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Pune Metro Line 3 Makes Steady Progress on Hinjawadi to Shivajinagar Route

20/03/2023

Bird’s Eye View of overall work at Pune Metro Line 3

PUNE (Metro Rail News): The construction of Pune Metro Line 3 on the Hinjawadi to Shivajinagar route is making steady progress across all phases. According to Sameer Godse, who works with Tata Realty, the work has picked up speed in three sections: Section One (Mann Gaon to Baner), Section Two (Baner to University Circle), and Section Three (University Circle to Shivajinagar Court).

The 2 km stretch between Balewadi and Baner has been completed, giving a fresh look to the area. Additionally, the casting yard has an impressive quantity of segment stocks ready for installation, while metal caging work is progressing in full swing.

Numerous essential works such as segment installation, spanning, pier erection, viaduct, and caging are advancing quickly on this route.

To provide an overview of the progress made so far, here are a few selected photographs from Sections One and Two.

This project will boost public transportation options in Pune and is expected to make commuting much easier for people in the region. The government and stakeholders have been working tirelessly to ensure that the project is completed on time and that it meets all safety and quality standards.

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Maha Metro Nagpur Honored with Three Asia Book of Records Certifications

Staff Reporter

20/03/2023

Hon'ble Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Devendra Fadanvis presenting certification at Metro Bhawan

NAGPUR (Metro Rail News): Having being awarded Guinness World Records and two Asia Book of Records earlier, Maha Metro Nagpur was honored with the prestigious Asia Book of Records certification for three different categories on March 19th. The certification and citation were presented by Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadanvis, at Metro Bhawan.

The categories for which Nagpur Metro was presented with Asia Book of Records certification are `Longest Length of Metro Rail Corridor Construction in Shortest Time’, `First Solar PV System in a Metro Rail Project for Integrated Consumption’ and `Heaviest Single Span Double Decker Steel Bridge Truss over Railway tracks in Urban Area’, in Asia. The citation and medal were handed over to Maha Metro MD Dr Brijesh Dixit by Shri Fadanvis. Director (RSS&Op) Shri Sunil Mathur, Director (SP) Shri Anil Kokate, Maha Metro officials and Asia Book of Records Adjudicators – Dr Sunita Dhote and Dr Chitra Jain were present on occasion.

• In his note, *Deputy Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadanvis* praised Maha Metro for its work. Maha Metro has done amazing work in the field of creating metro corridors and urban infrastructure in the past few years. It has many achievements to its credit which include the development of the fastest Metro Corridor and also creating the longest Double Decker Bridge, to name a few.

The work done under the leadership of Hon Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in the entire country has inspired all of us, and Maha Metro, under the leadership of Dr Brijesh Dixit and its entire team, has created this state-of-the-art infrastructure which is not only the finest aesthetically but absolutely people friendly. I am very happy to be associated with Maha Metro since its inception and look forward to seeing many more wonderful creations from Maha Metro.

Metro Bhawan is also a Platinum Rated Building and a centre of excellence. I once again congratulate the team Maha Metro for the wonderful work it has done in the state of Maharashtra.

1. *Longest Length of Metro Rail Corridor Construction in Shortest Time:* Maha Metro executed the construction of 24 km long length of Metro rail Corridor in a record span of 51 months, thus laying almost one km of track every two months. Of the 40 km, the work of 24 km, including At-grade & Viaduct sections, 3 At-grade stations and 5 elevated stations, has been completed and commissioned in 51 months. This Corridor includes Reach-1 from Sitabuldi Interchange to Khapri Metro Station on the North-South Segment, which is 13.50 km long and Sitabuldi Interchange to Lokmanya Nagar Metro Station on the East-West Segment, which is 10.60 km long.

2. *First Solar PV System in a Metro Rail Project for Integrated Consumption:* Maha Metro has designed Integrated Roof Top, Grid Connected, Net Metered Solar Power system with the potential of up to 50% of energy requirements of Metro. The Solar PV generates 415 V AC and utilizes at various levels from 48 V DC to 132 KV AC for Traction, Stations and EV Charging. Already 5 MWp has been commissioned, and another 5.5 MWp is under process. In all, 33 Lac units (KWh) have been generated till now, and ₹ 5.5 Cr has been saved in the process.

