The government has ruled out recession as a reason for the non-bidding, and instead suggested there might have been some “cross-currents” among the bidders. Within weeks of financial closure, the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA), a nodal agency for the project, had asked its seven short-listed consortiums to submit detailed bids for the 38-km line between Charkop and Mankhurd via Bandra.

“The stretch has a huge passenger generation capacity and it is an attractive BOT project. Recession cannot be a reason for the non-filing of bids. There could be cross-currents among the bidders,” said T C Benjamin, principal secretary, Urban Development Department.

Line-2, with 27 stations, is being built on public-private partnership (PPP) and is expected to receive Rs 1,532 crore viability gap funding (VGF) from the Centre. The project, estimated at Rs 12,000 crore, will comprise nine corridors in three phases. The first phase, spanning three routes, is expected to be completed by 2012. As per estimates, the Maharashtra and Central governments will have to fork out a VGF of Rs 4,500 crore during the first phase. This includes Rs 650 crore for the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar line and another Rs 1,200 crore for the Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd line.

Bidders in the final round include consortia of L&T Infrastructure Development Projects, GE India Infrastructure and Construcciones Y Auxiliar De Ferrocarriles; Infratech, Mitsubishi and Tata Power; GVK, Yeoh Tiong Lay of Malaysia, and Bombardier Transportation (USA); Reliance Industries (Mukesh Ambani), Siemens, and Gammon India; Essar, Alstom, and Lanco; Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services, IL&FS Transportation Networks and Punj Lloyd; and Anil Ambani-led Reliance Energy, Reliance Communication and SNC Lavalin.