L&T consortium wins Rs2,460 crore Mumbai monorail project

Mumbai: A consortium of construction and engineering major Larsen & Toubro Ltd and Malaysia's Scomi Engineering Bhd has won the mandate to implement the Rs2,460 crore ($520 million) monorail project being implemented by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority.

The project , which involves design, construction, testing, installation and commissioning of the project, will start on 1 December and will be completed in 30 months.

The L&T consortium will also undertake train trail with initial operation and maintenance from Gadge Maharaj Chowk (Jacob Circle) to Wadala (approx 11 km) and Wadala to Chembur via Mahul (approx. 9 km) corridor on a lump sum turnkey (LSTK) basis. The monorail will have 18 stations enroute, L&T said.
 
L&T will have a Rs1,400 crore share in the 2460 crore total project cost, A M Naik, CMD, Larsen & Toubro, said.

In the monorail system, cars move on a single beam in an elevated corridor.  Mumbai's monorail project would be unique as it would be ale to climb 6 degree height, very maneuverable, and could pass congested areas through relative ease and with little noise.

The monorail will connect Jacob's Circle to Wadala and Chembur and Mahul covering a total distance of around 19 km.

L&T's Malaysian partner Scomi Engineering is monorail manufacturer, which offers urban transportation solutions by providing the latest monorail electro-mechanical systems and rolling stock, L&T said in a filing with the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).

Scomi Engineering is one of the world's top three monorail manufacturers, and offers urban transportation solutions by providing the latest monorail electro-mechanical systems and rolling stock.

The straddle type monorail system will comply with the highest international standards of safety and reliability. It is a modern urban transport system where the cars move on a single beam in an elevated corridor. The design makes it possible to execute the project on a fast-track as it requires a small foot- print and facilitates implementation with minimal demolition of structures.

Other advantages include greater reliability, high manoeuverability, lower cost and an eco-friendly design. These factors make monorails an attractive option for Mumbai where land is a scarce resource. The monorail is a quiet system with sleek exteriors, and air-conditioned cars, adding to commuter comfort.

This will be the first monorail system in India and is expected to ease the congestion in the highly crowded Jacob Circle, Wadala and Chembur area. The monorail will provide interconnectivity to the existing suburban railway (Mahalaxmi and Lower Parel Stations of Western Railway, Curry Road, Dadar & Wadala Stations of Central Railway) and the forthcoming metro rail.