A joint venture between Siemens project ventures and Tata Realty Infrastructure has been chosen to add a third line to the metro system in the city of Pune, west central India.
The contract to design, build, finance and operate the line was awarded by the Pune Metropolitan Regional Development Authority. The project, which is expected to cost $1.2bn, consists of a 23km elevated metro line running between the Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park in Hinjawadi to the inner suburb of Shivajinagar. It will have 23 stations.
The decision to go ahead with the metro followed complaints by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, which built the $23m Infotech Park, that it was being hampered by chaotic traffic, poor security and a lack of electricity. Pune is the ninth largest city in India, with a population of 3.2 million.
A rendering of a future metro station (Pune Metro)
The Tata-Siemens team beat another joint venture of two Mumbai-based contractors, IRB Infrastructure Developers and IL&FS.
Its proposals will have to be approved by the development authority and the Maharashtra state government. It will then be submitted to the federal government, which may offer a $240m Viability Funding Gap grant.
If this process goes smoothly, the project will begin in October.
Top image: Concrete bridge segments waiting to be installed in Pune (Pune Metro)
Further reading: