Mass Rapid Transit in India

milindc · Post by **milindc** » 16 Apr 2010 06:27

Rishirishi wrote:Personally I think they should impose an extra property tax, where ever new flats are developed that is near to the metro (or an extra 2% when ever a sale takes place). It is unfair that the porperty owner can harvest a handsome gain in value, at the expense of the government.

Imagine a new undeveloped area (greater noida for example). If you build a metro which is 15 km and has 14 stops, the cost would probably be 3750 crores (250 crores per km).

Let us say 5000 crores. Now divide that by 15 and you get just 333 crores. Now if you have 3000 flats built up near each station and tax them 2 lack "metro tax" for being near to the station. The revenue will be 600 crores. per station. Or a whooping 9000 crores for 15 stations. Use the 5000 crores on the line and spend the rest on metro/feeder bus lanes.
Who would not pay another 2 lacks to purchase a flat near a metro station?

Just imagine the value addition to commercial property near the metro station? Offices, shops, etc.

Excellent idea...

KrishG · Post by **KrishG** » 22 Apr 2010 22:14

Shortlisted firms skip Hyderabad Metro bidding

The Hyderabad Metro Rail project is all set to land into trouble again.

None of the shortlisted bidders have submitted their financial bids so far with the last date for doing so being April 21, prompting the Andhra Pradesh government to extend the last date for financial bidding to June 7.

“There are many questions that remain unanswered so far. The viability of the project itself is a big question. The traffic projections of 1.5 million per day are looking extremely unrealistic. Real estate attached to the project had been a major attraction. Looking at the market situation and the prevailing Telangana movement in the state, the real estate too is not likely to fetch the expected value,” a source dealing with a shortlisted bidder said.

The project has been designed with an outlay of Rs 12,123 crore and will cover about 71 kilometres cutting through several points in Hyderabad.

Earlier the project was awarded to Maytas Infra after a competitive bidding. Though there was a provision for seeking viability-gap funding under the norms of the public-private partnership, Maytas had agreed to pay Rs 30,000 crore as reverse grant to the government over a period of 30 years.

However, after the Satyam accounting scam and Maytas too facing collateral damage, the company failed in meeting the deadlines for achieving the financial closure forcing the government to scrap the bid.

Currently, the government has called for fresh bids and Transstroy-OJSC Transstroy (Russia)-CR18G (China)-BEML consortium, Reliance Infra-Reliance Infocomm (ADAG) consortium; Lanco Infra-OHL Concesiones (Spain) consortium, Essar-Leighton (Australia)-Gayatri-VNR consortium, GMR Infra, GVK-Samsung (South Korea) consortium, Soma-Strabag AG (Austria) consortium and Larsen & Toubro have been shortlisted for taking the project forward.

But, these consortia, too, have not shown any signs of seriousness in the project. In fact, GMR has already decided to keep off the project.

Other players though are remaining non-committal at this point; sources tracking at least two of the bidders said there was no immediate plan to go ahead with the project.

“Maytas model is different. For them, more than the project, it was the property development along the track that mattered. But that situation has changed now. A pure metro operation looks still unviable in Hyderabad today,” a source said.

The government, in fact, had decided to give the authority to acquire properties along the route and exploit them commercially.
A bill too was passed in the state assembly authorising the winning bidder to acquire the properties.

While the rights activists have been opposing the decision to vest the powers to acquire properties, the bidders are worried about the regionalism in the state.

“This will eventually take a political colour. It would be seen as an issue between the Telangana and the non-Telangana people. It is definitely risky at this point,” the source said.

KrishG · Post by **KrishG** » 27 Apr 2010 16:35

Govt plans mono rail to decongest traffic in Bangalore

BANGALORE, April 26, 2010: Karnataka government on Monday decided to launch a monorail project and unveiled plans for Metro-II to cover more areas in a bid to further decongest the citys roads. The first phase of the monorail would cover 31 km, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa told reporters after a meeting attended by Chief Secretary S V Ranganath, Infrastructure Development Minister G Janardhana Reddy and Infrastructure Development Secretary V Madhu.

The Monorail would function as feeder service to metro rail, and per -km cost of building monorail is pegged at Rs 140 crore, officials said. The first phase would run from Hebbal to J P Nagar (Bannerghatta Road) along the western portion of outer ring road. We had a detailed discussion on the monorail, Yeddyurappa said.

