16 firms pre-qualify for civil contracts for Bhaupur-Mughalsarai section of EDFC( Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor of Indian Railways)

• A total 16 international companies in joint venture with leading Indian companies qualified in pre qualification bid process for Civil structure &Track work Contract for Bhaupur- Mughalsarai section package 201 & 202 (400 route km.) of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor project
• There has been huge response and the contractors/firms from all over the world are competing in the bid process.
• Those qualified to submit their bids are from Spain, Turkey, Korea, Taiwan, China, Mexico, Brazil, Russia and UK apart from India.
• Some of the firms are, ISOLUX CORSAN CORVIAM-SADBHAV-ECI (JV), GAMMON-YUKSEL (JV),POSCO-PNC(JV),China Railway Bureau Group Corporation, ESSAR-KEC-SACYR Consortium, AG-AFCONS (JV),PEL-BSCPL-CGS (JV), etc.
• It may be recalled that the World Bank has agreed in principle to part finance the Eastern Corridor project from Mughalsarai to Ludhiana, which has been divided into 3 phases. 
• The total in principle loan commitment is US$ 2.725 billion, out of which the loan for the first phase to the tune of US$ 975 million was sanctioned in May, 2011 and the loan agreement was signed in October, 2011. 
• The loan for the second phase is expected to be of the order of USD 1100 million and is expected to be signed in June 2014.
•  DFCCIL, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) is engaged in planning, construction, operation and maintenance of the dedicated freight corridors and in the first phase, the two corridors, namely, Eastern Corridor from Ludhiana to Dankuni (1839 kms) and the Western Corridor from Dadri to Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) (1499 kms) are being constructed. 
• The entire Western Corridor is being funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), while the Eastern Corridor from Mughalsarai to Ludhiana is being funded by the World Bank.