New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has flagged-off the Delhi-Faridabad Metro Line that would allow hassle free travel for around two lakh daily commuters between the national capital and the industrial hub in Haryana.
The extension of the Delhi Metro connects Badarpur to Escorts Mujesar in Faridabad.
The total cost of the project from Badarpur to Escorts Mujesar is nearly Rs. 2,500 crore. Out of this, Rs. 1,557 crore was borne by the Haryana Government, the Centre contributed Rs. 537 crore, while the Delhi Metro provided Rs. 400 crore.
All these are elevated and located on either side of the Delhi-Mathura Road (NH-2).
“The nine-station metro corridor which was 95 per cent indigenously built will provide people a safe, affordable, quick, comfortable, reliable, environment-friendly and sustainable transport facility,” a Haryana government spokesperson said.
Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar, addressing a press conference on Saturday, had thanked the Prime Minister for “gifting” the Metro service which would take the city to “another level of progress” with better connectivity with other NCR towns.
He had also said that the Prime Minister would be announcing the go-ahead for connecting Gurgaon with Faridabad by Metro.
NOIDA, INDIA (Metro Rail News): The easing of the restrictions in the metro services increased the number of passengers on the Noida-Greater Noida Aqua line, which witnessed its highest ridership in November 15, with 26,554 commuters. Ritu Maheshwari (MD) NMRC stated that after the initial opening of the Metro rails, post covid in June this year, the ridership saw a diminishing trend with the daily average of 4,904 commuters. The constraints imposed by the metro authorities, like openings of the entry and exit gates, lift operations, better monitoring etc., proved a hindrance in the easy mobility of the commuters and were responsible for reducing their number. Due to Public demand, authorities opened more gates in October 2021, which smoothened the journey of the metro users.
The sudden increase in the footfalls made NMRC ensure the safety of Aqua line passengers.
Safety issues are dealt with by proper auto-thermal screening at the station entrance by thermal guns, providing the facility of ‘Auto Sanitizer dispensers’, maintaining the norms of Social distancing etc. Maheshwari added that the highest footfall is seen on the Noida- Sector51 Metro Station. The preventive measures taken by the NMRC boosted the confidence level in the commuters and eased their security concerns. All this helped in such a dramatic increase in the number of passengers from the pre-covid times. Before the lockdown started, the monthly average of the ridership was 25,920.
NEW DELHI, INDIA (Metro Rail News): In view of the prevailing air quality scenario in NCR, NCRTC has augmented measures to mitigate pollution on its under-construction RRTS corridor. The Delhi – Ghaziabad – Meerut corridor is a project of national importance being part of the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP). Strict compliance with prescribed norms is being followed and various dust control measures are being adopted.
NCRTC is working on Sarai Kale Khan, New Ashok Nagar and Anand Vihar RRTS stations in Delhi including RRTS viaduct and tunnels for elevated as well as underground sections of the corridor. The work is also going on in full swing at various locations of Ghaziabad and Meerut in Uttar Pradesh.
NCRTC has managed the pace of the construction while simultaneously taking extensive pollution control measures in and around the construction sites. A dedicated team of experts are regularly monitoring the effectiveness of these measures and step-up the activities wherever necessary.
Construction work is being done within barricaded zones of adequate height and thorough cleanliness is being maintained on these sites. Anti-smog guns, water sprinklers are deployed to settle the construction dust. All the raw materials, debris are kept covered at their marked sites. The diesel and petrol vehicles older than 10 and 15 years respectively are prohibited and only PUC certified vehicles are being used.
Waste of construction and demolition is collected and disposed of as per prescribed rules. Water pumps have also been established in each casting yard, especially for washing tyres of mud-laden heavy truck trailers used to carry huge segments, cement, sand etc. This helps in preventing the spread of any kind of dirt in adjoining areas of the corridor.
Many such similar pollution mitigation measures are being taken regularly and our team of dedicated quality, environmental and safety experts continuously review and upgrade these steps from time to time. For this purpose, air quality monitors have also been installed at many places to keep track of the air quality and instruct necessary measures accordingly.
Image Source: NCRTC
More than 20 anti-smog guns are currently deployed to deal with the ever-growing smog during this winter season. A persistent sprinkling of water, almost 24×7 is being done at the construction sites. Arrangements have also been made to remove the soil accumulated on the sites and the roadside by using the Brummer machine.