3. *Heaviest Single Span Double Decker Steel Bridge Truss over Railway tracks in Urban Area:* The Steel Bridge Truss at Gaddigodam is unique, the first of its kind in India in terms of design, transportation and adopting state-of-the-art fabrication and launching technique. This 1634-ton steel bridge is made of high-strength steel, and the assembly, erection, and launching have been carried out in the urban area with utmost precision and accuracy near Gaddigodam. This four-layer transport section is located in a densely populated urban area, making the Metro Rail level on truss one of the highest in all four corridors. The structure is one of its kind anywhere on a Metro Rail system which not only serves Highway Flyover and Metro Rail but also accommodates an existing road, RuB and busy Indian Railway tracks.

It may be recalled that Wardha Road Double Decker – which was constructed by Maha Metro Nagpur, was chosen for the prestigious Guinness World Record. It has been identified as the `Longest Double Decker Via-Duct (Metro)’ by Guinness World Records across the world on 5th December last year. Similarly, Union Road Transport & Highways Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari, on 10th July 2023, had felicitated Maha Metro for the prestigious Asia Book of Records and India Book of Records certification for constructing the `Longest Via-duct with Highway Fly-over and Metro Rail Supported on Single Column Piers’ and `Maximum Metro Stations Constructed on a Double Decker Via-Duct’, in Asia. Thus, Maha Metro has its credit, one Guinness World Record certification and five certifications each of Asia and India Book of Records in five different categories.

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Tamil Nadu Budget: A Big Push to Metro Projects for Coimbatore and Madurai

Staff Reporter

20/03/2023

The Finance Minister of Tamil Nadu, Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, presenting the budget for the fiscal year 2023-24./Image by Sangeetha Kandavel

TAMIL NADU (Metro Rail News): The Finance Minister of Tamil Nadu, Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, presented the budget for the fiscal year 2023-24 and announced the implementation of Metro Rail projects in Coimbatore and Madurai cities. In Coimbatore, the project will be constructed at an estimated cost of ₹9,000 crore along Avinashi Road and Sathyamangalam Road. Meanwhile, in Madurai, the project will be executed at an estimated cost of ₹8,500 crore to boost development in the southern region.

Tamil Nadu Budget 2023-24/Image by Sangeetha Kandavel

The Metro Rail in Madurai will connect Thirumangalam to Othakadai and will be constructed underground through the central parts of the city. However, the implementation of the projects in both cities is subject to approval from the Union Government and will be funded by external agencies.

The Finance Minister of Chennai declared that the initial segment of the elevated corridor, which runs from Poonamallee Depot to the Kodambakkam Powerhouse area, is anticipated to be finished by December 2025. The budget has allocated ₹10,000 crore towards the Chennai Metro Rail Project, and work on Phase-II of the project, covering a length of 119 km in three corridors, is in progress at a total cost of ₹63,246 crore.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Flag Off K.R. Puram-Whitefield Namma Metro Line

Staff Reporter

20/03/2023

BENGALURU(Metro Rail News): The inauguration of the highly anticipated K.R. Puram-Whitefield Namma Metro line is set to take place on March 25, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagging off the first train. The line is an extension of the purple line from Baiyappanahalli to Whitefield, constructed as part of Phase II of the Namma Metro project, with a total length of 15 km.

Initially, only the K.R. Puram to Whitefield section, covering a distance of around 13 km, will be operational. The remaining stretch from K.R. Puram to Baiyappanahalli, approximately 2 km, is expected to open mid-year after the completion of the open web girder construction and other work over a railway track near Benniganahalli.

The BMRCL has spent nearly ₹4,500 crore on constructing the K.R. Puram to Whitefield line. Under Phase II, the BMRCL has invested around ₹5,000 crore in extending the metro line from Baiyappanahalli to Whitefield, with the 13-km line costing almost ₹4,500 crore for civil construction, land acquisition, traction, signalling, and other expenses.

The BMRCL expects the line opening to benefit between 2.5 lakh to 3 lakh passengers daily. The frequency of the five-train sets deployed by the BMRCL will be approximately 10 minutes, with a 23-minute travel time between the two destinations.