Officials said several companies have evinced interest in the monorail project and the government was expected to make a strong pitch to attract investment for it in the June 3-4 Global Investors Meet to be held here. Today, the government also decided to extend Metro to Kengeri, Electronic City and Whitefield, and also link Yeshwantpur and Byappanahalli metro stations with the airport.

Officials said Metro-II is expected to cost upwards of Rs 14,000 crore. The areas to be covered include J P Nagar, Banashankari, Kathriguppe, Magadi Road, Tumkur Road, Hebbal and HSR Layout. The cost per km is 140 crore, the Chief Minister said.

The Government has proposed 34-km mono rail in the first phase and it will act as a complementing transit system to the metro rail in the City. A final decision on the execution of the project would be taken after a detailed discussion in the next Cabinet meeting, he said.

Stating that the implementation of all these infrastructure projects would be cleared before the Global Investors Meet scheduled to be held on June 3 and 4, he said there should not be any apprehensions among the investors about the Citys infrastructure bottlenecks. All three rail systems would not only ease traffic congestion but also reduce pollution levels significantly, he said.

In total, the Government has proposed 60 km mono rail. The proposed mono rail corridors are: Hebbal to J P Nagar (Bannerghatta Road) along the western portion of outer ring road (31 kms), Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) to Toll Gate along Magadi Road (nine kms), Kathriguppe Road/Ring Road Junction to National College (five kms) and Hosur Road-Bannerghatta Road Junction to PRR along Bannerghatta Road. In the first phase, 34 km mono rail work would be taken up. Companies for execution of work, the estimated cost and other details of the project would be worked out only after the discussion in the next Cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister said.

The Government has also proposed to take up second phase of the metro rail (51 kms) and its corridors are Hesarghatta to Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (Tumkur Road) (4.20 kms), Puttenahalli to Anjanapura (link to NICE Road) (6.70 kms), Mysore Road Metro Junction to Kengeri (7.70 kms), and Byappanahalli metro junction to ITPL (11.60 kms) and IIM-B to Nagavara (21 kms).

Five firms shortlisted for high speed rail link

Karnataka Government has shortlisted five firms for the proposed Rs 6,900 crore, 34-km high speed rail link between the city and Bengaluru International Airport at Devanahally on the outskirts.

They are: Pioneer Infratech Pvt Ltd & Siemens Project Ventures; Lanco Infrastech Ltd & OHL Concesiones S L; L & T Transco Ltd; Reliance Infrastructure Ltd & CSR Nanjing Puzhen Rolling Stock Co. Ltd; and ITD-ITO Cem - SOMA Enpterprises Joint Venture.

"The tender process is over", Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa told reporters today after a meeting attended by Infrastructure Minister G Janardhana Reddy, Infrastructure Development Secretary V Madhu and other senior officials.

In the proposed Rs 6,900 venture, Karnataka Government would contribute Rs 532 crore by way of land, while Rs 1,040 crore is expected from the Centre, Mr Madhu said, adding, government equity in the project would be 26 per cent.

He said things such as request for proposals, detailed project report, concession agreement and manual specifications have been handed over to the short-listed firms.

Concession agreement is expected to be signed by August end with financial closure slated three months from then. This high speed rail link would allow people to reach the airport from the city in just 25 minutes, he said. A presentation made by Madhu said each train would consist of six coaches. Though it would have a maximum speed of 160 km per hour, the operating speed would be 145 kmph.

For the execution of the project 231 trees would be fallen and another 375 trees would be pruned. It would save 15 million liters of fuel per annum. It would be integrated with metro and the proposed mono rail, an official said.

The fare would be Rs. 200 from the M G Road to BIAL, Rs. 150 from Hebbal to BIAL and Rs. 100 from Yelahanka to BIAL, the official said.

The project would assure journey to the BIAL in 25 minutes from the City and 18 minutes from Hebbal flyover. In the beginning, each train consisted of six coaches and every coach would have space for accompanying baggage.

Maximum speed of the rail is 160 km per hour and the commercial speed would be 85 kmph. Ten trains would be introduced and the frequency would be 10 minutes initially and later reduced to eight minutes to six minutes and three minutes. The HSRL would have stations at M G Road, Hebbal, Yelahanka and BIAL, the official said.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 28 Apr 2010 20:00

AAI objects to resubmitted proposal on Chennai Metro
Excerpts

The Airports Authority of India has reviewed the resubmitted proposal of the Chennai Metro Rail Limited and found certain portions of the alignment near the airport objectionable due to the height and the proximity to the approach path of the runway.

