The tender calls for bids from companies which can set up, maintain and operate solar panels on both the monorail corridors between Chembur and Jacob Circle.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region development Authority (MMRDA) on Saturday floated a tender to set up solar panels atop the roofs of all Monorail stations in the city. The move aims to cut costs for the already beleaguered single rail network.
The tender calls for bids from companies which can set up, maintain and operate solar panels on both the monorail corridors between Chembur and Jacob Circle. Bidders are required to submit documents between December 1 and December 26. According to the tender document, while the period of contract will be for 25 years, the vendor is required to set up solar panels and generate 2 MV electricity.
Sources in the MMRDA said that the electricity generated from the solar panels will be utilised for non-traction purposes, including illuminating stations, lifts, escalators and water pumps.
Electricity bill of about Rs 27 lakh has been footed by the MMRDA, a source said, adding that move to make install solar panels will help reduce expenditure. “Electricity consumption will increase once both the corridors between Chembur and Mahalaxmi are operational. Solar panels will bring down the electricity consumption by around 20 per cent,” said an official.
“Electricity consumption of the Monorail between Chembur and Wadala is around 2 to 3 MW, including traction and non-traction purposes. Until the new operator is appointed, we have to finance the cost incurred for the consumption,” the official added.
Meanwhile, a MMRDA official said that the Monorail corridors are expected to be made operational from January 2019. The first phase of Monorail between Chembur and Wadala was made operational in 2014.
Source: indianexpress
