Metro Rail News | Provide regular updates on the progress of metro rail projects being developed in India

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11/08/2019

DMRC floats tenders for second corridor of Delhi Metro Phase IV

NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News): The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has floated tenders for the 12.58-kilometre long Majlis Park-Maujpur corridor, the second of the three corridors approved under Delhi Metro Phase IV.

The other two corridors of the Delhi Metro Phase are the Janakpuri West-RK Ashram corridor and the Tughlakabad-Aerocity corridor. “The civil tenders for the entire 12.58 km long Majlis Park-Maujpur metro corridor have been floated. The section comprises eight elevated stations. They are Yamuna Vihar, Bhajanpura, Khajuri Khas, Sonia Vihar, Soorghat, Jagatpur Village, Jharoda Majraa and Burari stations,” Said Mr. Anuj Dayal, ED (Corporate Communication), DMRC.

This corridor will join the two remaining dots of the Pink Line, completing the full circle of its route. Adding that work was on for the third corridor and tenders would soon be floated for it. The Majlis Park-Maujpur corridor will have a double-decker viaduct between the Bhajanpura and Yamuna Vihar metro stations. The metro viaduct will be on the upper deck, at an elevation of 18.5 metres, while the road flyover will be on the lower deck, at a height of 9.5 metres.

“The length of the double-decker viaduct will be about 1.4 kilometres. It will be on the central verge of the road. Development of the Public Works Department road is also being done by DMRC between Yamuna Vihar and Bhajanpura,” he added.

A new feature in fourth phase
Two of the three corridors in the fourth phase of Delhi Metro will have double-decker viaducts. The Majlis Park-Maujpur corridor will have a double-decker viaduct between the Bhajanpura and Yamuna Vihar metro stations. In the Tughlakabad-Aerocity corridor, there will be a double-decker viaduct between Ambedkar Nagar and Saket G Block.

India to get second Hyperloop project in Punjab

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11/08/2019

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India to get second Hyperloop project in Punjab

CHANDIGARH (Metro Rail News): The Punjab will be the second state in the country to get the Hyperloop mass transit system after Maharashtra, which is a pod-like vehicle travelling through a tunnel at a speed higher than that of an aircraft.

It is proposed to be set up between Amritsar and Chandigarh at a cost of Rs 56,000 crore, reducing the travel time between both cities to just 35 to 40 minutes.

The state government is likely to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) shortly with US-based company Virgin Hyperloop One. The US company has tied up with a leading UAE-based company to bring this ultra-modern and untested technology to India. “The prototypes of the pods to be used here are being tested in Nevada in the US and in the future they are likely to run in Toronto and Dubai also,’’ said an official.

Each pod has a seating capacity of 28 people and will travel at a speed of 1,100 to 1,300 kilometres per hour in a tunnel-like structure with almost no resistance and very low atmospheric pressure. This tunnel can be underground or overground depending on the availability of land and other factors. Thus the distance between Chandigarh and Amritsar can be covered in a time span of 35 to 40 minutes compared to the present travel time of five hours by road.

Amritsar – Chandigarh Hyperloop Project Route Map

It will run from Amritsar with stops at Jalandhar and Ludhiana and final destination at Chandigarh and vice versa. Two solar-powered pods can travel at a time carrying 46 people followed by other pod pairs after short intervals. After the pre-feasibility study, work on the project is expected to start by the end of 2021 and finish in 2029.

“After the MoU is signed and a pre-feasibility study is carried out by the company, it will then be decided how to go about the project in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode, private mode or any other way. The total project cost is estimated to be around Rs 56,000 crore,” said an official.

Speaking to this correspondent, Additional Chief Secretary (Investment Promotion and Industry and Commerce, Punjab) Vinni Mahajan said, “The state government is proposing to sign an MoU with this company for bringing this new technology, which will be beneficial in the long run, to the state. Then a
pre-feasibility study will be carried out. The Maharashtra government has already signed an MoU with them.”

It is learnt that this hyperloop is an open-source design of mass transportation system technology built around the tube and capsule concept in which a pod-like vehicle travels through a tunnel at very high speed and carries people and freight.

