New Delhi: Noted environmentalist and Director General of Centre for Science and Environment Sunita Narain on World Environment Day appreciated the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for its initiatives towards the conservation of environment.
“Delhi Metro was very much a part of the success story that Delhi became in terms of the conservation of environment in the nineties,” Dr Narain said during a function organised by DMRC to observe the world environment day.
Bangalore: Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) has received order worth Rs. 645 crores from Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for design, manufacture, supply testing and commissioning of 74 no’s broad guage Metro Cars for their RS-13 project (Rolling Stock) .
In this regard, H S Anand, Director (Rolling stock) Delhi Metro Rail Corporation signed an Contract Agreement with BEML for supply of Metro Coaches in the presence of S S Joshi, Executive Director (RS), Amarendra Kumar, Chief Eletrical Engineer, DMRC, P Dwarkanath, Chairman & Managing Director, Aniruddh Kumar, Director, (Rail & Metro), S Prasad, Executive Director, B L Manjunath , Chief General Manager, BEML today at Bangalore.
BEML has forayed into manufacture and supply of Metro Cars during 2002 and is the reliable Make in India partner in Metro Rolling Stock, having supplied so far more than 600 Metro Cars to Delhi Metro. BEML has already supplied 150 Metro Cars to Bangalore Metro for their Phase-I. BEML is also the rolling stock supplier to the Jaipur Metro project and supplied 40 Cars, the revenue operations of which have commenced recently.
With this, BEML emerged as the preferred Metro Coach manufacturer in the country to encash emerging opportunities in the Metro segment.
Kochi: The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will start placing the rails on Kochi Metro’s viaduct, starting July 15. The Metro agency is awaiting sanction from the Research Design and Standards Organization (RDSO) of the Indian Railways to carry out the work.
“It’s mandatory to obtain sanction. The rails and design have to meet the specifications of RDSO. We have already approached railways. We expect to get it before July 15,” said DMRC project director Dani Thomas. Each 18m-long rail has to be lifted and placed on the viaduct. “These have to be welded together. But, we are not keen on doing such high precision work during heavy rains,” he added.
The Kochi Metro requires about 7,000 metric tonnes of head-hardened rails. According to Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) about 3,500 tonnes of rails for the project has already been imported. The remaining consignment will reach by the end of the year
Imported head-hardened rails are more durable than those used by the Indian Railways. There are sharper curves on a Metro line compared with the regular railway system. The rails can withstand pressure exerted by Metro trains that will be running every five minutes. These rails are being imported from France.
IRCON has secured the contract for laying rails from Aluva to Pettah. The rails are now being transported from the Cochin Port to Kochi Metro’s yards. “The transportation is being done at night to avoid traffic congestion,” said a DMRC spokesperson.
However, DMRC would opt for regular rails used by the Indian Railways at Muttom yard as trains would be moving at a slow speed.
The Muttom yard is expected be ready by November. The yard will have a 1km-long test track, facilities for unloading coaches and a stability shed. “We had a tough time while carrying out land-levelling works. All those issues have been sorted out and, currently, work at Muttom is progressing quickly,” said Dani Thomas.
The third rail, which provides power to the train, has been imported from Germany. Kochi Metro uses the third rail traction system instead of overhead power lines. About 18,000m conductor rails have been imported.
“Around 200 bundles of third rail has arrived in Kochi. Each bundle contains six pieces. This is required for the 18km Metro stretch from Aluva to Maharaja’s College.
Our technical experts will inspect the consignment and take delivery,” said a DMRC official.
New Delhi: Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Monday began operations on the ITO-Mandi House section. The service in the underground stretch – that is a part of the 9.37-km Central Secretariat-Kashmeri Gate line – was flagged off from the ITO station by union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu in the presence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
“I request everyone to use public transport and Metro services since it is an answer to the growing traffic congestion and pollution,” Naidu said.
Kejriwal said his government would do everything to expand the Delhi Metro network.
“I have always requested Delhi Metro’s managing director Mangu Singh to increase the number and frequency of the coaches,” the chief minister said.
Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai was also present on the occasion. The section will be opened for the public from 6 pm on Monday.
The service was flagged off after receiving clearance from the commissioner for Metro rail safety.
