MRT tender in April, work starts in July - The country’s biggest infrastructure project, the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), will be built almost entirely..

KUALA LUMPUR: The country’s biggest infrastructure project, the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), will be built almost entirely through open tender to be called in April and construction work will begin in July.

Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) chief executive officer Nur Ismal Kamal said the competitive bidding process would be evaluated by the Government, project owner Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd and project delivery partner MMC-Gamuda Joint Venture Sdn Bhd.

He said two independent bodies – an independent checking engineer and value management consultant – would evaluate all bids.

The checking engineer, most probably an experienced foreign engineering firm, would vet all tenders, approve designs as well as look at the safety and quality of work once construction has started.

The value management consultant would ensure that costs are kept at a minimum without compromising safety.

Work on the first phase of the MRT system, which would see the construction of a new rail line from Sungai Buloh to Kajang, is expected to start in July.

“The MRT work scope includes underground stations, elevated stations, depots, track works, system works and rolling stock.

“While the work scope will be via open tender, tunnelling work will be via the Swiss challenge method where the PDP is also allowed to submit a competitive bid,” Nur Ismal said after a briefing yesterday.

Swiss challenge means a private sector participant submits an unsolicited proposal and draft contract principles for undertaking a project to the Government and competitive counter-proposals are invited.

While the PDP would oversee the delivery process of the whole project and provide a single point of accountability, Prasarana will be the project and asset owner of the MRT system and Syarikat Pengangkutan Integrasi Deras Sdn Bhd (RapidKL) will be the system operator.

The Sungai Buloh-Kajang line would have a population catchment of 1.2 million with estimated daily ridership of 442,000.

The project is expected to be completed by 2015.

On the cost of the first phase, Nur Ismal said they were still finalising the alignment of the first MRT system line, and thus could not nail down the exact figure yet.

“If we disclose it now, it will not be to our advantage because it’s an open tender bidding. We want to get the best price from the contractors,” he said, adding that even the RM36.6bil figure for the MRT system was not final as it was a figure quoted from the MMC-Gamuda joint proposal.

SPAD chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar said the entire project would be funded by the Government and a special-purpose vehicle under the Finance Ministry would be set up to advise, manage and raise the funds.

On land acquisition, Syed Hamid said it was expected to take place in May and June, immediately after its proposed routes were put up for public display in March.

More news on: http://thestar.com.my/