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ISGEC Engineering bags contract of Joka metro depot work

M K Rai
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ISGEC Engineering bags contract of Joka metro depot work

Kolkata (Metro Rail News): Joka-Esplanade Metro project, the letter of award for the Joka Metro depot has been issued to ISGEC Heavy Engineering Limited that emerged as the lowest bidder after a thorough technical evaluation. Significantly, Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), the executing agency for the project, carried out the entire process online during the lockdown. The awarding of the contract for such a big project has been executed in a record duration of time.

Financial (price) bids were opened on August 22 in which ISGEC emerged as the lowest bidder.

FirmBid
ISGEC Heavy Engineering Ltd.Rs. 350.89 crore
URC – Taikisha JVRs. 352.77 crore
Power Mech Projects Ltd. – HYT JVRs. 358.48 crore
Shapoorji Pallonji and Company Pvt. Ltd.Rs. 360.58 crore
SMS India Pvt Ltd.Disqualified
KEC International Ltd.Disqualified
Engineering Projects (India) Ltd.Disqualified

Seven bidders had participated in the bidding process while four were chosen for the technical bid. The Noida-based ISGEC won the contract for the project that holds the key to truncated Metro operation from Joka to Taratala in 2021. The construction of the entire elevated Metro corridor has been completed till Taratala. ISGEC will have to finish the depot work within two years, said an RVNL officer. 

The land acquisition issue of the Joka depot had derailed the project, with villagers of five moujas refusing to part with their land at the price announced under Metro Rail Act. The state government intervened and announced viability gap funding to make the compensation attractive as per with the prevailing market price. Till now, RVNL has acquired nearly 90% of the depot land and work seems to be progressing fast.

Kochi holds Plate-Cutting ceremony of Water Metro

M K Rai
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Kochi holds Plate-Cutting ceremony of Water Metro

Kochi ( Metro Rail News ) – The plate-cutting ceremony of Kochi Water Metro‘s 100 pax Hybrid Electric passenger boat was held at Cochin Shipyard (CSL) on Monday.


The plate-cutting for the Aluminium Hull of the boat in presence of Cochin Shipyard’s Chairman & Managing Director, Madhu S Nair and Kochi Metro’s Managing Director Alkesh Kumar Sharma.


“This marks the beginning of construction of Water Metro’s passenger ferries. I can see the professionalism and passion at CSL. We are looking forward to the timely delivery of the boats so that Kochhites can cherish the dream of travelling in Water Metro soon.” said Alkesh Kumar Sharma.


“This is for the first time in the world a top class battery-driven passenger boat is being built. I can promise you that Cochin Shipyard will deliver state-of-the-art vessels for Kochi Metro. We all know how Kochi metro has set international benchmarks in various aspects. We will be ready with the boat by the end of the year. As a team, KMRL and CSL will work together for the success of the project.” Madhu S Nair said.
Directors of KMRL and CSL attended the event organised as per the COVID protocol.

Resume Metro Services with Social Distancing: Mamata asks centre

M K Rai
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Resume Metro Services with Social Distancing: Mamata asks centre

Kolkata ( Metro Rail News ) – West Bengal’s Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee here said on Wednesday that she wants metro services to resume with social distancing norms. The Mamata Banerjee-led administration in West Bengal has no issues if local trains and metro rail services are resumed in the state and have even allowed resumption of flight services from six cities to Kolkata that had been suspended since July 6.

The chief minister also announced that there would be complete state-wide lockdown on September 7, 11 and 12. The state government, which was earlier planning to reopen schools on September 5 if the Covid-19 situation improved, said that schools and colleges would remain closed till September 20.
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“Flight services from six cities were suspended. From September 1, flight services to Kolkata from the six cities may resume and can operate on three days. We cannot allow complete resumption of flight services as of now,” Banerjee said after a cabinet meeting.

The chief minister said that the centre should take a final call on the matter. Before Mamata Banerjee, Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal too had asked the centre to resume metro services for the convenient travel of the working population.

Kochi Metro gears up for resumption of services

M K Rai
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Kochi Metro gears up for resumption of services

Kochi (Metro Rail News}: Kochi Metro Rail Limited has geared up for resuming the train operations subject to the central government nod.

To serve the passengers Kochi Metro has decided to run trains every 20 minutes. Operations will resume at 7 am in the morning and the last trip from both Aluva and Thykoodam will be at 8:00 pm. In order to cater the crowd one train will be kept at Aluva and Muttom.

“We have plans to increase the number of trains based on passenger footfall. Kochi Metro has taken all steps to provide a safe and secure journey for all Kochiites,” said Alkesh Kumar Sharma IAS, Additional Chief Secretary and MD KMRL.

To ensure proper ventilation trains will be stopped at stations for a minimum of 20 seconds. At Aluva and Thykoodam trains will be stopped for a minimum of five minutes with saloon doors in the open condition.

During the entire period of lockdown, Kochi Metro has periodically maintained the tracks, signalling system and the trains. Kochi Metro stopped its operations on March 23rd to fight COVID. The central government is yet to permit train operations in the country.

