Mumbai, Oct. 29 -- Hyderabad-based Aarvee Associates is likely to prepare the detailed project report (DPR) for India's first fully elevated coaching terminal, proposed at Yelahanka in north Bengaluru. South Western Railway (SWR) plans to award the firm a consultancy contract worth Rs. 32 mn for planning and designing the project.
The contract is expected to be issued as a variation to an existing rate contract for Final Location Survey work. Under this provision, additional work arising from newly sanctioned projects can be assigned to an existing consultant. The proposed scope covers consultancy, site investigation, detailed master planning, urban design, engineering and DPR preparation.
SWR had invited tenders for the consultancy but cancelled the process after identifying missing annexures in the tender documents. The tender was subsequently re-floated, but Prime Rail and Nagpur-based Axykno were disqualified. The railway zone then decided to use the variation provision to appoint Aarvee Associates.
The Yelahanka Mega Coaching Terminal is estimated to cost Rs. 60 bn and is planned across 20 acres. The project could include 16 platforms, substantially increasing capacity compared with the existing five-platform Yelahanka station. It would also involve improvements to coaching maintenance and platform facilities at the Rail Wheel Factory in Yelahanka.
The proposed site includes about 15 acres of Rail Wheel Factory land from its 192-acre parcel, around 2 acres of private land, the existing station yard and Rail Wheel Factory staff quarters. The terminal is expected to be developed through a public-private partnership or a Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer model. If implemented, it would become Bengaluru's fourth railway terminal and the country's first fully elevated coaching terminal.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.