A source at the Airports Authority of India (AAI) told The Hindu that at two critical places — near Guindy and opposite to Trident Hotel, the proposed metro line's elevation would cause obstruction to the approach funnel and transition surfaces of the two portions of the runway. The 25 kv AC overhead traction meant for Chennai Metro Rail, proposed above the running stock, in particular, is of serious safety concern said the source.

The earlier proposal for the Metro Rail was to have a 750 DC traction line known as ‘Third Rail,' which was to run alongside the track. This was changed to overhead traction for reasons of cost. The AAI sources said wherever the alignment was found within permissible heights it has issued a ‘No Objection Certificate' nearly ten days ago.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 13 May 2010 10:12

Chennai Metro: Koyambedu-St. Thomas Mount section to be ready by 2013

Chennai Metro Rail Ltd. is planning to inaugurate the elevated stretch of Koyambedu – St.Thomas Mount by 2013, though the target date for completing the first phase of the Rs.14,000-crore project is 2015.

Talking to mediapersons here on Wednesday, after reviewing the progress of the project with officials, Chennai Metro Rail Ltd Chairman M. Ramachandran, who is also the Secretary to the Union Ministry of Urban Development, hoped that it would be possible to run the services on this portion of the elevated stretch if the current progress was maintained.

Mr. Ramachandran said tenders for design and construction of three viaducts — Koyambedu to Ashok Nagar, Ashok Nagar to St.Thomas Mount and Saidapet to Officers Training Academy (OTA) — had already been awarded and the work was in progress. Tender for construction of one more viaduct would be awarded soon. By the end of current year, one could see visible progress of the project.

Regarding land acquisition, he said it would not be a problem as major portion of the project was to be executed on government land only. Most of the public facilities would be provided on public land and the project at the most required seven hectares of private land. The company had already appointed a private consultant to negotiate with land-owners.

KrishG · Post by **KrishG** » 13 May 2010 18:19

Vasant Kunj drops off Metro map

NEW DELHI: Delhi Metro's Phase III is now going to span across 69.57 km as against the earlier proposed length of 85 km. The number of corridors has also been reduced from seven to six and the routes have been partially altered.

According to the new plan, Vasant Kunj, Ghazipur, Shiv Vihar and Yamuna Vihar will not be on the Metro map for now. The alterations were made after Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) prepared detailed project reports (DPRs) for the new sections. The DPRs have been submitted to the Delhi government for its final approval.

According to sources, the corridors for which DPRs have been submitted to the government include a 25.66-km line from Anand Vihar to Dhaula Kuan of which 12.52 km will run underground and the rest would be elevated, a 12.40-km line from Mukundpur to Rajouri Garden of which 6.58 km will be underground, a 9.64-km-long line from Ashok Park to Delhi Gate of which 5.28 km will be underground, a fully underground section from Central Secretariat to Red Fort (6.8 km) and an elevated extension of the existing Line 2 from Jehangirpuri to Badli (3.43 km).

A sixth section (11.64 km) is proposed from the existing Metro station at Noida Sector 18 to Malviya Nagar via Kalindi Kunj.

Phase III will have 50 more Metro stations (29 underground, 20 elevated and one at grade) and a projected 18,85,796 commuters are expected to use it by 2016 as per the DPRs. All the new stretches except for the Line 2 extension from Jehangirpuri To Badli will come up on standard gauge technology in keeping with international standards.

The sections are not different from what had initially been proposed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation in the original Metro masterplan prepared for the capital with a 2021 deadline.

At that stage, the corporation had specified that the proposed alignments were "only indicative" and the final alignment would be decided once the DPRs are prepared for the new sections after carrying out field surveys to determine actual conditions on site.

Only one section proposed earlier — Shiv Vihar-Yamuna Vihar-Seelampur-Yamuna Bank (11 kms) — has reportedly been put on hold for now.

There are minor changes in the rest of the sections. In the initial plan, the Noida corridor was proposed to be 23 km long and was to extend to NH-8 via Vasant Kunj. The corridor will now reportedly stop at Malviya Nagar.

Also, the Mukundpur-Rajouri Garden section was earlier supposed to stop at Shivaji Park. But the length has been increased by 1.4 km.

