Mumbai: The MMRDA is planning to operate and maintain the corridor on its own. It will hire and train new staff for conducting other activities and driving the trains.
Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is now weighing options to continue the services. After the contractors who were operating monorail, the consortium of L&T infrastructure- Scomi engineering (LTSE) left, within six months the MMRDA is planning to start operations in the corridor.
R A Rajeev, the Metropolitan Commissioner MMRDA said that “We will start operations as soon as possible. We plan to start in the next six months. Whatever the decision, we will consider the cheapest alternative”.
R A Rajeev, the Metropolitan Commissioner MMRDA said that “We will start operations as soon as possible. We plan to start in the next six months. Whatever the decision, we will consider the cheapest alternative”.
After 10 years the construction began there are three possible options before the MMRDA to get work on the Chembur Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk corridor backs on its feet.
The MMRDA is in talks with the IL&FS rail, which has emerged as the simple bidder after a long process in April.
The Reliance infrastructure bid for Rs 6,408 crore for operating and maintaining the monorail for 10 years while the IL&FS rail had quoted Rs 2,000 crore. It was estimated that for the operation and maintenance cost would be Rs 1,000 crore in 2016.
A senior MMRDA official said that “We are still negotiating with them on the cost. We are also considering other options”.
To operate and maintain the monorail the MMRDA has approached the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC).
The MRVC is now considering the proposal and they even took a brief tour of the Wadala depot to understand operations of 19.7 km corridor.
MRVC still haven’t taken any decision on whether it will take the responsibility on running trains with the MMRDA regarding this.
Earlier the RS Khurana the chairman and managing director, MRVC said that “We are still in talks with the MMRDA regarding this. We have sought more details and only after looking into those will a decision be taken”.
Earlier the RS Khurana the chairman and managing director, MRVC said that “We are still in talks with the MMRDA regarding this. We have sought more details and only after looking into those will a decision be taken”.
An official said that “If we do not get anybody else for operation and maintenance, we could consider operating it ourselves. But it will be a huge challenge, as we have no former experience of operating a corridor”.
“That is not our area of expertise and we will not be able to do it so soon. If we have to operate the corridor, we will need a lot more time” this was earlier said by the Sanjay Khandare, the additional metropolitan commissioner of MMRDA.
For the operation of the smooth corridor, the MMRDA will have to procure new rakes and spare parts. Rajeev said that “they have indulged in wrong practices by ‘cannibalising’ some of the new trains by taking their spare parts and putting them in the old trains”.
MMRDA is considering terminating the contract with (LTSE).
Rajeev asked that “We are examining the legal aspects. They have withdrawn staff from the site but there were some assets under their control. They have left them unmanned and if something happens to those, they should be held responsible. There is no letter of withdrawing or completion. Then how can their responsibilities be over?”.
Rajeev asked that “We are examining the legal aspects. They have withdrawn staff from the site but there were some assets under their control. They have left them unmanned and if something happens to those, they should be held responsible. There is no letter of withdrawing or completion. Then how can their responsibilities be over?”.
Nobody can match the management of DMRC