Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) Project is all set to finalise its suppliers for the 78 metro coaches on Monday as the public entity will open the financial bid. According to sources, the officers have been directed to complete the project and start operations before the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections scheduled in 2017.
“There are three international firms in the race. Alstom, a French multinational company operating in the worldwide rail transport markets, Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) and CRRC Corporation Limited, a Chinese state-owned rolling stock manufacturer. They are all in the race to bag the Rs 700-crore order for the rolling stock,” said a senior officer of NMRC. The Noida – Greater Noida Metro route is being constructed jointly by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and NMRC. According to officials, one of the three companies will be finalised in a week from Monday. “Once the company for supplying the coaches has been selected, tenders for the project will be initiated by the end of the month,” added the official.
If all the works are done as per schedule, the delivery of the coaches will be done in about 76 weeks and should be in place by May 2017. The security of this Metro route will be given to Uttar Pradesh Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC). “One battalion of the PAC with about 1,000 staffers will be posted along the entire corridor and they will be known as ‘Metro Force,” informed the officer. In addition to the dedicated security, there will be two police posts on the Metro route first at Sector 71 and second at the end point of the 22.9 km long Metro route. As per the security plan of the NMRC, there will be dedicated dog squad and bomb disposal unit and the entire security arrangement would be at par with Delhi Metro.
As per the plan of the state government, the two districts of NCR Gautam Budh Nagar and Ghaziabad will get one Metro line each before the upcoming UP assembly elections. The work on Dilshad Garden to Ghaziabad City Metro station is also on progress and state government plans to inaugurate it before the elections.