The earlier proposed Ashok Park-New Delhi Railway Station section has also extended by 2.6 kms to reach Delhi Gate.

The changes were made after the ground situations were analysed in detail. "We had carried out some surveys which indicated that there were more areas where Metro would be viable. This had been stated in the economic survey released by the government and conveyed to DMRC. Some of the modifications are in tune with that. The exact alignments given in the DPRs are being examined and more changes could be made if the need arises. We are also looking at funding issues," said a senior government official.

The government is reportedly approaching Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to pay in part for the Metro since it is being felt that several DDA colonies in the city have benefited from the Metro. After the routes are approved by the government, they will be forwarded to GoM for a final nod and funding will be worked out. Construction is expected to start only after that. Phase III has a 2015 deadline.

The Masterplan is constantly under revision and since it was first prepared, about 150 kms have been added to the Metro network which was originally conceptualised.

Pranay · Post by **Pranay** » 14 May 2010 19:30

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/14/world ... l?ref=asia

The Delhi Metro nears completion and some take aways from the project...

The Delhi Metro manages to defy just about every stereotype of urban India. It is scrupulously clean, impeccably maintained and almost unfailingly punctual. Its cars are the latest models, complete with air-conditioning and even power outlets to let commuters charge their mobile phones and laptops. Its signaling and other safety technology is first rate, and the system is among the best in the world, urban transport experts say. Despite cheap fares, less than 20 cents for the shortest ride and about 67 cents for the longest, the system manages to turn an operating profit.

In a country where government projects are chronically delayed and budgets are busted, the Metro is on track to finish its 118-mile network by fall, right on schedule and within its $6.55 billion budget.

“Metro’s performance has been outstanding,” said Pronab Sen, India’s chief statistician, whose government department keeps track of delays and cost overruns.

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 16 May 2010 10:38

I was impressed by seeing this thing:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/video/2010 ... iver-clyde

I think it could be quite useful in India, whether for sightseeing or for commuting.

Since India is moving into bus manufacturing, why not attempt this too?
China is already doing it:

http://autonews.gasgoo.com/auto-news/10 ... Malta.html

Gagan · Post by **Gagan** » 16 May 2010 15:40

Hell,
This could be useful in Mumbai and Kolkata during the monsoons too! I kid you not, the rain water on the roads during heavy rains is deep enough to make a floating bus viable.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 19 Jun 2010 09:59

Update on Chennai Metro

Work on phase II, the 4.4. km stretch from Ashok Nagar to St. Thomas Mount, has commenced, while work on the 5.2 km stretch from Saidapet to the Officers Training Academy has just begun, as part of phase III of the project. The plan for the elevated corridor for phase IV, from the Officers Training Academy to the Chennai airport is being finalised . . . . “We are also in the process of scrutinising tenders for the construction of the 10 elevated railway stations,”

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 25 Jun 2010 09:50

MG Road section of the upcoming Bengaluru metro

manish · Post by **manish** » 25 Jun 2010 10:49

And finally a look at namma metro coach design (via SSC/blrboy):

munna · Post by **munna** » 25 Jun 2010 21:43

^^ Gladdens a jingo!! May a 1000 metros bloom in India.

prashanth · Post by **prashanth** » 26 Jun 2010 21:56

Green striped coaches for Namma Metro

nachiket · Post by **nachiket** » 26 Jun 2010 21:59

^^

How different is the coach for Namma Metro from the one BEML supplied to the Delhi Metro?
The basic structure and design is the same. Except for the aesthetics, the Namma Metro coach is no different from the Delhi Metro coach. The colour scheme and other aesthetics have already been finalised by Namma Metro. The only major design change is, the Delhi Metro coach has power supply lines on top while the Namma Metro coach has them below.

So the Namma metro uses the Third-rail system does it?

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 29 Jun 2010 08:53

Tenders awarded for design & construction of 10 Chennai metro stations

With the Chennai Metro Rail Limited planning to open the elevated stretch between Koyambedu and St.Thomas Mount by 2013, things are moving fast.

After awarding tenders for design and construction of three elevated viaducts (excluding stations) from Koyambedu to Ashok Nagar, Ashok Nagar to St.Thomas Mount and from Saidapet to Officers Training Academy, the company on Monday awarded tenders for design and construction of 10 elevated stations.