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RVNL Emerges as Successful Bidder for Rs.1088 Cr contract of HORC Project

Staff Reporter

20/03/2023

Indian Railways — Representational Image

Gurugram (Metro Rail News): Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd. has been announced as the successful bidder to construct Package C-4 of the Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor (HORC) project. The 4.7 km tunnel section will be part of Haryana’s first semi-high-speed rail line, built by the Haryana Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (HRIDC). It will consist of twin tunnels through the Aravalis, from chainage km 24.880 to km 29.580 near Sohna’s Roz-Ka-Meo Industrial Area. The construction of this tunnel will be carried out using the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM) and cut & cover method, with additional work including the installation of ballastless track, commissioning of electrical services, and construction of minor bridges.

HRIDC invited tenders for this section’s construction in November 2022 with a completion deadline of 971 days (2.66 years). Six bidders submitted technical bids, with Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd. emerging as the lowest bidder with bid of 1088.49 cr. The other bidders include IRCON International Ltd., Gawar Construction Ltd., Dilip Buildcon Ltd., ITD Cementation India Ltd., and APCO Infratech Ltd.

The scope of the contract includes the design and construction of the twin tunnel, installation of ballastless track, commissioning of electrical services, and construction of embankment, bridges, and other miscellaneous works.

KEC Buildcon Private Limited had been awarded the first civil contract (Package C1) for the construction of 5.9 Km priority section (Manesar-Patli station) HORC project in May 2022. The foundation stone of Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor was laid by Union Home minister Amit Shah in October 2022.

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Electric Trains Now Operating in Meghalaya for the First Time

Staff Reporter

18/03/2023

MEGHALAYA (Metro Rail News): The Indian Railway aims to become a net zero carbon emitter by 2030 and is progressing at full throttle towards complete electrification. With this, another milestone is achieved as the first electric train is now operational in Meghalaya. The Indian Railways has completed electrification work on key sections between Abhayapuri and Pancharatna, as well as Dudhnai and Mendipathar, marking a significant milestone in the complete electrification of the railway system. The Central Organization for Railway Electrification (CORE) was responsible for the electrification work on these sections. The Northeast Frontier Railway has achieved milestone by commissioning a 22.823-kilometer single-line section between Dudhnai and Mendipathar, as well as a 34.59-kilometer double line section between Abhayapuri and Pancharatna on March 15, 2023.

Mendipathar has been the only operational railway station in Meghalaya since 2014. With the commissioning of electric traction, trains pulled by electric locomotives can now operate directly from Mendipathar, resulting in an increase in their average speed. Electric locomotives hauling parcel and freight-carrying trains from other states will also be able to reach Meghalaya directly.

The electrification of these key railway sections will bring a significant improvement in the mobility of trains in Northeast India, while reducing pollution and increasing the efficiency of the railway system in the region. This will facilitate seamless traffic and save time for trains moving to and from northeastern states, as well as save precious foreign exchange.

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Afcons celebrates final breakthrough of TBM S90 at Begumpul RRTS Station

Staff Reporter

18/03/2023

Team Afcons celebrating TBM S90's final breakthrough/Photo by Himanshu

MEERUT (Metro Rail News): Afcons Infrastructure celebrated the final breakthrough of tunnel boring machine (TBM) S90 at Begumpul RRTS Station’s North Shaft, marking the fourth of six planned tunnel breakthroughs for Package 8 of the Delhi-Meerut RRTS project. The project includes constructing six twin tunnels from Brahampuri DN Ramp to Begumpul UP Ramp with three underground stations at Meerut Central, Bhaisali, and Begumpul by cut & cover method.

The TBM, nicknamed Sudarshan 8.3, recorded its first breakthrough in October 2022 after tunnelling approximately 750 meters from Begumpul UP Ramp for the down-line tunnel. The machine was then brought back to the ramp’s site in Meerut Cantonment’s Gandhi Bagh and relaunched in December 2022 to build the parallel up-line tunnel towards Begumpul Station. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) had awarded Afcons Infrastructure with Package 8’s contract for Rs. 1529.10 crore in November 2020 with a 1310-day deadline.

