With the deadline on submitting tenders to supply 75 coaches to the Kochi metro expiring on Wednesday, Hyundai Rotem-BEML joint venture firm and Alstom, a French multi-national company, are in the fray to bag the Rs. 750-crore order.
The bid was retendered by the Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) since only the former firm qualified in the initial tender that was published early this year by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).
While the DMRC fixed the coach width at 2.90 metres, the KMRL wanted the width to be ‘up to 2.90 metres’. The DMRC went on to state that the integrated trial run of metro trains in the Aluva-Palarivattom stretch, slated for December 2015, would be delayed if the bid was retendered. Coaches were initially scheduled to arrive by August 2015.
The two metro agencies earlier had differences over sourcing power for trains from third traction or elevated lines. After a few rounds of discussions, it was decided that power would be sourced from the third rail laid along the metro track.
One of two firms in the fray will be shortlisted in another month on the basis of technical and financial feasibility. They will have to design, manufacture, supply, test and commission coaches at the earliest.
Hyundai has supplied coaches for many metros, including the Delhi Metro, while Alstom is supplying coaches for the Chennai Metro and Delhi Metro’s Gurgaon line. Both the firms have coach-manufacturing units in India.
Passenger capacity“Each three-coach rake of Kochi Metro will have a ‘crush load’ (maximum coach capacity) of 975 passengers – 136 sitting and 839 standing. The centre coach will have more capacity than those on either end.
“Each of the 25 rakes will be 70 metres long, with vestibules linking coaches. Each air-conditioned coach will have eight auto-close doors, to enable easy and fast boarding and alighting. As in other metros, passengers will face each other, with seats along the windows,” metro sources said.