The Consolidated Construction Consortium won the tender for all elevated stations in the face of stiff competition among 11 bidders. The stations are Koyambedu, CMBT, Arumbakkam, Vadapalani, Ashok Nagar/K.K Nagar, Little Mount, Guindy, Alandur, O.T.A., and SIDCO.

Prasad · Post by **Prasad** » 29 Jun 2010 09:34

Looking at the map of madras, I see a lot of north-south lines. The MRTS, the old electric trains and the proposed metro. I remember Singapore having north-south and east-west metro lines. Is that a future plan for the metro in madras too? Do other indian cities also have a similar plan a bit in the future, so that they criss-cross the city and provide a grid type of connectivity?

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 29 Jun 2010 14:58

Prasad, you are right about the lack of east-west lines, at least in Chennai. The North-South lines are very important because population centres, industries, educational institutions, port, airport, bus terminus, government offices on this axis for historical reasons. The Western growth areas upto Sriperumbudur, Oragadam are a more recent phenomenon. But, these areas are rapidly growing. The Chennai Bypass, about which I posted a couple of posts above, has already made provisions for a rail line and that would connect South Chennai with West and North Chennai areas. The Thiruvanmiyur-Sriperumbudur metro line (East-West) has been spoken about in whispers but everybody is concentrating on the two North-South corridors presently.

More than the Thiruvanmiyur-Sriperumbudur line, the need is to complete the missing MRTS link of Velachery-St. Thomas Mount quickly. It is hardly about 5 or 6 Kms and the land is available. It is expected to be completed by end-2011 but going by the speed at which the MRTS works take place (most of the stations are simply horribly maintained and left half-finished), I am doubtful. The St. Thomas Mount station is being developed as a big hub for urban, suburban, MRTS & Metro trains.

Prasad · Post by **Prasad** » 29 Jun 2010 21:19

Yes, I understand that the more important areas need connectivity first. I suppose the three parallel lines do a world of good and reduce the load on the bus network. Now if only they all could get integrated with a pass kind of system and seamless travel on the bus and the various rail lines. Ten year plan I suppose.

I used the MRTS when in madras until a couple of years ago and it is a really good system if you find use for it. Only problem being, as you mentioned, the pathetic pace of building and not finishing any of their stations! Any reasons for that? Half of the lack of a secure feeling arises out of the half-finished state of the stations. How would people feel secure and want to take the trains if the station looks like a dull alleyway.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 05 Jul 2010 07:43

Chennai Metro is likely to be extended further in the North
Considering tha large number of industries in North Chennai, and the lack of infrastructure there, this is needed.

The Chennai Metro Rail project is likely to be extended up to Tiruvottiyur. The detailed project report submitted by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), the project consultants, says it is “technically feasible.”

. . . the consultants have given a “specific alignment” with “some number of stations” between Washermenpet and Tiruvottiyur, which is a nine-kilometre stretch.

Prasad, this one clarifies the current alignment:

In 2003, the DMRC studied seven corridors. Mr. Somanathan said that Tiruvottiyur was left out while fixing the alignment of the final two corridors because “highest priority in terms of ridership, with relation to cost, was taken up first.”

Even Panagal Park, a highly dense locality, was part of the initial study, but cost constraints meant that it was left out of the final alignment.

The work on the underground sections of the Metro Rail is set to start early next year

Sachin · Post by **Sachin** » 06 Jul 2010 10:49

In the mean while the metro rail plan for Kochi City, in Socialist Republic of Kerala seems to have hit a road-block. The Central Govt. agencies have decided NOT to join the state government in its construction of the Metro. A state and central govt. equal-equal game would not work out here. The other option is for the state govt. to tie up with private partners and try to work out a plan. Considering the socialist repubic's mentality against large business houses, and projects having a private party involvement I dont think this would materialise. Now private firm would work for charity, and the state government (and may be people as well) will not tolerate a private business house running the show.

Nihat · Post by **Nihat** » 06 Jul 2010 11:41

Sachin wrote:In the mean while the metro rail plan for Kochi City, in Socialist Republic of Kerala seems to have hit a road-block. The Central Govt. agencies have decided NOT to join the state government in its construction of the Metro. A state and central govt. equal-equal game would not work out here. The other option is for the state govt. to tie up with private partners and try to work out a plan. Considering the socialist repubic's mentality against large business houses, and projects having a private party involvement I dont think this would materialise. Now private firm would work for charity, and the state government (and may be people as well) will not tolerate a private business house running the show.