Moreover, NCRTC is extensively using pre-cast technology in RRTS construction, wherein segments of huge structures (stations/viaduct/tunnels) are cast in the RRTS casting yards in a controlled environment. This strategic decision of limiting construction activities at the sites also leads to systematic handling and processing of raw materials, such as cement, sand, etc.
It may be noted that the implementation of all three RRTS corridors of the first phase is an integral part of a larger strategy to address issues of congestion and pollution and is part of the ‘Comprehensive Action Plan’ (CAP) for Air Pollution Control in Delhi & NCR’ and the recommendation of ‘High Powered Committee on Decongesting Traffic in Delhi’.
Being a rail-based transit system, it will have 1/5th of fossil fuel consumption as compared with road-based vehicles. With all efforts to ensure zero-emission of GHGs, RRTS will strive to earn Carbon Credits. The implementation of the Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor is estimated to increase the share of public transportation usage along the corridor from 37% to 63%.
Once operational, an estimated daily ridership on the 82 km long Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Corridor will be 8 lakhs. As per an estimate, RRTS will lead to a reduction of ~2,50,000 tCO2e/year post its implementation. The same estimation states that implementation of RRTS will reduce the emission of hazardous PM 2.5 particles by 60,000 tons, and Carbon monoxide by 800,000 tons, annually.
Image for representational purpose onlyImage Source: KMRC
Metro Rail News Conducts an email interview with Shri Manas Sarkar, MD, Kolkata Metro, on recent Developments of Kolkata Metro Projects. Here are the edited excerpts: –
Q.1. Many congratulations for being appointed as the new MD of first and oldest metro systems in India? How does it feel to bear the legacy? Do you feel a sense of greater responsibility and ownership? What are your immediate plans ahead?
Thanks for the compliments. Let me clarify that I am the Managing Director of Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Limited. Here the perspective of Kolkata Metro system is required to be understood for better clarification. In Kolkata, several metro lines are being constructed at present. Unlike other cities in India, where Metro systems are being developed with joint venture effort of State Government and Union Government, all Metro Lines in Kolkata are being developed by Union Government only. Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation, a CPSE under Ministry of Railways, is only entrusted with construction of Kolkata East-West Metro Corridor. The other lines are being constructed by RVNL and Metro Railway itself. The operation & maintenance of all the lines including the existing North-South line which is the oldest metro system in India is entrusted with Metro Railways, Kolkata which is a zonal railway under Ministry of Railways. Hence I am not in-charge of the oldest Metro System in India ; at the best it can be said that I am associated with the entire system of Kolkata Metro which is indeed the oldest Metro system in India.
Q.2. Kolkata Metro is presently fifth-largest metro system of the country after Delhi, Hyderabad, Namma and Chennai Metro. Don’t you think Kolkata Metro couldn’t grow and develop the way it should have been being the oldest metro systems of the country? What according to you is the reason for the same and that too when Kolkata lacks a smart and present era transportation system.
As per early Master Plan through Metropolitan Transportation Projects [Railways], 1971, there were 5 possible Metro Corridors identified in Kolkata. Survey was conducted in three of these Corridors. The 1st of the 3 corridors in North-South direction was first taken up for implementation in 1972 which was commissioned in Phases from 1984 and it is the oldest metro rail system in the country. Now other two corridors as identified in 1971 have already been taken up. Apart from that, another 4 new corridors are also under construction.
When all the corridors will be completed Kolkata will have 133 Km of Metro system. Apart from these lines, there are future lines which are also in different stages of planning. Thus the planning process for development of MRTS systems in Kolkata has a legacy of around 50 years now. The size of Delhi Metropolis along with Gurgaon is 2216 sq km and length of Metro Corridor in operation is around 350 Km while size of Mumbai Metropolis is 603 Sq km and length of Metro Corridor in operation and construction is around 190 Km. In comparison, Kolkata having 133 km Metro Lines [ operational and under construction] with only 206 sqm of Metropolis is not a meagre number. However if you look at the progress history of major Metro systems in the world as well as in this country, requirement of new metro corridors is often perpetual as the systems always try to get saturated in capacity with passage of time. Same is expected in Kolkata with possibility of development of new lines in future .