In February, Afcons poured first-stage invert concrete inside the down-line tunnel between Begumpul UP Ramp and Begumpal Station to facilitate track-laying work by Larsen & Toubro. Afcons now has two more breakthroughs pending, with TBM S88 recommissioned from Bhaisali Station to Begumpul Station in February 2023, and parts of TBM S89 lowered this month to build the parallel tunnel. With the project’s completion, TBM S90 will be stored away and is likely to see action again in the 106 km Delhi-SNB RRTS project, pending approval.

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Coimbatore Metro Rail Project Stalled as Tamil Nadu Government Delays Approval for DPR

Staff Reporter

18/03/2023

COIMBATORE(Metro Rail News): The DPR (Detailed Project Report) for Phase 1 of the Coimbatore Metro Rail Project has not yet been approved by the Tamil Nadu government, according to the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), the project executing agency. The CMRL has not begun any work, including land acquisition, as the DPR submitted by consultants has not been approved.

The feasibility study for Coimbatore Mass Rapid Transit System (144 km) was conducted by Systra and Rites Ltd, with the DPR for Phase 1 of the project, worth Rs 9,424 crore, submitted last year. In response to an RTI query filed by a city-based social activist, the CMRL stated that it is waiting for government approval before proceeding. The activist expressed concerns about the uncertainty surrounding the project’s start date, land acquisition, compensation, and other issues affecting those living and trading on Avinashi Road. However, the CMRL did not provide any answers to the nine topics raised by the activist.

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Shri Prashant Kumar Mishra Takes Charge as New GM of Modern Coach Factory, Rae Bareli

Staff Reporter

18/03/2023

P K Mishra, Newly Appointed GM of MCF, Rae Bareli/ Image by MCF, Indian Railways

RAI BARELI (Metro Rail News ): On March 17, 2023, Shri Prashant Kumar Mishra was appointed as the new General Manager of Modern Coach Factory, Rae Bareli.

Shri Prashant Kumar Mishra is a 1986 batch Indian Railway Mechanical Engineering Service officer. He has worked for the Indian Railways for more than three decades. Before assuming the charge of General Manager of ARADICA, Shri Mishra has served as DRM of Asansol, Malda and Alipurduar divisions and AGM in South Western Railway.

Asansol Division was awarded the Best Division Award for record loading, earnings and overall improvement for two consecutive times under his leadership.

During his tenure, Shri Mishra has focused on the development of the environment, railway heritage, and cultural aspects, leading to unprecedented progress in Malda Division and Asansol Division, which has resulted in the establishment of a new identity in the areas of environment and heritage.

Having conducted comprehensive research on railway heritage, Shri Mishra has written multiple articles on technical subjects like railway heritage, leadership management, and diesel loco maintenance. Additionally, he is the author of many books on Indian Railway heritage, including History of South Maratha Railway, History of West Portuguese Guarantee Railway of India, Consulting Engineer, Rail and Coal, Santhal Kranti, and EIR.

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Adarsh Station Scheme: Over 1253 Stations Identified for Upgrading

Staff Reporter

17/03/2023

NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News): Modernizing and upgradation of railway stations is an ongoing process under the Adarsh Station Scheme, which began in 2009-10. Based on the category of the station, 1253 railway stations were identified for upgradation, out of which 1218 stations have been upgraded as of now, and the remaining stations are expected to be finished by the end of the financial year 2023-24. The Adarsh Station Scheme has identified 40 stations in Rajasthan, 45 stations in Madhya Pradesh,16 stations in Haryana, and 32 stations in Gujarat for upgradation. All identified stations in Rajasthan, Haryana, and Gujarat have been developed, and 42 stations in Madhya Pradesh have been developed. The remaining three stations, including Howbagh, are targeted for completion in the financial year 2023-24.

The Adarsh Station Scheme provides improvement, upgradation, and modernisation of passenger amenities at railway stations, including the facade of the station building, retiring room, separate waiting room for ladies, waiting room, landscaping of circulating area, signages, earmarked parking, Foot Over Bridge, Pay & Use toilets, ramps at entry to the station, and other facilities. The selection of railway stations under the Adarsh Station Scheme is based on the specified need for the upgradation of amenities as per the requests and demands raised by public representatives and recommendations from Zonal Railways. However, the enhancement of passenger facilities at railway stations is an ongoing process that depends on the availability of funds, passenger traffic volume, and the prioritization of works.

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