In that case they can sit back and watch as even tier twp cities such as Ahemadabad and Pune get a metro before them.

On a different note, does Kochi really need a metro for the next few years. Any BRFite from Kochi can clarify on this.

Prasad · Post by **Prasad** » 06 Jul 2010 12:18

Maybe nto today but in ten years it might and by then the cost of laying a metro might prove far higher not just financially but in terms of space and time constraints too! Better to start earlier and plan and build extra capacity which we all know we'll definitely need. Consider ten years back and now in any of our cities and tell me on city which did not need an additional bulk mode of transport to make things easier. Next ten years will be no different.

Sachin · Post by **Sachin** » 06 Jul 2010 13:18

Nihat wrote:In that case they can sit back and watch as even tier twp cities such as Ahemadabad and Pune get a metro before them.

Well that was exactly the state and its people did when:-
i. All other states encouraged mechanised farming, so that it becomes a viable business
ii. All other states went ahead and timed their moves along with the IT Boom, and reaped benefits out of engineering colleges, IT Parks etc.

On a different note, does Kochi really need a metro for the next few years. Any BRFite from Kochi can clarify on this.

This is just a lay-man's point of view. What is more required than a metro is perhaps the quadripling of normal railway lines (it is pretty much double line across the state) and run MEMU trains. Kerala in that way is like Mumbai, and a good suburban service would do wonders. Even with the current Metro plan for Kochi, they were finding it tough to get land. And they even had ideas of laying huge pillars on the middle of the roads, and then build the metro tracks on top of them.

Prasad · Post by **Prasad** » 14 Jul 2010 09:56

Sachin,
Looks like case closed for now -

http://www.cochinsquare.com/no-more-dre ... etro-rail/

The plea for building the metro rail in Cochin as a joint venture of federal and state government was rejected by the planning commission. Planning commission made clear that a private partnership model is the only possibility for Cochin metro rail to come into life.

Sachin · Post by **Sachin** » 14 Jul 2010 11:08

Prasad wrote:Looks like case closed for now -

The political ping-pong has started. Commies blaming every body other than themselves, other parties come up with an idea to send a joint delegation to New Delhi, and then some ministers at New Delhi also adding that they would try their best to get Kochi a metro.

The planning commission's main worry was that in Kochi government does not have land ready for Metro. It need to purchase it from citizens. Where as in case of New Delhi Metro, the govt. had all the land ready. I need to accept the concerns of planning commission. In Kerala it is tough to get land for any project (see the NH47 expansion plan issues itself). Kerala also some times behave in a manner that Central Govt., has to do all the work, while Keralalites can have their routine dramas of harthals, strikes and utilise chances to wave the red flag.

The Kerala Govt. will not try for any partnership with private parties. They (Pvt.company) will not agree to do GUBO to the government, and they would also expect the government to do what it is expected to do.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 14 Jul 2010 14:57

the blr metro railway coaches as with any metro will feature large tempered glass windows. this as drawn protests from 'green activists' (not content with protesting against buildings) that such metro will increase the heat and cause heat islands!

blr mirror:

Enough glass to build a transparent Vidhana Soudha

New Metro trains will use over 3,000 square metres of glass for the compartments; Green activists against the move, saying it will heat up the city

Deepthi.MR@timesgroup.com
Posted On Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at 05:05:14 AM

The coaches of the air-conditioned Metro trains — scheduled to hit the tracks early next year — will use around 3,000 square metres of double-glazed grey-tinted glass in all,

Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) officials said, adding that the coaches will let passengers enjoy an aerial view of the city. “The view will be great. Our coaches will look like those in Europe, captured in Bollywood movies,” said B L Yashwant Chavan, deputy chief engineer of BMRCL.

Glass experts are saying that the amount of glass that will be used by the Metro is enough to convert the Vidhana Soudha into a transparent structure.

This idea has not gone down too well with green activists in the city. “Glass facades bring in heat and glare,” said Chandrashekhar Hariharan, CEO of Biodiversity Conservation (India). “They increase temperatures around buildings and cause urban heat islands. The BMRCL’s move is surely is not eco-friendly.”