Q.3. Amongst all metropolitan and tier-1 cities, Kolkata has least no. of private vehicle ownership. So, the stress on public transport system is enormous which is estimated to increase significantly amidst rapidly urbanising nearby areas of the capital city. What is your say in this regard and are you ready for future challenges?
Vehicle ownership in Kolkata is indeed the lowest amongst all the Tier-1 cities which is not a very discouraging statistics for a transportation professional as Kolkata also has the lowest length of city streets amongst all Metro Cities in India. The approximate ratio of private owned vehicles versus road Kilometers in Delhi in 2019 was 134 while it is 450 in Kolkata which clearly indicates that Kolkata streets are already overpopulated with private vehicles and the growth of sustainable transport solution should be through modern, people-centric mass rapid transit systems. As per the study conducted by Wilber Smith & Associates in 2008, the existing public transport share without the present Metro systems [only one Metro at that time] was 54 % of total transportation demand which was the highest in India at that time. Therefore the challenge before the city planners is to nourish this public-transport oriented transit feature of the city and to cater the expectation and demand of the people by providing fast, reliable, safe and modern mass transportation mode. Metro Rail has a long history in Kolkata and associated as an integral part of city life which should be further boosted and encouraged with augmentation of new lines.
Shri Manoj Joshi, GM, Kolkata Metro Railway inspected the underground Sealdah Metro station along with Manas Sarkar, MD, KMRCL & other Sr. officials of Metro Railway & KMRCL in order to review the progress of the ongoing works on Nov 2, 2021
Q.4. The Kolkata Suburban Railway is the largest suburban rail system of the country with an annual ridership of more than 02 billion people. It’s a very robust system developed since British era. Do you think it is the suburban railway that a need of other modern transport systems like RRTS, BRTS, MetroNeo, MetroLite etc. hasn’t been felt to be developed in Kolkata? Do you think it is a righteous approach? What according to you can be a better transport plan for Kolkata?
The sub-urban railway system links the urban conglomeration of 1851 Sq-km around city of Kolkata known as Kolkata Metropolitan Area [KMA] with the City proper. The population of KMA is around 16.8 million and Kolkata being the center for majority of economic, social, educational and medical hub, there is huge transportation demand to the city. The majority of this city bound transportation demand is met by the sub-urban transportation system with two major sub-urban terminals at Howrah & Sealdah which handle around 2 million passenger daily. Sub-urban railway being the economic and easy mode of transport, the development pattern in this sub-urban localities have grown rail-centrically oriented accordingly. These sub-urban localities in and around the city have century old development history with mushroomed up settlements leaving spare area for development of other infrastructure modes. The sub-urban railway system and other modes of transport like RRTS, BRTS etc should not necessarily be competitive to each other but reciprocal and all the modes of transport should be integrated and well-orchestrated to provide the necessary service to the people.
Q.5. Kolkata unarguably has the most varied and complex set of transport systems offering its citizens ferries, trams, buses, trains, metro, taxis, auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws. So, do you agree that the present transportation system in Kolkata is capable of serving a larger population of commuters at lower fiscal costs, lower levels of environmental destruction and infrastructure usage although being a metropolitan city?
Indeed Kolkata possesses the most varied public transportation modes amongst Indian cities. As per the International Association of Public Transport [UITP]Survey [ Arther D’Liittle 2.0- 2013], the mobility index of Kolkata was the highest amongst Indian cities due its various modes of public transport. At present the road volume is only about 5.4% and it can’t be expanded beyond 8% due to narrow right of way. In fact, Kolkata being a city developed over 300 years under heterogeneous development regime, adequate space for future transportation planning is not possible. Moreover huge population upsurge after independence due to refugee migration has also put pressure on city transportation system. The present public transport system of Kolkata is bus oriented which is insufficient to handle the ever increasing pressure. As per all the Development Studies done so far, it is said that non-road based rapid transit system with densification around the transport nodes is the most viable transport solution for the city. In core area of Kolkata, underground metro is the only perceivable rapid transit system possible. It will divert a lot of commuters from surface level to underground thereby it will decongest the roads. This system is eco-friendly, safe, reliable at the same time economically suitable.
Q.6. What in your opinion a smart and future centric transportation system of a mega-city be like? What would be your ratings for present transport system in Kolkata judging it on parameters of transport system of a megacity?
