New Delhi, Jul 20 (IANS): M.G. Contractors has emerged as the lowest bidder for the construction of five bridges for the 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail project, which is popularly known as 'bullet train project'.

National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) spokesperson Sushma Gaur said that it has opened financial bids for construction of five special bridges including one (one) PSC Bridge and erection of four Steel Truss bridges between Vadodara and Ahmedabad for the construction of Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail corridor on Tuesday.

She said that the financial bids of three bidders were opened and M.G. Contractors Pvt Ltd is the lowest bidder. On Monday, M.G. Contractors Private Limited emerged as the lowest bidder for the financial bids opened on July 16 for the construction of 11 rail bridges, including four PSC bridges and erection of seven steel truss bridges between Zaroli village on the Maharashtra-Gujarat border and Vadodara in Gujarat and in the Union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the then Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe on September 14, 2017 had laid the foundation stone for the ambitious Rs 1.08 lakh crore ($17 billion) project. The bullet trains are expected to run at speeds of 320 km per hour covering the 508-km stretch in about two hours.

In comparison, trains currently plying on the route take over seven hours to travel the distance, whereas flights take about an hour.

The NHSRCL has awarded several tenders for the construction of railway tracks, railway bridges, tunnels, railway stations and depots for the project till date.