KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 8): Mass Rapid Transit Corp Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) said today the underground work for the MRT2  project is already 39% completed, and as such its termination and retendering process will be “relatively complex”.

The company said it will now have to review the overall construction timeline for MRT2, also known as the Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya (SSP) line, following the Government’s decision to change the project structure.

“As a result of (the change), as well as the move from the project delivery partner (PDP) model to that of a turnkey contract for the elevated works, we believe that the overall construction timeline for the SSP Line will have to be reviewed,” said MRT Corp chief executive officer Datuk Seri Shahril Mokhtar in a statement.

Yesterday, Finance Minister announced that the Government will be retendering all the unfinished underground work of MRT2 through an international open tender process.

Lim also said that MMC Gamuda KVMRT Sdn Bhd, a joint-venture  between Gamuda Bhd and MMC Corp Bhd, will complete the above ground portion of the MRT2 project as a turnkey contractor at a cost of RM17.42 billion, 23% lower than the original cost of RM22.64 billion.

Shahril said the current progress for the elevated works is 30%, and MRT Corp accepts and welcomes the Government’s decision to change the project structure from the PDP model to that of turnkey contractor for the construction of the elevated portion.

Shahril added that the scope reduction involved in the cost rationalisation exercise that was carried out did not involve reducing the number of elevated stations, which would remain at 24.

For the underground works, Shahril said MRT Corp would urgently work towards getting the new tender exercise off the ground which would be opened up to international companies.

Once a new underground works contractor is appointed, MRT Corp will ensure a smooth handover from MMC Gamuda KVMRT, he said, adding: “As with all previous tenders carried out by MRT Corp, we will ensure that the retendering process is absolutely transparent.”

Shahril said MRT Corp’s immediate concern was to ensure that all project sites, both on the ground as well as underground, were safe so that they would not pose a risk to the public and surrounding buildings and structures.