Our world is fast urbanizing with more and more people moving to urban areas and it is a challenging task for modern city planners to provide a futuristic city life which is sustainable to the society. As transportation is a vital aspect of modern connected city life, the sustainable modes of transport should be safe, reliable, adequate, modern & accessible. For an old metropolis like Kolkata with lingering issues of over population, congestion as well as environmental pollution, ideal transportation solution is MRTS along with supplementary feeder bus service and adequate first and last mile connectivity. Modern para transits like electric bikes & electric auto-rickshaws may play a vital role in first and last mile connectivity aspect.
I will never say Kolkata is adequate in transportation system; in fact very few cities in the world are adequate. But there is definitive effort from every stakeholders to upright the transportation system which is welcome.
Q.7. Kolkata metro is rapidly gaining popularity of being the slowest metro system in the country in terms of work speed and completion of projects. It’s been more than 10 years that work on new lines in Kolkata Metro started but none of them has been completed. What in your opinion is the reason for the same and what steps are being taken to remove the hurdles if any observed?
The perspective of implementation of Metro Rail systems in Kolkata should not be judged by very simplistic black & white yardstick of completion time. The example of Kolkata East West Metro perfectly demonstrates the complexity and diversity of problems associated here. The project was started in year 2009 with an initial target of 5 &1/2 years. There were issues of land acquisition both for private land as well as Govt land right from beginning. In 2012, at the middle of project execution, there was a proposal for realignment in some part which completely upset the execution in some part of the project for several years. After several years of suspension of work in this section, the realignment of route was sanctioned in year 2015 to recommence the works. In addition, in 2012 the stake holding of project execution was shifted from Joint venture of State Govt and Union Govt to only Union Govt. There were other issues of obtaining permission from ASI and Defence Authorities which also eroded valuable project time. Hardly any Metro Project in India had to undergo such multi-dimensional hurdles. In spite of all these impediments, 6.97 Km of this corridor out of total 16.55 Km has already been commissioned and another 2.33 Km is expected to be commissioned in next few months,
Q.8. What is the status of India’s first underwater metro being developed by Kolkata metro over Hooghly? What is the progress so far? Are you meeting the deadline of March,22?
The tunnel below river Hooghly was completed in 2017 and presently the track linking has also been completed. The follow on activities of tunnel ventilation and electro-mechanical works are in progress. The revenue service in this section is expected in end of year 2022.
Q.9. What had been the reason for the Bowbazar mishap during the underground tunnelling of Sealdah-Esplanade metro of east-west corridor? Two buildings – 13,14 Durgapithuri lane got completely demolished apart from damage to a number of other residential structures. Where do you feel metro authorities failed to analyse the whole situation? Don’t you think the situation could have been averted had there been a better feasibility and planning done?
At the outset this can be stated that one tunnel boring machine was affected by ingress of water added with fine soil particles which caused severe ground settlement and damage to some buildings at Bowbazar. The water ingress was stopped by creating multiple bulk heads inside the tunnel to create closed chamber in frontal part of the tunnel boring machine and by exerting counter pressure by filling up the frontal portion with water. Bowbazar tunnel incident has been referred to contractual dispute resolution process. Hence It is not possible to state anything in this regard at this stage.
Q.10. What are your preparation and plans for averting any further damage in the area. Is there any compensation offered by KMRC to those affected by the mishap?
The balance tunneling in this area has already been completed so the question of any further damage does not arise.
All the affected families are paid with one time compensation of Rs.5 Lakh as per decision of provincial government.
All the demolished buildings will be reconstructed and all structurally damaged buildings will be adequately repaired. Till such time, all the families are kept in furnished rental flats.
Q.11. ‘KMRC has proved its efficacy in developing India’s most advanced metro system single handed in terms of civil engineering’. Do you still agree with the statement after the bow bazar incident?
Tunnel water ingress issue, though rare and unwelcome, is not uncommon. It had earlier been witnessed in more developed Metro Systems in the world with issues of damages and project delays. The responsiveness and re-fortification exerted by this organisation after the incident towards rehabilitation of the affected families as well as completion of the balance mechanised tunneling work in the project were definitely reassuring.
Q.12. Would you like to share anything about your professional career and experience as a metro person? What would be your message to young technocrats aspiring to get into metro industry?
