Gurugram Metro: HMRTC floats tenders for geo-technical survey

The Gurugram Metro project, which has remained stuck since the past six years, is finally taking off. Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC), which is executing the project, has floated the tender for the geo-technical survey of 12.76km portion of the 28.60km line, which will extend the Metro rail line from Huda City Centre to Old Gururgam and finally to CyberHub in a loop, thus connecting the entire city.

A spur from Palam Vihar to Dwarka’s Sector 21 will also be constructed to ensure that this route connects with the Blue Line of the Delhi Metro, said the Haryana government.

As part of the survey, the geo-technical consultant will provide a complete description of the soils and rocks along with the test result and analysis for every kilometre of the stretch, said officials.

The metro project was conceived in 2016 but has remained on paper till date as there were multiple changes in the project plan, and also routes could not be finalised. The final detailed project report was approved in October 2022 by the state cabinet, and now the project awaits final approval from the Union cabinet. The project is estimated to cost ₹6,800 crore, said officials.

Last week, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar said Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) will start the civil work on the Gurugram Metro within a month, which would include shifting of utilities and ensuring that the right of way is clear for laying the Metro line.

According to the tender document floated by HMRTC on May 31, the geo-techncial analysis will be conducted initially for a 12.76km stretch from Huda City Centre to Sector 9, where a Metro station has been proposed. The cost of the work is estimated at ₹50.14 lakh and it will have to be completed within 16 weeks from the day of allotment, the document stated.

The last day for submission of bids is June 30, by 3.30pm, while technical bids will be opened the same day at 5.30pm, the notice issued by HMRTC said.

The activities prescribed as part of the geotechnical survey include digging bore holes in rocks underground, conducting standard penetration tests, collecting soil samples from bore holes, and recording water table. The consultant will collect rock samples and conduct laboratory tests. “The consultant will prepare a report summarising details of soil, rock classifications, analysis of test data and recommend the type of foundations to be adopted and design calculations for the proposed elevated corridor,” the tender floated by HMRTC stated.

It is also specified that samples of groundwater shall be obtained from each bore hole and chemical tests conducted to check the acidity of water, and content of chlorides and sulphates present in the groundwater.

Karan Singh, director, operations and business development, HMRTC, did not respond to calls and messages seeking a response on the development.

The proposed 28.6km Gurugram Metro project will be an elevated corridor with 27 stations and a spur from Basai to Dwarka Expressway.

According to the tender document, the main line from Huda City Centre to CyberHub, passing through Subash Chowk, Hero Honda Chowk, and Palam Vihar, will span 26.65km, while the spur from Basai village to Dwarka Expressway will be 1.85km long.

A metro link from Palam Vihar to Dwarka’s Sector 21 will also be constructed to link the proposed Gururgam Metro with the Blue Line of Delhi Metro in Dwarka.

The Gurugram Metro project has already been approved by the Public Investment Board of the central government but it still awaits a final nod from the Union cabinet.

Chief minister Khattar, in February this year, said he was confident that the Metro project will commence this financial year.

According to the detailed project report, the Metro stations which have been proposed on the Huda City Centre-Cyber City route are Sector 45, Cyber Park, Sector 46, Sector 47, Sector 48, Technology Park, Udyog Vihar Phase 6, Sector 10, Sector 37, Basai, Sector 9, Sector 7, Sector 4, Sector 5, Ashok Vihar, Sector 3, Krishna Chowk, Palam Vihar Extension, Palam Vihar, Sector 23 A, Sector 22, Udyog Vihar Phase 4 and CyberHub.

Professor Sewa Ram, from the School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi, said a geo-tecnical.survey is conducted to know the nature of soil and underground rocks before a major construction is taken up. “The data from this survey will be used to design structures for the proposed Metro line. This is a positive step and it indicates that Gurugram metro project is taking off and construction work will be started soon,” he said.