The commissioning of the Ahmedabad Metrorail project is expected to take much longer than planned earlier. The first phase of the project that proposes to link the two highly populated corridors within Ahmedabad city with each other was earlier targeted to complete by 2018. However, only the first 6 kms of the 37.76-km-long Metrorail route will now be complete by end of 2017.
“We will be able to commission only the first six kms by 2017. The underground section of the Metro and the alignment of the North-South and East-West Corridors (that links APMC and Jivraj Park areas in the South with Ranip in North and Thaltej Gam in the East to Vastral in the West) is expected to take longer time,” said a senior official associated with the project that saw the first Detailed Project Report (DPR) being filed in 2004, routes being redrawn at least three times and a Rs 113-crore scam recently denting the image of the project.
Mumbai-based J Kumar Infraprojects Ltd has been selected to build the first 6 kms of the project between Vastral Gam and Apparel Park. This route is part of the 20.53-km-long East-West Corridor (Thaltej gam to Vastral Gam).
This route will connect Apparel Park with Amraiwadi, Rabari Colony, Vastral, Nirant Cross roads and Vastral Gam.
Work on the piers for the metrolrail has already begun at Vastral Gam. “In a couple of weeks time, we will start the mass production of piers on this route,” the official said.
The Metro-Link Express for Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad Company Ltd (MEGA) — a 50:50 special purpose vehicle of the Government of India and Gujarat government that is executing the project — has not changed the date fixed earlier for the scheduled completion of the 37.76-km-long route. “We are still looking to complete the project by end of 2018,” the official added. However, the 2018 target seems unlikely considering that the foundation stone for the project was laid in March 2015 by CM Anandiben Patel and the official announcement made then was to complete the first six kms route at the cost of Rs 611 crore by September 2016.
Jaipur: The Metro has become a new hang-out place for the citizens of Jiapur City. The scorching heat, with the maximum temperature in the city hovering at 44 degrees Celsius, couldn’t deter people from thronging the Metro stations on Sunday. According to JMRC officials, around 1 lakh passengers travelled in the Metro on Sunday.
There were signs of surprise, happiness and excitement among the Metro riders from the moment they queued up in the serpentine lines till the time they exited the train.
Chandpole and Mansarovar stations and Metro trains were all chock-a-block with passengers. People patiently waited in long queues as they were all excited to board the Metro for the first time.
Nekchand, a policeman managing the queues of passengers at token counters, said, “I am into the Metro duty since Wednesday. I think the Sunday’s token and smart card sales are going to break earlier records. As all are excited to see the Metro stations and the train, they are very cooperative.”
Navneet Sharma came from Udaipur with his family to attend a marriage ceremony on Saturday. He urged his relatives to visit a station and travel in the Metro.
“Nearly 50 members of our family have come here. For most of us, the Metro train is a new thing. I am very happy and satisfied with this new service. Chandpole station which is the only underground station gives you a feel of some foreign country. Most important thing is that stations and the train are neat and clean.”
Aparajita Singh, a software engineer, was seen taking a selfie with her father in the Metro. “I am sending this picture to my sister who lives in Mumbai. We are having a great time here. I must thank the authorities for converting the dream of Metro into a reality.”
As the Metro train departed from Chandpole, people screamed in joy and were seen asking each other to take pictures. “My mobile phone camera does not have a selfie feature, so I asked an uncle to click my picture,” said Ridhima Kaushik, a student of a private college in Mansarovar.
While the train was plying at the speed of almost 40 km/hour, people screamed again when they saw another Metro train passing their train on the parallel track.
There were some passengers like Imran Ali, a labourer engaged in polishing work of semi-precious stones, who travelled between Mansarovar and Chandpole four times from 12 pm to 3 pm. “Itni garmi main fully air-conditioned train ka maja aa gaya (I enjoyed travelling in the fully air-conditioned train in this scorching heat),” he said.
Mumbai: Although Mumbai Metro One came under the Right to Information Act over two-and-a-half months ago, it is yet to voluntarily disclose information to the public.
As per section 4 of the RTI Act, 2005, a public authority is supposed to disclose information voluntarily to the public, which several other bodies, to which the RTI is applicable, have done.