I being a veteran professional in the field of Railways and Metro Industry, I have spent my career dealing with variety of challenges both in construction and maintenance. As this industry deals with safety of the passengers, engineering accuracies and respect to maintenance protocol are demand of the day. My experience says that a combination of basic professional knowledge and logical thinking is essential to be successful in this field.
For all aspiring Metro Professionals, I would say this is a new emerging area of challenge for the engineering professionals and definitely a sun-shine sector. But the knowledge base is required to be updated regularly to keep pace with the global changes in this industry.
Q.13. What would be your message to our readers? Please share your views about Metro rail News.
It is heartening to see that focused magazines for Metro industry are coming up which not only shares knowledge base and information for the project but ushers a general interest in public for Metro Rail who are the ultimate stake holders for such projects. I hope Metro Rail News to come up with all the galore in future.
Our Managing Editor Mr. Narendra Shah conducted One 2 One Interview Session. With Mrs. Chhavi Bharadwaj, 2008 Batch IAS officer currently serving as Managing Director, Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited.
Here are the edited excerpts: –
Narendra Shah (NS): Our first question to you – ‘You are famous as a corruption – buster IAS officer’. How does it feel? What pain and efforts you had been through to have this reputation and how difficult it has been?
Chhavi Bharadwaj(CB): The perception is built up because of an incident happened that happened few years back. Every officer in his tenure in his/her capacity tries to bring significant change in the society. The kind of value system I am bought up with never allows compromising with corruption (small or large).
NS: You spent more than 02 years as a collector in a district which saw 15 officers in the last 17 years. That shows your grit and commitment. What had been your strategy after being appointed as Collector at Dindori – The district with an infamous repute on part of governance and work culture?
CB: Dindori is one of the most important beautiful and a backward tribal area of Madhya Pradesh. It also provides a lot of space and latitude for an officer to work. The people living there really appreciate the efforts to bring basic civil amenities. The reason for that is that people living there were deprived of basic amenities for a long time. The amenities like road connectivity, infrastructure is very crucial to a community. In my tenure, I did my best as an officer to bring change there. I can say that the two years I spent there were one of the best I had in my career.
NS: Do you think there has been any significant change in the working of government departments in the last few years as far as project delays and work culture is concerned. What would you like to say about a required change in working scenario in the country? Do you feel any necessity towards it?
CB: I believe there have been some significant changes with the passage of time. Earlier we had a very longish and procedure bound method of implementing and monitoring projects. There was a lot of red tape and trained incapacity in the government. The bureaucracy was blamed for not understanding the context enough. However, I have seen significant changes happening at our level to avoid red-tapism.
NS: Metro projects in Bhopal & Indore has already been delayed. The project cost of Bhopal Metro has already risen by 50% of its actual cost. What as new MD of MPMRCL would be your priority in this regard? What are your plans for meeting the deadlines?
CB: I don’t agree with the fact that cost has risen by 50 per cent. However, I do agree with the delay which happened primarily due to the pandemic and also the organisation did not have a full-time Managing Director. At this point of time, we are looking at 30.5 kms of Bhopal metro and another 31 kms of Indore metro with a priority corridor for 7 kms and 17 kms for Indore metro. We have set a target for flagging off the first set of trains at the priority corridors for both metros by 2023. The good thing is that we have already started awarding the tenders for work like rolling stock and we are hopeful that work will be completed within the designated time of 2 years from now.
NS: Can we expect smart transport system in few other cities of M.P. with yourself being the managing director of implementing agency for the same in the state? Is there any update on greater Gwalior Metro which had been under discussion and long demanded?
CB: We are exploring several options like deploying a consultancy firm for a comprehensive mobility plan for all the five major cities as it will explore options like multi-modal transportation systems and trip generation. We are aware that we have almost a 30 km narrow gauge ROW in Gwalior metro. It is very rare to find such a narrow gauge in the middle of the city. We are currently studying the model of Nashik metro which is identical to Gwalior. It is noteworthy that Gwalior city will have a metro lite, unlike Nashik metro which has heavy metro. We are also exploring the option of connecting a metropolitan city like Indore with satellite towns like Ujjain, Mau etc. An idea of connecting cities like Bhopal and Indore through a high-speed corridor is also being explored which will also bring urbanisation into perspective. The potential of RRTS-MRTS is also a viable option to connect the cities
NS: You have worked as Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Bhopal. How do you see your tenure over there apart from bagging for Bhopal, the status of the second cleanest city of India in Swacchta Sarvekshan in 2018? Do you feel satisfied with your work as commissioner over there?
