on rolling stock and Rs1,000 crore for signaling.

EPC News Bureau 

New Delhi, May 04 (EPC News): Work on 1499 km Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal to Tughlakabad/Dadri) is slated for completion by March 2017, against the earlier target of December 2016. 

“The project was targeted for completion by December 2016 but now it’s shifted to March 2017 on account of change in alignment which meant fresh efforts for land acquisition,” says Minister of State for Railways, Bharatsinh Solanki in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

According to him, delay has occurred on account of some environmental & wildlife clearances, not being readily available.

So far, construction work on 54 major and important bridges between Vaitarna and Bharuch of Western Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFC) is in progress through budgetary resources. Besides, the entire Western DFC is being funded through Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). 

The tendering process for Phase – I (Rewari-Vadodara, 930 km) has commenced and pre-qualification for civil works for 624 km has been completed, the minister added. 

EPC News Bureau

New Delhi, May 04 (EPC News): The Ministry of Railways has requested Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) to examine the need for dedicated rail corridor between Chennai and Mangalore, Minister of State for Railways Shri K H Muniyappa said in its reply to Lok Sabha.

Earlier DIPP had proposed to undertake a study for the comprehensive Regional Plan for the Chennai-Bangalore Industrial Corridor.

The development of Eastern (Dankuni-Ludhiana, 1839 km) and Western (Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal to Tughlakabad/Dadri, 1499 km) Dedicated Freight Corridor is under process, the minister further informed. 

“Connectivity to ports and industrial clusters are also taken up in a need-based manner with participation of strategic stakeholders, wherever possible,” adds Muniyappa.

EPC News Bureau

New Delhi, May 04 (EPC News): Government has identified various railway projects for execution through public private participation, says Minister of State for Railways KH Muniyappa in his written reply to Lok Sabha. 

The earmarked projects include elevated rail corridor (Churchgate-Virar), High speed Corridors, redevelopment of stations, Logistics Parks, Private freight terminals, leasing of wagons and other freight marketing schemes, port connectivity, Dedicated Freight Corridors and loco and coach manufacturing units etc.

The government has also prepared a draft policy for private participation in capacity augmentation and connectivity projects, adds Muniyappa. 

The various categories cover non-government railway lines; special purpose vehicle through joint venture; BoT (Build Operate Transfer); BoT- Annuity; user funded lines to be used as multiple user lines; and capacity augmentation funded by customers. 

The draft policy also envisages greater participation of state governments in railway projects. 

EPC News Bureau