The division bench of State Chief Information Commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad and State Information Commissioner (Brihanmumbai bench) Ajit Kumar Jain, on March 19, had passed an order declaring RInfra-led Mumbai Metro a public authority. The bench was acting on a complaint filed by Former Chief Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi.
Section 4 (2) of the Act reads, “It shall be a constant endeavour of every public authority to take steps in accordance with the requirements of clause (b) of sub-section (1) to provide as much information suo motu to the public at regular intervals through various means of communications, including internet, so that the public have minimum resort to the use of this Act to obtain information.”
In the last one year, a campaign urging for transparency in the functioning of Mumbai Metro through sharing of information under the RTI Act as run extensively by various individuals and voluntary organisations. Mumbai Metro is yet to come out whether it has set an internal deadline for putting up information on its website, but the query has not yet been addressed.
Kochi Metro Rail Limited inviting applications from eligible citizens for the following posts:-
1. General Manager (Civil) – 01 post
2. Addl. General Manager (Civil) – 01 post
3. Manager (Civil) – 02 posts
Interested person may apply in prescribed proforma by or before June 10, 2015.
For more details please see Official Recruitment Notification
Kolkata: As a part of Passenger and Customer Facilitation Fortnight – “Railyatri/Upbhokta Pakhwada”– 26.05.2015 to 09.06.2015, in Indian Railways, a lot of passenger friendly measures have been taken in Metro Railway, Kolkata.
On June 4, 2015, a Special Safety & Awareness Campaign was organized at Kavi Subhash Metro Station for the safety of the commuters and awareness leaflets were also distributed among the passengers to create awareness on safety. on this occasion, an awareness campaign was carried out by Metro employees about the usage of Safety Devices.
A Special Health Check-up Camp for the Staff & Officers of Metro Railway was also organized on that day at Metro Rail Bhavan where about 250 employees participated.
Mumbai: Three-day celebrations starting Saturday will mark Mumbai Metro’s first anniversary. There, however, will not be any fare discount for commuters.
Mumbai Metro was inaugurated on June 8 last year, making it the first Metro rail of western India.
As per the plans, Saturday onwards there will be exhibitions, performances and felicitation programme, among other activities.
Between Saturday and Monday, there will be two exhibitions. Students of engineering and technical institutes will comprise the first exhibition at Western Express Highway station, highlighting use of technology in transportation systems. The second exhibition will be at Ghatkopar station, wherein exhibits will showcase Mumbai Metro One’s focus on customer initiatives.
The third plan will have performances at the stations — concourse and platforms — as well as inside the trains, whenever possible. These will be conducted by the National Streets Performing Artists.
On Saturday morning, heroes of Mumbai Metro, ie commuters who have already been recognised for their helpful acts, will be felicitated. These commuters have been helping the Mumbai Metro staff in various ways, such as by nabbing those littering, and catching hold of those clicking photos of women commuters on the sly.
Differently-abled and senior citizens will be given a ride on Metro as part of the celebrations. On Monday, a cultural programme has been organised for the staff inside the Mumbai Metro depot premises at Four Bungalows.
New Delhi: The much awaited ITO station of Delhi Metro under the violate line will be thrown open to commuters on Monday, ending months of wait on the single line ITO-Mandi House section.
According to a Senior Official of DMRC, “The ITO-Mandi House section will be opened for commercial operations for the public from 6 pm on Monday. The clearance from the Commissioner for Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) to open the section between ITO and Mandi House has been received”.
Inspection of the newly constructed Metro section was done by the CMRS on June 2.
Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu and Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal will be present on the occasion of flag off ceremony scheduled at 4 pm on Monday.
Train services on the section is estimated to benefit 22,000 passengers daily to begin with and is expected to rise to 31,000 by 2021, enhancing DMRC’s annual revenue by Rs. 8 crore.
The construction work on the single-line section was completed in January 2015. But operations on this 971-metre section were not started as safety inspection could not be carried out as per provisions of the Metro Railway General Rules.
The Urban Development Ministry had amended and notified changes to the Metro Railway General Rules, 2013, to allow operations on single-line sections, which was a major stumbling block in operationalising the line.
Lucknow: The Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) today observed the World Environment Day, 2015 by taking an environmental pledge at its construction site to keep the city clean and green in its every construction endeavor that it takes throughout the capital.