CB: Satisfaction is a very subjective thing. The most important thing I learned in Bhopal is municipal finance and a dire need to complete objectives. I believe the cities in India require substantial investment in infrastructure and urban services in the years to come. As municipal commissioner in Bhopal, I tried to rationalize the budgetary planning in the corporation. We tried to look for avenues that could strengthen the inherent resource raising capacity for Bhopal. We tried to rue the system for the collection of property tax and water tax. There was a very alarming situation in the city where we spent 90 crore rupees annually for supplying water in households, but the revenue raised was around 20 crores. So, there is a deficit which got created in every almost service provided by the corporation. If I ever get the opportunity to experiment with or deploy new tools for corporations that have a lot of experience, I will consider myself very fortunate.
NS: You have set several examples of good governance like virtual coaching to tribal children in naxal affected Dindori district, 4 O’clock review in Swacch Bharat Abhiyan and many more to name. What gives you the energy and inspiration to make such efforts on a continual basis?
CB: I believe public service is a domain where only a few people get to work. I consider myself very lucky and fortunate where I, as a District Collector, could really make a difference. As we go up the ladder, the domain gets specific and there are specialisations too for the officers. The motivation to serve people you live around is most satisfying for the district collector. The serving window is very limited (7-8 years maximum) and the satisfaction of making a difference in that window is very important for a serving DC.
NS: It’s been almost 13 years since you have been into administrative services holding important portfolios. Is there any special incidence, the moment of success, failure etc. you would like to recognize and share with us regarding your professional journey so far?
CB: I remember going to a Bega village. Begas are particularly vulnerable tribal groups which is found in Dindori. They are decreasing in terms of its population and there are specific regions where they inhabit. I found that there was a meeting going where the natives were discussing issues they face against government officials like pension, the Forest guards not allowing them to pick their produce. I realized how important the public delivery service was to the lives of these people. It might not be that important to a self-sufficient city dweller who does not depend too much on the government and its services. This is where I realize the centrality of government services in the lives of these people. The way in which the people of the community described their problems (most of them were angry) shook me for a good period of time. However, this also motivated me to listen to people and engage with them on a daily basis. We think that everything is fine while the situation is not that easy-going as it seems from our homes. A constant feedback system provides a reality check for course correction. That meeting in the village will stay in my memory and will always remind me to stay on course with the purpose I am being chosen for the service.
NS: Would you like to share your views regarding your book ‘Like a Bird on the Wire’. Can your readers and followers expect a few more representations of the author in you in the coming few years?
CB: Actually, it took me five years to write that book. I wrote it during my paternity leave and when I was in Dindori. Thereafter, I haven’t been able to write anything at all. I used to write a blog which I discontinued. I hope I can create a space for myself where I can read and write again in the future.
NS: We shall like to know your views about Metro Rail News. Any message to our readers?
CB: I believe that it is a very good initiative that will enable any metro organisation to understand what is happening in the country or in different cities. What different mechanisms are being tested, how innovative they are. I believe peer learning is very crucial and a lot of times when we through articles in magazines like Metro Rail news, we get a lot of ideas and inspiration from the stories of other metro corporations. New options get explored every now and it also keeps you aware.
NS: Many thanks for your precious time and our wishes for your new role and responsibility.
MADHYA PRADESH, INDIA (Metro Rail News): The Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MPMRCL) issued a global tender notice to supply 750 V DC Third Rail and Electrical Systems for Indore Metro Rail Project.
Project’s Scope: Engineering, Supply, Erection, Testing and Commissioning of Power Supply Receiving Sub-Station, Traction Sub-Station, Auxiliary Sub-Station, 750 V DC 3rd Rail and SCADA System for Indore Metro Rail Project.
NEW DELHI, INDIA (Metro Rail News):Alstom, a global leader in sustainable and green mobility solutions, inaugurated its new components manufacturing facility in Coimbatore, in the presence of Emmanuel LENAIN, Ambassador of France to India and Alain SPOHR, Managing Director, Alstom India & South Asia. This is the largest components manufacturing facility in Asia and is dedicated to improving industrial efficiency in manufacturing components for various prestigious national and international projects.
