TURKEY: Suppliers have until January 7 2011 to submit bids for a contract to modernise existing commuter routes as part of the 77 km Marmaray Project in Istanbul, which includes a rail tunnel beneath the Bosporus connecting Europe with Asia.
The retendering follows termination earlier this year of the previous contract, known as CR1, 'with little construction work having been completed', according to the Ministry of Transportation's General Directorate of Railways, Harbours & Airports. The CR1 contract had been awarded in March 2007 to the AMD Consortium consisting of Alstom, Marubeni and local partner Dogus.
The new contract, designated CR3, covers upgrading of the suburban railways on both sides of the Bosporus. The existing double-track alignments on each side of the main tunnel are to be replaced by three tracks.
Also in the contract are construction or rebuilding works at 36 station sites, replacement or construction of 130 bridges, and construction of stabling yards, workshops and maintenance facilities for commuter and inter-city rolling stock. Two new substations are required, together with upgrading of four existing substations and supply of overhead line equipment, signalling and telecommunications, two control centres, a SCADA system and automated fare collection. Maintenance for two years and training and support functions are also listed in the contract requirements.
A pre-bid information meeting is scheduled for September 15, and contract implementation is expected 'from April 2011'. The Directorate states that phased implementation is required from the end of 2013 to the end of 2014.
