The Rail Land Development Authority's flagship redevelopment of Ahmedabad's Kalupur station — styled after the Modhera Sun Temple with bullet-train, metro and bus integration — was budgeted at ₹3,000 crore. When financial bids opened in April 2023, all three bidders quoted far above that: Afcons at ₹5,355 crore, NCC at ₹5,694 crore, and L&T at ₹5,770 crore — a roughly 78% overrun before construction even began.
On record
The official record states: "Railway officials said there would be "discussion with the lowest bidder to bring down the price quotation," noting a similar overrun had occurred on the comparable New Delhi station redevelopment tender."
Filed as "Under construction; cost blown past at bidding stage" and dated to Cabinet sanctioned September 2022; bids opened April 2023, this entry sits under the "Estimated at ₹3,000 crore; lowest bid came in at ₹5,355 crore (~78% over estimate)" line of the public accounts.
What to expect
- A ribbon-cutting photograph that aged faster than the structure.
- Maintenance records that exist in principle.
- A budget line that grew with the confidence of the project itself.
- A file number that outlived several transfer postings.
Sourcing
1 public source — news reports, RTI replies and civic archives — corroborate this entry. The citation trail is listed below for anyone who would like to follow up with the department concerned.
“Completion is always one clearance away, and there is always one more clearance.”— Blunderlust Editorial Desk
Sources
Visitor reviews
“Visited on a whim and stayed for the disbelief. It really does not disappoint.”
“Took a visiting relative here instead of the usual sights. The posterity in the photos will thank me.”
“Came for the other and stayed for the commitment to the bit. It is exactly what the file number says it is.”
