K-RIDE invites financial bids for 306 coaches; BEML, BHEL, Spanish firm qualify

Bengaluru: Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) has invited financial bids to procure 306 air-conditioned, metro-like coaches for the Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project (BSRP). 

K-RIDE, a joint venture of the state and union governments, is building the 149-km BSRP over four corridors or lines (Sampige, Mallige, Parijata and Kanaka). 

Of the 306 coaches, 264 will be available for passenger service, while the rest will be for maintenance and traffic spare. 

In January 2023, K-RIDE invited Requests for Qualification (RFQs) for the design, manufacture, supply, commissioning, operation and maintenance of trainsets. In May, the agency announced it had received the RFQs from Spanish company Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) and Indian PSUs — BHEL and BEML. 

The RFQ was the first or the technical stage. Only bidders shortlisted in the RFQ were allowed to participate in the second stage, which is a Request for Proposal (RFP), also known as a financial bid. 

The RFP stage consists of two packets or covers where the bidder submits technical documents and a financial bid. 

On December 29, K-RIDE invited financial bids (RFP) and will open them on February 28. 

A well-placed source in K-RIDE told DH that all three companies (CAF, BHEL and BEML) had qualified in the first stage (RFQ) and were eligible to submit the financial bids. 

The contract will be awarded to the company that submits the lowest financial bid. K-RIDE expects to issue the Letter of Award in the next three months, the official added. 

The contractor will have to deliver a prototype of one three-coach and one six-coach train within 90 weeks. 

Since K-RIDE will be leasing the coaches on a train-hour basis, the contractor will be required to ensure their availability for 1,71,294 train hours every year for three years and 5,79,766 train hours every year from the sixth year onwards. 

Suburban rail coaches 

Total: 306

Passenger service: 264 (80 trainsets of 3 coaches each and 20 trainsets of 6 coaches each)

Maintenance and traffic spare: 42 coaches

Carrying capacity: 300 

Deadline: 2025