Alstom’s industrial presence in Coimbatore has evolved across 3 sites since 1978. This new site is spread over a total area of 15 acres and has an installed capacity of 2.1 million hours, which will offer a higher degree of production diversity & complexity – integration & testing of tractions, auxiliary converters, cubicles, driver desks and Rolling Stock looms. The site will create 10,000 direct & indirect jobs and currently has a gender diversity rate of 20%.
The Coimbatore site currently delivers not just to Alstom’s Indian sites but also to major sites across 5 continents – Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America. Some of the key countries include – France, Canada, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, UAE etc.
Speaking at the inauguration, Alain SPOHR, Managing Director – Alstom India said, “Our presence in Coimbatore dates to the 1970s and since then we’ve grown multifold. The opening of this facility is a testament of our commitment to the government’s flagship ‘Make in India’ & ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. With our enhanced capabilities and a team of talented and dedicated employees, we are proud to be a catalyst in India’s manufacturing led growth story. We have been the preferred mobility partner on various Indian projects and are keenly looking forward to becoming a leading supplier of components across Alstom’s sites globally.”
Marvelling at Alstom’s commitment to India, at the inauguration of the large-scale setup with modern equipment and amenities, Emmanuel LENAIN, Ambassador of France to India, said, “French companies are fully committed to ‘Make in India’ and speeding ahead on the back of strong bilateral relations between the two countries. It is heartening to see India’s manufacturing prowess powering global mobility. I salute the efforts and investments made by Alstom over the years in India towards building a strong base of sustainable mobility solutions and high localization, while creating a positive impact on the people and communities”
In line with Alstom’s Sustainability Goals for 2025, this site has undertaken several sustainability measures like – targeting 80% of regular activities to be run on green energy, utilizing 100% of natural light during daytime, rainwater harvesting, reusing 100% of the sewage treated water, etc. The factory also boasts of a stellar record in safety. Cumulatively, the factory has successfully achieved 10+ years of ‘accident free’ man-days.
In line with its commitment to contributing sustainably to communities in need, Alstom is taking up various projects around the factory. With the objective of reaching out to a total of over 100,000 direct beneficiaries, the company has pledged INR 3 crores for various CSR projects in the next 3 years. Some of these activities include – Water conservation, sustainable rural living and youth skilling. With this stronger industrial & commercial base with the purpose to offer a broad range of components, Alstom is much stronger to address the mobility needs of India and the world.
CHENNAI, INDIA (Metro Rail News): Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Ltd., bagged the contracts for the two upper sections of the Chennai Metro Phase-2 project. It includes 47 km Line-5, which will link Madhavaram – Sholinganallur to 48 stations.
L&T was the only bidder for Packages CP-10-EV-03 and C5-ECV-02 when the technical bids were opened in mid-July, so it became clear that they would be the lowest bidder when Chennai Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL) passed on a technical bid review and proceeded to the filing of the funding application in September 2021. L&T bid for this project is Rs. 1620 Crore and the given deadline to complete this project is approximately 36 months i.e., 3 Years.
Package Details:
• CP-10-EV-03: 10.2 km CMBT – Venugopal Nagar with one subway station and 11 high stations
• C5-ECV-02: 12.431 km CMBT – Puzhuthivakkam with 12 high stations
Project’s Scope: Construction approx. 10.2 km of the high viaduct, high ramp, and 11 elevated stations from Assissi Nagar to CMBT (except for the subway section from Retteri Ramp to Nathamuni Ramp) and cut section and cover, depot route almost. 1.5 kms and the subway station Venugopal Nagar verify the suitability of the building design, which includes the completion of buildings, plumbing works, signage and all related works in Corridor 5.
CHENNAI, INDIA (Metro Rail News): Hindustan Construction Company (HCC), in consortium with KEC International Ltd, has bagged a ₹1,309 crore contract from Chennai Metro Rail Limited for the construction of an 11.61-km elevated viaduct section and eleven elevated stations on Corridor 5 of phase II of the Chennai Metro. It is the second HCC-KEC Consortium order for the Chennai Metro. This work will be completed in 36 months (3 years).