The Metro stations, however, will not have glass facades. Glass will be used only at ticket counters and in office cubicles.

vina · Post by **vina** » 14 Jul 2010 15:22

“They increase temperatures around buildings and cause urban heat islands. The BMRCL’s move is surely is not eco-friendly.”

The bolded part is true, while the first part is bull s**t. How so ? It is a train remember?. It moves from place to place and doesn't stay still.

It is not eco-friendly because the solar cooling load on the A/Cs will increase (even if you sun control , larger windows, larger cooling load, all else being equal) and will require lot more electricity. A/Cs have to be sized for solar, fixtures(lights , equipment) and passenger heat loads.

AdityaM · Post by **AdityaM** » 14 Jul 2010 15:40

I don't understand the above. they want the coaches to be a fully closed windowless AC tin can?
or they want it to be a nonAC coach with wooden windows?

Sachin · Post by **Sachin** » 14 Jul 2010 16:55

AdityaM wrote:or they want it to be a nonAC coach with wooden windows?

No. These folks just want some publicity

. Off-late there are a few folks who just wish to prove that they are different. In Bengaluru you will find folks who will say it is dark, when it is 12 noon. That is just to look different

. When the govt. wants a war memorial in a central place, the same folks come out and say that is not required.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 14 Jul 2010 19:02

they want a wooden coach made using organic teak, with khadi cloth for walls and bamboo sheet for roof. all sourced from organic farms which they own up in coorg and wayanad.

I suspect the addl cost of a proper AC in passenger coaches will not be much compared to the traction motors. if nonAC, the weather will make sure the interior is damaged in no time.

I really shudder to think what will be the scene on 1st day with LAKHS of people milling around and wanting a joyride and jumping on the
tracks next to the live third rail...if anyone has been to the big bazaar on old madras road near k.r.puram it has that kind of scene...

satyam · Post by **satyam** » 14 Jul 2010 19:54

L&T bags Rs 12000 cr Hyderabad metro rail project
http://beta.profit.ndtv.com/news/show/l ... ject-82203

vina · Post by **vina** » 26 Jul 2010 11:16

Went to MG Road over the weekend after a long time. Massive changes. The old building that used to house Lakeview Icecream parlor is back (only the front facade looks same), the rest of the building is new. Where there was the old Bombay Store, there is a MASSIVE shiny new Joy Alukkas with glass frontage and a chandelier spanning 3 4 floors or so and the kid spotted the coaches of Namma Metro on display.

So me and the kid walked across to the Namma Metro bogies. Pretty tough looking, no nonsense fiber glass seats and spring loaded metal straps to hang on to and multiple bars to hold on to. All in all a high passenger load configuration to handle the crush and volume of passenger traffic in India , I suppose.

Also took at the driver's cab on display. Very TFTA , Tejas like 3 or 4 LCD screens, clean uncluttered look with no control buttons or anything, all seemed touch screen and the only thing that looked manually done seemed to be throttle levers like in an airplane. Nice.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 26 Jul 2010 11:37

Being one of the original gate crashers in the Delhi Metro who took advantage of TFTA western ticket machines failing to cater to eastern-sized crowds, I wonder if the same will happen in B'luru this time.

Did they actually put the coaches up for special display. Otherwise I would assume they would be parked safely in their sheds somewhere in the outskirts.

manish · Post by **manish** » 26 Jul 2010 13:46

Raja Bose wrote:Being one of the original gate crashers in the Delhi Metro who took advantage of TFTA western ticket machines failing to cater to eastern-sized crowds, I wonder if the same will happen in B'luru this time.

Did they actually put the coaches up for special display. Otherwise I would assume they would be parked safely in their sheds somewhere in the outskirts.

They are mock-ups (pictured above in the same thread). Apparently they(the mock-ups) have been groped, molested and manhandled badly by the crowds. Apparently the coach now sports the uniquely Indian ishtyle visitor names carved in a permanent manner per SSC.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 06 Aug 2010 07:53

Chennai Metro may take over MRTS

The MRTS segment, currently being operated by the Southern Railway, is likely to be taken-over by the Chennai Metro Rail Limited once the Metro becomes operational.

This will create one authority which will be in control of all the elevated rail networks in the city. Once the merger takes effect, the ‘normal' EMUs that run on the MRTS will be replaced by air-conditioned rakes that have automatic doors.

