Two agencies, Aarvee Associates and Systra, have been chosen to prepare the Preliminary Project Reports (PPRs) and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for the Phase-III Metro Rail expansion corridors that have recently been approved.
The extension project includes a total of 12 corridors, spanning 278 kilometres. This includes eight extension corridors and four corridors along the Outer Ring Road. The tendering process for these corridors was initiated by the Hyderabad Airport Metro Limited (HAML) in August.
Five consultancy agencies submitted their bids for the project. After a thorough evaluation by the HAML tender committee, four agencies emerged as technically qualified bidders.
These agencies are Aarvee Associates, Systra, Urban Mass Transit Company Limited (UMTC), and Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES), as per The New Indian Express report.
The financial bids of these four agencies were unveiled at the Metro Rail Bhavan last week.
N V S Reddy, the managing director (MD) of HAML, announced that Aarvee Associates received the highest technical score and offered the most competitive financial bids across all four packages.
Aarvee Associates was awarded the responsibility of handling packages II and III, in accordance with the tender conditions. The runner-up, Systra, was given packages I and IV after matching the lowest financial bid.
The selected consultancy firms must submit PPRs within two months. Their tasks include conducting traffic surveys, travel demand forecasting, ridership estimates, socio-environmental assessments, and alternatives analysis. The goal is to recommend suitable modes of public transport.
Within three months, the consultancy firms will prepare DPRs.
These comprehensive reports will cover details such as Metro rail alignment, viaducts, at-grade and underground options, station and depot planning, electric traction, signalling and train communication systems, coach specifications, environmental and social impact assessments, transit-oriented development plans, last-mile connectivity strategies, cost estimates, fare structures, financial analyses, and project implementation plans.
The HAML MD highlighted that, as per the directives of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, the selected agencies must begin field surveys concurrently across all designated corridors without delay.
Four Packages
According to the tenders issued by HAML, the first package includes proposed metro corridors such as BHEL, Patancheru, ORR, and Isnapur spanning 13 km. It also covers L B Nagar, Hayatnagar, and Pedda Amberpet for 13 km, as well as ORR, Patacheru interchange at NH-65, Kokapet, and Narsingi interchange for 22 km.
Package II consists of Shamshabad junction metro station, Kothur, and Shadnagar spanning 28 km. It also includes Shamshabad airport metro station, Tukkuguda, Maheshwaram crossroads, and Pharma City for 26 km.
Additionally, the package covers ORR Interchange at Shamshabad NH 44, Tukkuguda, Bongulur, and Pedda Amberpet interchange NH65 for 40 km.
Package III will cover Uppal crossroads, ORR, Ghatkesar, and Bibinagar for 25 km. It also includes Tarnaka crossroads and ECIL crossroads for 8 km. Furthermore, the package encompasses ORR Pedda Amberpet interchange NH 65, Ghatkesar, Shamirpet, and Medchal interchange NH44 for 45 km.
Package IV consists of a double elevated flyover/metro spanning 17 km from JBS metro rail station to Tumukunta, a double elevated flyover/metro spanning 12 km from Paradise crossroads to Kandlakoya, and an ORR Medchal interchange NH 44, Dundigal, Patancheru interchange NH65 spanning 29 km.