The process of bidding for the country's first metro-rail project was launched Saturday. International companies competing for the Tk 30 billion rolling stock and depot equipment work will be shortlisted through the initial bidding.
Project officials said the pre-qualification (PQ) bid for the mass rapid transit (MRT) project was officially opened on Saturday, following positive signal received from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on the PQ document.
They, however, said JICA's written consent to amend the project's loan agreement has not been received yet. The amendment will be necessary to start procurement, as the tender process is expected to be completed within a year.
The officials said the MRT construction package -- CP-8 -- whose PQ was opened, is designed to buy 24 sets of trains having six bogies in each set, and construct workshop, metro-rail plant, operation control centre, electrical building, washing plant and training centre at depot location.
Tender schedule for the Tk 219.85 billion Dhaka MRT Development (DMRTD) project has been prepared to launch the country's first mass transport five years before the targeted time.
According to JICA schedule, the tender process was supposed to start in 2016 after the project's general consultant completes detailed design of the 20.1-km MRT line-6.
JICA has committed to provide Tk 165.94 billion for consultancy, construction and operation purposes of the project till 2024.
In February 2013, JICA signed a deal with the Economic Relations Division (ERD) to fulfil the first phase of its commitment by providing $116.32-million funds for the consultancy services to carry the work of detailed design, institutional development and environmental study.
While addressing a press conference at the ministry's conference room on Sunday, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said the government has already set a target to launch the MRT line-6 service in 2019, which is long before the previously-fixed time.
He said by 2015, invitation of tender for all other seven packages will be completed.
"We have taken initiative to complete the MRT project long before 2019 at the Prime Minister's directive and after getting concurrence from the JICA," the minister told the journalists.
An ERD official said they have not received any written or verbal information about the loan agreement amendment, which will be necessary to release fund for the project's construction purpose.
But a project official said they have got verbal assurance from JICA to amend the loan agreement. The project will need the fund for construction purpose at the end of this year, when the company will be selected for current rolling stock and workshop work.
"As JICA has given concurrence to the PQ document, the bidding process has been launched, and the amendment will be completed before the selection," he added.
According to the development project proposal (DPP), the government has to bear the cost of land acquisition, utility shifting and rehabilitation part of the total project cost worth $2.7 billion.
JICA funds, totalling $2.1 billion, is supposed to be spent for consultancy and construction purposes, including procurement and construction supervision work till 2024.
As planned, 24 sets of trains with six coaches each (total 144) will roll on the metro rail. The trains will take passengers from 16 stations along the 20-kilometre MRT route. Trains on MRT line-6 will start from Uttara and end at Motijheel in 36 minutes, enabling over 30,000 passengers to cross the corridor per hour.
smunima@yahoo.com