Speaking to The Hindu on Wednesday, T.V. Somanathan, Managing Director, Chennai Metro Rail, said that it made logical sense to integrate the two systems. “The MRTS is a loss making enterprise and not going to cost much to take-over. The State government has already invested two-thirds in the project. The modalities are yet to be worked out, but by the time the Metro becomes operational, the accumulated loss incurred by the Railway might have compensated for the equity invested by them.”

When a north-south-east corridor along the Buckingham Canal was conceived by the Madras Area Traffic Study Unit (MATSU) way back in the 1970s, it was estimated to cater for six lakh passengers a day. Currently, on an average, only about 70,000 commuters use the MRTS every day.

While operational expense on the network is about Rs.18 lakh per day, earnings amount to around Rs.3 lakh per day. In effect, the MRTS incurs an annual operational loss of Rs.54.7 crore. By 2013, the accumulated operational loss would have compensated for the 33 per cent investment made by the Southern Railway in Phase-II (Tirumailai to Velachery) of the project.

According to Mr. Somanathan, since the MRTS would connect to the Metro at both ends through inter-modal transit points, the ‘network effect' created by synchronised operations will be beneficial for both the networks.

“It is a part of the Ministry of Urban Development's thinking as well,” he added.

R. Ramanathan, Chief Administrative Officer (Construction), Southern Railway, said that negotiations have to start from scratch. “Right now, we are just concentrating on finishing the extension up to St.Thomas Mount.”

One of the major reasons for the failure of MRTS has been the lack of connectivity. It exists as an isolated, linear network that runs through areas of the city that are mostly institutional in character. Originally, the total length of the MRTS was envisaged to be 59.38 km, creating a circular corridor from the Chennai Beach to Ennore/Tiruvottiyur (industrial zones north of Chennai). The circular corridor was given up in light of the Metro project. The merger is aimed at providing overall integration and improving connectivity.

V. Thamizh Arasan, Head of Transportation Engineering Division, IIT-Madras, said, “It will be administratively convenient to operate a single system. Transport management will also be better under a single agency.”

According to him, commercial exploitation of stations, which has had many false starts, might have a better chance if the merger takes place.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 07 Aug 2010 09:10

Chennai Metro places orders for 42 sets of 4-car coach

Chennai Metro Rail Ltd has placed orders for the supply of 42 sets of 4-car coach configuration (168 coaches), including the supply of spares and maintenance kits with the M/s Alstom Transport SA and Alstom Projects India Consortium.

The tender for the supply of coaches and tools was given to the Consortium for a total cost of Rs 1471.3 crore and the scope of the work comprises ‘Design, manufacture, supply, testing and commissioning' of coaches, including training in operation and maintenance.

The cars will be of state-of-the-art design with air-conditioning and light weight made of steel with 3 phases AC drive and regenerative braking system. The cars will have automatic train protection (ATP) and automatic train operation (ATO). All cars are provided with electrically operated biparting automatic sliding doors to ensure the safety of passengers. Besides, these coaches will have electronic route map, public address system, passenger emergency intercoms, video surveillance and CCTV. Each rake shall have two wheelchair parking locations for the benefit of physically challenged persons. The cars will be equipped with gang ways to facilitate easy movement of passengers from one car to another. The cars will operate on 25 KV through an overhead caternary system.

Each car will be provided with first-class seating section in the coach closest to the operators cab. The 4-car configuration will be designed and manufactured for future conversion to a 6-car rake at a later date when traffic demand goes up.

The maximum allowable operating speed of the vehicles will be 80 kmph with a maximum design speed of 90 kmph. For a 4-car metro rake composition the capacity will be 1,276 persons, including seating and standing, says a Metro Rail press release.

jamwal · Post by **jamwal** » 07 Aug 2010 19:27

Frisking by hand-held metal detectors has been stopped in Delhi metro stations. I though security measures were going to get tighter as the CWG approach.

Suraj · Post by **Suraj** » 10 Aug 2010 20:05

Delhi Metro's Airport Express trial run:

Source: http://twitpic.com/2d30mc

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 19 Aug 2010 10:36

Chennai Metro Corridor I set to extend in the North

The Chennai Metro Rail project is all set to be extended up to Tiruvottiyur in north Chennai. The extension, estimated to cost Rs.2,200 crore, will take Corridor-I of the Metro Rail (Chennai Airport-Washermenpet) a further nine km. Seven new Metro stations would come up in the extended stretch.