Alipurduar Division Floats Dual Solar Tenders Totaling 5 MW To Boost Renewable Energy In Railways

The Alipurduar Division of the Electrical Department under the Northeast Frontier (N.F.) The railway has launched an e-tender process for two major solar power projects under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. Both projects are based on the Design, Build, Finance, Operate, Maintain, and Transfer (DBFOMT) approach and will run for a contract period of 25 years. The tenders were officially uploaded on October 10, 2025, marking an important step toward the division’s commitment to renewable energy adoption and sustainable infrastructure development.

The first project aims to establish a 2 MW capacity land-based solar photovoltaic (PV) system near the Alipurduar Junction power house. The total advertised value of this contract is ₹282,510,000.00. To participate, interested bidders are required to submit an Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) of ₹2,136,000.00. The bidding process for this project officially opens on October 22, 2025, and the final submission date for bids is set for November 5, 2025, at 15:30 hours. The project completion timeline has been fixed at 240 days from the date of commencement.

The second project, which is larger in scale, involves the construction of a 3 MW capacity solar PV system located at Kanchan View Colony near Alipurduar Junction. The advertised value of this tender is ₹423,765,000.00, and the Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) required for bidders is ₹3,204,000.00. The bidding period begins on the same date, October 22, 2025, with the closing scheduled for November 5, 2025, at 15:00 hours. The completion period for this project is also 240 days.

Both tenders have strict compliance requirements to ensure transparency and accountability. According to the tender conditions, if any firm submits a false or forged certificate, and it is discovered at any time after the award of the contract, the agreement will be terminated immediately. This will result in the forfeiture of the Bid Security, Security Deposit, and Performance Guarantee. However, the publicly available tender documents do not specify the exact Performance Bank Guarantee (PBG) amount.

The scope of work for both solar projects includes the design, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of the entire solar PV system. The technical specifications require the use of high-efficiency solar components such as Bi-facial Monocrystalline or N-Type Topcon solar PV modules of 550 Wp or higher capacity. The systems will be connected through on-grid solar Power Conditioning Units (PCU) or inverters. The selected developer will also be responsible for operations and maintenance (O&M) of the system for the full 25-year duration, which includes the replacement of all spare parts during the period.

Payments to the developer will be made on a monthly basis at a fixed tariff rate, calculated according to the electricity generated and supplied to the Railways. Additionally, the Railways will bear all statutory levies, charges, and taxes, including self-generation tax and network charges, and will pay them directly to the DISCOM without any deduction from the developer’s payments. These two solar power projects highlight a strong push by the Alipurduar Division toward achieving cleaner and more sustainable energy usage in railway operations, setting an example for renewable energy integration across Indian Railways.