The Managing Director of LMRC, Shri Kumar Keshav, walked along the Metro corridor from Sringaar Nagar to Transport Nagar with LMRC and contractors’ engineers to check the efforts and initiatives put in as regards environmental issues on the project site.
He asked the officials to take every care of environment around them during his inspection of this dream project of the Hon’ble Chief Minister. He also stressed the project staff to undertake cleanliness and housekeeping activities on a mass scale and showcase LMRC as a model organization to follow on the environmental front.
The Managing Director conveyed his overall satisfaction on the environmental initiatives taken by LMRC from 1st June, 2015 to 5th June, 2015 wherein the organization undertook an environment campaign at its project sites in coordination with M/s Larsen Toubro Ltd. Under this campaign, special housekeeping and environmental awareness activities were undertaken to train site personnel on the ways of keeping the environment clean and green.
Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) is determined to provide an environmental friendly mass rapid transport for the public from the first day of its inception.
LMRC ensures that its every activity is an environmental friendly endeavor so as to keep the city green and lively.
Advt. No. DMRC/PERS/22/HR/2015(67) dated 25/05/2015
Post Name: Dy. General Manager (Electrical)
No. of Vacancy: One
Pay-scale: Rs.29100-54500/- (IDA)
Maximum Age Limit: 40 years as on 01.01.2015
Educational Qualification: BE/B.Tech. in Electrical Engineering
Last date to apply: 19.06.2015
Date of personal interview: 13.07.2015
For more details, please see Official Recruitment Notification
The Government of India has finalised a plan to augment and launch mass rapid transportation systems across 50 cities to minimise commuter woes and ease pollution concerns.
Prime minister Narendra Modi has already cleared a proposal put up by the ministry of urban development, estimated to cost Rs 500,000 crore over the next four to six years. The Union government plans to share the cost of implementing the project with the respective state governments through special purpose vehicles.
And official in the prime minister’s office, who is not permitted to identify himself, said that prospective partners from South Korea, China, Japan, Germany, France, Russia and Canada have evinced interest in participating in the project.
“Every metro rail system would be very important, given our plan to build 100 smart cities and ensure environmentally sustainable transportation facilities,” the official said.
Modi is learnt to have specially discussed the metro rail projects with CEOs of top Chinese companies in Shanghai and Korean firms in Seoul during his recent visit to both the countries.
Most of the metro rail projects would be implemented through special purpose vehicles (SPVs) in which both state governments and the centre would have equity stakes. While most JVs are being planned as 50:50 ventures, certain innovations are also expected in some of the new projects where municipal corporations have expressed their desire to join the proposed SPVs as equity partners.
Already, some 13 metro projects have either been completed or are in various stages of completion. These include networks in Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Jaipur, Mumbai (both metro, monorail), Kolkata and Kochi.
Tier-II cities like Lucknow, Kanpur, Gurgaon, Patna, Ahmedabad, Surat, Indore, Nagpur and Coimbatore have also been identified for setting up dedicated metro networks, while proposals are being evaluated for Chandigarh, Bhopal, Ludhiana and Kozikode.
A joint venture between Russia’s Mosmetrostroy and Gammon India has been implementing the Chennai corridor that is expected to be operational in the next few months and is likely to be inaugurated by chief minister J Jayalalithaa who returned to office on Saturday.
The Hyderabad metro, where Larsen & Turbo is the main concessionaire, is reportedly on schedule and is likely to roll out by October.
The latest to join the proposed list is Vijayawada with a link to Amaravathi, the new state capital of Andhra Pradesh, with an investment of Rs 6,823 crore. Delhi Metro’s founding honcho E Sreedharan is overseeing the project.
“Cities wanting to set up metro rail projects may have to compete and come up with innovative and compelling proposals,” the PMO official quoted earlier said.
Several innovations are being planned for implementing mass rapid corridors in different cities. For example, project authorities in Nagpur have been evaluating the possibility of running the network on solar power. Nagpur metro, where both French and German agencies have been in the reckoning, is looking at cost-effective project financing, both through equity and debt.
According to preliminary projections, at least 40 per cent of the required power for operating the system would be sourced from dedicated solar power plants. Land acquisition for the project has commenced earlier this month.
