Power Line lands purple-line contract

PAR Joint Venture's bid beat ITD's quote of Bt6.8 billion, while CKTC Joint Venture, led by Ch Karnchang, and Takenaka-Ritta Joint Venture proposed to complete the project for Bt7.6 billion and Bt8.8 billion, respectively.

Chaisit Kururat, assistant governor of the Metropolitan Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA), said this was the third contract for the Purple Line, covering a depot at Bang Yai and four park-and-ride centres at the Nonthaburi, Ta-id, Samyek Bang Yai and Klong Bang Pai stations.

The bidding committee did not open the submission of Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction, because the firm had already secured the second contract of the Purple Line project, he said.

The first contract was awarded to the consortium led by Ch Karnchang.

Chukiat Pothayanuwat, the MRTA governor-designate, said the Cabinet had authorised the MRTA to develop this route with a total budget of Bt36 billion.

The cost for the first section of this line is set at Bt14.8 billion while the cost for the second section is under negotiation with Sino-Thai Engineering, which entered the lowest bid of Bt15.3 billion.

The Purple Line has a total length of 23 kilometres, with 16 stations in Bangkok and the neighbouring province of Nonthaburi.

Work on the first section, running from Bang Sue to Rama III Bridge, is due to start later this year.

The second section will run from Rama III Bridge to Bang Yai and Klong Bang Pai.

An extension of this route from Bang Sue to southwest Bangkok and further into Samut Prakan is also under consideration.