DMRC nod for construction of underpass at Noida Sector 71-52 intersection

M K Rai
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DMRC nod for construction of underpass at Noida Sector 71-52 intersection

Noida (Metro Rail News): The Noida authority on Monday said it has received the green signal from the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for the construction of an underpass at Noida’s Sector 71-52 intersection under the track of Blue Metro line. The authority had been waiting for the no-objection certificate from the DMRC for the past one year.

“We have got the no-objection certificate from the DMRC. The NOC will help us in expediting the work for the underpass project that will provide relief to thousands of the commuters. Now, as we have the NOC, the work on the underpass will be completed within the stipulated time frame,” said Rajiv Tyagi general manager of the Noida authority.

“The execution of work shall be done in close coordination with the operation and maintenance department of DMRC. The work shall be done strictly as per the submitted method statement which shall be duly approved by the in-engineer in charge,” stated a letter from the DMRC to the Noida authority. The Noida authority plans to construct the 750 metres long six-lane underpass by March 2021. The Sector 71-52 intersection usually witnesses traffic, especially during peak hours.

Once the underpass is ready, the commuters travelling from Noida’s City Centre to Greater Noida West will not cross any traffic signal if they use the underpass. Commuters travelling from Sector 62 towards Dadri Road will pass a signal-free stretch above the underpass.

Metro link from Greater Noida to Botanical Garden by 2023

M K Rai
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Metro link from Greater Noida to Botanical Garden by 2023

Noida (Metro Rail News ): The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) has finalized the route for the crucial second arm of the Aqua Line that will connect it directly with Delhi Metro.

According to official sources, the 11.5km section will branch out from the existing Sector 142 station on the expressway and run straight to Botanical Garden, where it will have an interchange with the Blue and Magenta lines. The line will significantly cut travel time between Greater Noida and Noida Expressway sectors and Delhi because the Aqua Line currently takes a detour and terminates at Sector 51 where passengers have to get off and walk to the Blue Line to catch another metro to Botanical Garden.

This move will also ease travel to IGI’s domestic airport for residents of Greater Noida and the expressway sectors because they can travel between their home station and the airport without having to leave the metro system and by changing trains just once (Magenta, at Botanical). Aqua-Line currently has no interface with Delhi Metro, affecting both its viability and ridership, which is why the need for this line was felt so strongly. The detailed project report (DPR), which the NMRC has finalized, will now be vetted by its board before being sent to the Centre for approval.

According to the DPR, the new Aqua-Line section will be built on the standard gauge with 11 elevated stations, including one at Botanical Garden. The targeted completion year is 2023. “The stations that are going to come upon this stretch will provide ample proximity to local residential hubs apart from bridging the gap with the Blue Line,” an NMRC official quoted saying. The other stations of the route will be Sector 94, Sector 125, Sector 126, Sector 97, Sector 127, Sector 98, Sector 93, Sector 91, Sector 136, and Sector 142. 


NMRC has two more extensions of the Aqua Line in the pipeline — from Sector 51 to Knowledge Park and from Depot to Bodaki in Greater Noida. These two lines are crucial to Noida’s urban expansion as well because they will cater to housing hubs like Greater Noida West, whose population will grow manifold over the next few years as developers hand over thousands of pending flats. 
Tenders are likely to be floated for the construction of the Botanical Garden arm once the Centre gives clearance.

NMRC had recently floated tenders for the construction of the Sector 51-Knowledge Park section but cancelled the tenders due to lack of adequate response. Officials said the Bodaki extensions was still being discussed and no timeline for construction has been decided. 

Mumbai’s local trains may start running by September 1

M K Rai
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Mumbai’s local trains may start running by September 1

Mumbai (Metro Rail News): If few reports are to be believed, the local trains in Mumbai may start from September 1. In March 2020, for the first time in 46 years, the sprawling Indian Railway network, including Mumbai’s lifeline, was completely shut down for over two months for all passengers to avoid the spread of coronavirus. 

As of now, a limited number of suburban trains are operating in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region from June 14. However, only passengers who are engaged in essential services can use the services.

The government had identified over 125,000 employees who are part of the essential services of the state government.
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On an average,  85 lakhs passengers used to commute daily on the suburban networks spanning Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Raigad during the Pre COVID days.

The state government recently took a decision of running sub urban trains during the Ganesh Festival and hopefully, it may open the local train network for all by September. The move is being seen as a protective shield for saving the economy from further deterioration.

MHA to take final call for metros on Friday, Metro services may resume by September 1

Narendra Shah
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MHA to take final call for metros on Friday, Metro services may resume by September 1

NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News): Although the coronavirus infections continue to rise in the country, the centre is in no mood to rethink on its decisions and set to go for further easing the things through Unlock 4.0. The decision for the resumption of Metro services in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata and another part of the country may come anytime soon. While Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal is in favour of resuming services in Delhi, Mamata Banerjee in Bengal has announced that she is ready for such a move if centre wishes to do so.