The scope of the work of this contract involves civil, architectural works, signages, plumbing and drainage and other temporary services. The eleven elevated stations include Madipakkam, Kilkattalai, Echangadu, Kovilambakkam, Vellakkal, Medavakkam Junction Road, Kamaraj Garden Street, Medavakkam Junction, Perumbakkam, Global Hospital and Elcot. The project is to be completed in 36 months.
HCC owns several shares worth Rs. 668 crore in a joint venture with KEC International. HCC is part of the HCC Group, with a profit of Rs. 9,437 crore. The HCC team includes HCC, HCC Infrastructure Limited and Steiner AG in Switzerland.
Eleven high-rise stations include Madipakkam, Killkattalai, Echangadu, Kamaraj Garden Street, Elcot, Global Hospital, Perumbakkum, Vellakkal, Medavakkam Koot Road, Kovilambakkam and Medavakkam Junction.
According to the given reports, the project’s scope includes community works, plumbing and drainage services, architectural and signage works, and temporary services. In addition, HCC makes part of Mumbai Metro Line III, one Delhi Metro package, one Bangalore Metro Rail Project package, two Pune Metro contracts and one Chennai Metro package.
In the spirit of ensuring to keep you updated about the Metro & Railway Industry, Metro Rail News November 2021 Issue published. Our team is dedicated to delivering quality & curated news on urban mobility developments in India & across the globe that impact you and shape the world we live in.
Readers see the cover story on Gati Shakti in this edition. The Kolkata Metro, Chennai Metro Phase-2 is the month’s project, the Kochi Metro is the featured project and provides an overview of new infrastructure projects in India. We also covered an exclusive media interview session with Mrs. Chhavi Bhardwaj, Managing Director, MPMRCL and Shri Manas Sarkar, Managing Director, KMRCL.
Along with these, this edition also covers exclusive interviews of influential people from the industry, informative articles & job alerts We believe in keeping you well informed about the metro & rail industry and enhancing your decision making.
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DELHI (Metro Rail News): People in Haryana and Outer Delhi will soon be able to commute more efficiently. The Green Line of the Delhi Metro, which currently ends at Inderlok station, will be extended to Indraprastha station as part of Phase IV developments, offering direct access to Central, New, Old, West, and East Delhi.
LNJP Hospital, Indira Gandhi Hospital, IG Stadium, Old Delhi landmarks, and localities like Chandni Chowk will be connected by the proposed 12-kilometre Inderlok-Indraprastha corridor. The Green Line currently has interchange stations at Inderlok for the Red Line and Kirti Nagar for the Blue Line.
It will also have interchange facilities at Nabi Karim for the Magenta Line, Delhi Gate for the Violet Line, and Indraprastha for the Blue Line due to the extension.
It will also interchange with the Pink Line because the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is building a halt platform to connect the Green Line’s Punjabi Bagh and Pink Line’s Punjabi Bagh West stations, which will open to the public next year.
Brigadier Hoshiyar Singh (Marg) is connected to Kirti Nagar and InderLok via the 29.64-kilometre Green Line. “In comparison to the others, this corridor has a lower ridership. Residents in Haryana’s areas bordering the national capital and Outer Delhi neighbourhoods Tikri, Savda Ghevra, and Mundka will have seamless access to Dwarka, Raj Nagar Extension, Vaishali, and Noida as a result of the extension. People who live in the city’s rural areas will also have direct access to hospitals, the railway station, and the NCR region,” stated a government official.
The extension of Delhi Metro Green Line from Inderlok to Indraprastha via NabiKareem, NewDelhi, DelhiGate stations
Inderlok, Daya Basti, Sarai Rohilla, Ajmal Khan Park, Nabi Karim, LNJP Hospital, Delhi Gate, Indira Gandhi Stadium, and Indraprastha will be ten stops with the 12-kilometre Green Line extension. Six routes were suggested as part of the Phase IV project, three of which were authorised by the national government in 2019, and work has begun. The Delhi government approved the remaining three corridors, and the Centre’s final sanction is likely before the end of the year.
Rithala-Bawana-Narela (22.91 km), Lajpat Nagar-Saket G-Block (8.38 km), and Inderlok-Indraprastha (12.37 km) are the three metro lines approved under Phase IV, with a total length of nearly 43 kilometres. It is projected that the overall cost will be around Rs 12,586 crore. buy amoxicillin online https://www.parkviewortho.com/wp-content/languages/new/prescription/amoxicillin.html no prescription
