MRVC approached to operate monorail corridor

Failing to finalise a contractor for operation and maintenance of the monorail corridor even after four bids, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has approached Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) to operate and maintain it. “We have approached them with regard to its operation and maintenance. They are studying the proposal,” said Sanjay Khandare, Additional Metropolitan Commissioner.

In the fourth call for bids, the lowest bid of Rs 1,340 crore for 10 years, from IL&FS Rail, was 34 per cent higher than the estimated cost of Rs 1,000 crore for 10 years. Meanwhile, Reliance Infrastructure had bid around Rs 6,500 crore for 10 years, over six times the estimated cost.

“We are still evaluating the bids and considering our options. We are yet to take a final decision,” Khandare added.

Meanwhile, MRVC officials took a brief tour of the Wadala Depot to understand the operations of the 19.7-km corridor.

“We visited the depot and saw the trains briefly. But since the talks are still at a preliminary level, we did not go into much details,” said a senior MRVC official.

However, the MRVC has still not taken any decision on whether they will be taking the responsibility of running the Chembur-Wadala-Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk line. “We are still only in talks with MMRDA regarding this. We have sought more details from them and only after looking into them will we take a decision,” said RS Khurana, Chairman and Managing Director, MRVC.