Amid speculations, the DMRC chief Mangu Singh recently visited Rajeev Chowk metro station to see and review the preparation. Same is happening in Bangalore, Nagpur, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Kochi and Lucknow.

The DMRC has said that it is ready to run metro services if the centre decides to do so. The UPMC also has started planning to resume metro services. The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) too is preparing. Amid speculations, the Bangaluru Metro has also geared up for opening the network for commuters.

A piece of news came from Kochi in the morning that the metro authorities are preparing well for metro resumption. Sources in the Metro Corporations and Government say that it is very likely that the metro services get resume by September 1 although a final call will be taken by Ministry of Home affairs only which is expected by Friday.

The different state governments have started demanding resumption of Metros as people face difficulties in reaching their workplaces. It is being seen as a move to ease up travel through public transport system.

As the DMRC has reported a loss of 1500 crore rupees in these days, MMRDA has also reported an approximate loss of 130 – 150 crore rupees due to suspension of services. The Bangaluru Metro is also reported to be running sort of money.

The preparations within the different metro networks before the Home Ministry order makes it clear that there is something being cooked behind the curtain. It is expected that Metro services will start again from 1st September. The only wait for everyone is a final decision by the Ministry of Home affairs.

Railways towards Privatization! The way ahead

M K Rai
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Railways towards Privatization! The way ahead

New Delhi ( Metro Rail News): The Railways has recently invited private firms to run private trains on 109 busy routes of the Rail Network. In the progress of the matter, as many as 23 private players are taking part in the process including the biggest players of the World Market of Railways & Metros Alstom and Bombardier.

The documents released by the Railways said that there shall be no regulatory authority to decide the fare of these private trains giving a free hand to the private operators to decide a fare which will probably be higher than the existing fares of Rajdhani and Satabdi trains of the Indian Railways as per different sources.

The entry of the private companies is going to change the whole game of Railway sector in India. If they are successful in operating on these 109 routes which the government is taking as a trial, we may then expect more private trains in the future. As these all firms are not coming to the board of Railways for any charity, it shall be clear that they shall be charging well to make profits.

Everything has its pros and cons. This move too has same thing when we analyse the complete scenerio. A lot of routes are there on the network of Indian Railways which always run with overcrowded trains. The initiative to run private trains will ease travel on these routes and it will be beneficial for those who may afford a good price. The services too will be better in these proposed trains as well as they will provide faster travel than those of the existing trains.

The move is being criticised by many political associations as they term it an anti-poor move. There are chances but as of now, these trains are not going to affect the poors as the Railways will still be running 95% of total trains once these private trains start operation in full swing. However, if the government decides to go for further privatization of the sector then it may create problems for the commoners.

As these corporate sectors plan and prepare to execute their ideas for running these trains, there is both Optimism and Pessimism among the two classes of Indian society. The people who need better & safe travel and have enough money to pay for it , are optimistic about the move while those who can’t pay are pessimistic about the matter as they are taking it as a move to fully privatized Railways.

The reality, however, remains with the future and the success of these private players in running these trains. Speculations are however on that the Railways may get fully privatized but as of current scenario, it doesn’t seem feasible at any cost. The future, however, is unknown and anything may happen. We shall wait and see at least the full operation of these trains to determine whether the Railways is going to be a joint venture of Private & Public trains or gets fully privatized.

The opinions and views expressed are personal.

Stay tuned with us for latest updates on the matter.

FICCI suggests reopening of Metros, foreign air services & cinemas

M K Rai
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FICCI suggests reopening of Metros, foreign air services & cinemas

New Delhi (Metro Rail News): The Industry body FICCI in its roadmap has suggested the government to reopen multiplexes and cinemas and metro rail, and allow international flight services, among others, with adherence to all safety precautions. The industry chamber has also favoured reopening of schools and educational institutions keeping in mind the local situation, as it outlined standard operating procedures for the lifting of several restrictions as part of Unlock 3.0. 

The chamber suggested that Indian and foreign air carriers be allowed to operate between two countries. It also called for permitting usage of restaurant and eateries in hotels, opening up of cinemas and multiplexes and reopening metro rail services. 

As the world continues to battle the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become clear that a strategy of long-term total lockdown is simply unsustainable for most economies, Ficci mentioned. 

It has recommended that it is now time to consider easing the prohibitions placed on sectors such as aviation, sports and tourism, provided businesses follow the guidelines laid out in this document to the fullest. 

Laying out its suggestions for international air travel of passengers except as permitted by Ministry of Home Affairs, Ficci said, “Indian and Foreign carriers be allowed to operate between two countries”. 

India should allow foreigners to travel to the country on a reciprocal basis while accepting the COVID-19 Negative Certificate issued by the Origin Country. 

It said a Standard Quarantine Protocol should be issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to be followed by all states to facilitate smooth transit and clarity of rules for passengers. Moreover, clear cut dates should be announced by the states to open tourism, monuments, tourist attractions, hotels, restaurants and bars, said Ficci. 

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