Chennai Port-Maduravoyal Elevated Expressway: J Kumar Infraprojects Emerges As Lowest Bidder For Third Package, Work To Commence By August

After winning the first, second and fourth packages earlier this month, J Kumar Infraprojects (JKIL) has now also emerged as the lowest bidder to construct 4.485-km-long third package of the 19.88 km Chennai Port-Maduravoyal Expressway project in Tamil Nadu.

The firm placed a bid of Rs 865 crore, emerging as the lowest bidder for the third package, as reported by the MetroRailGuy.

Bridge & Roof–Braithwaite Burn joint venture (JV) bid at Rs 1,376 crore, the highest among the bidders, among whom were also NCC, Tata–SP Singla JV, Afcons Infrastructure, P&C–Evrascon JV and G R Infraprojects.

Four Packages

Earlier in July 2022, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had invited tenders for the expressway project through four EPC packages with a 910-day construction deadline.

A total of 13 bidders, including Afcons, Tata Projects and Kalpataru Power Transmission were in fray to construct Maduravoyal Expressway.

These firms had submitted a total of 24 bids for four packages of the project. Out of the 13 bidders, Afcons Infrastructure Limited and J Kumar Infraprojects are the only two to have bid for all the four packages.

Project

The 20.6 km double-decker elevated highway between Madurvoyal on the Chennai-Bengaluru highway and Napier Bridge, adjacent to Chennai port, is being built at a cost of Rs 5,855 crore.

The project entails constructing a four-lane elevated corridor.

The first level of the corridor will facilitate movement of light motor vehicles between Koyambedu and Chennai Port, with ramps in 13 places — seven entries and six exits.

The second tier has been designed only for heavy motor vehicles between Chennai Port and Maduravoyal.

The project is specifically designed to manage the expected increase in port-bound traffic, which is predicted to double by 2040 from current levels.

At present, trucks to and from the port ply through the port’s northern end in Royapuram. However, the elevated project will allow entry and exit through the port’s southern end in the heart of the city.

The completion of this project is expected to alleviate traffic congestion in Chennai by segregating local traffic movement onto one tier of the elevated highway. Additionally, it will double the handling capacity of the port, reduce waiting times at the port, and decrease travel time for vehicles bound for the port, by an hour.

The foundation stone of the project was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2022 under the Bharatmala Pariyojana program.

Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, on 23 April had said that work for the greenfield project under the Bharatmala Pariyojana would be awarded by June-end.

After the letter of acceptance is issued, the contractor will mobilise the necessary personnel, materials and machinery, which officials estimate will take place by August-September.

The work to construct the two-tier corridor is scheduled to begin after the contract is signed.

The Southern Railway has given approval for the general area drawings of the two road-over bridges situated at Chintadripet and Nungambakkam, both of which are part of the alignment. However, approval is still pending for the final drawings.

According to sources, the NHAI has already acquired around 98 per cent of the land required for the project, with only the Navy portion yet to be physically taken over.

The source also mentioned that after the construction of 64 houses that are meant for the Naval officers, they will be able to take possession of the property.