The Maharashtra government has already signed an MoU with the company for this technology so that the pods can run between Mumbai and Pune, reducing the travel time between both cities to 23 minutes

Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train work to start in Mar-Apr next year

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11/08/2019

Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train work to start in Mar-Apr next year

MUMBAI (Metro Rail News): The land acquisition for the bullet train is in final phases and physical works on the 508-km-long route between Mumbai and Ahmedabad would commence by March-April next year.

The National High-Speed Rail Corp Ltd (NHSRCL), which is implementing the 1,00,000 crore dream project of prime minister Narendra Modi, intends to complete the land acquisition before the Assembly elections in Maharashtra.

The 12 stations in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project are Bandra-Kurla Complex, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Billimora, Surat, Bharuch, Baroda, Anand/Nandiya, Ahmedabad and Sabarmati.

The 508.17 km bullet train route will cover a distance of 155.64 km in Maharashtra, 2 km in Dadra & Nagar Haveli and 350.53 km in Gujarat.

The project involving the two states of Gujarat and Maharashtra and Union Territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli, involves the acquisition of 1,379.59 hectares of land. While 998.78 hectares is privately owned, 154.63 hectares by government, 127.50 hectares by Indian Railways and 98.68 hectares of forest land.

In Gujarat, of the 742.13 hectares, consent agreement has been signed for 325.9 hectares, disbursement has started for 7 hectares acquired in Dadra & Nagar Haveli. In Maharashtra of the 274.6 hectares, consent agreement for 10 hectares has been signed.

“We will acquire 60 to 70 per cent of the land before the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections,”said a top official of NHSRCL on Friday.

Joint measurement survey (JMS) is also going on at fast pace. “Of the 198 villages, JMS in 183 is complete in Gujarat, two in Dadra & Nagar Haveli and 72 of the 97 villages in Maharashtra,” the official said.

In Maharashtra, the train passes through two districts of Thane and Palghar. “Initially there were protests in Dahanu and Talasari tehsils but now people are coming forward. There were some issues in Vasai which is being addressed,” the official said.

The construction work is being done in eight packages. “Tenders for three packages have been issued,” the official said, adding that while the full construction is likely to be completed by 2023, efforts are being made to ensure that the bullet train starts running in a segment in 2022 coinciding with 75 years of Independence.

The technology is inspired by Shinkansen, the Japanese bullet train.
The bullet train will have 10 cars with a capacity of over 1,300
The bullet train will run at a speed of 320 kmph
It will have two seating arrangements – 2×2 (business class) and 2×3 (standard class)
70 services day has been planned
While some trains will gallop, some will stop at all stations
Minimum journey time would be around 2 hrs (and maximum 2 hrs 50 mins) depending on stoppages
Estimated Mumbai-Ahmedabad fare is Rs 3,000
Lowest ticket fare Rs 250 (like between BKC & Thane)

MMRDA plans to Purchase Monorail spares from local vendor

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11/08/2019

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MMRDA plans to Purchase Monorail spares from local vendor

MUMBAI (Metro Rail News): The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has commence a local vendor development policy to promote Indian companies to make spare parts for the Mumbai Monorail.

Due to lack of parts, Monorail operations in the city have been routinely affected. Recently, operations were suspended for a few days on account of non-availability of a key spare part called current collector shoes (CCS), which collects electricity from the third rail on the guide-way and gives power to the train. The CCS was being procured from a United Kingdom-based company, Faiveley Brecknell Willis. MMRDA will now be procuring the CCS from a Pune-based manufacturer.
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“A key issue with the procurement of spare parts is that we are completely reliant on foreign companies. Even if the parts are to be repaired, we need to send them abroad. It was decided to identify a few companies who had the competence to develop these parts,” a senior MMRDA official said.

Under the local vendor policy, the vendor will bear the cost of development and manufacturing of the parts and in return, MMRDA will pay it once the parts are found to be satisfactory. Sources said MMRDA was in talks with other companies for the CCS and for other critical spare parts. “This does not mean we will not be procuring from global companies. For instance, we will be getting the next shipment of CCS from Faiveley Brecknell Willis by September,” an MMRDA official said.

MMRDA officials also said vendors globally had lost faith with the Monorail project largely because the previous operator, Scomi BHD Engg, had not paid its dues. “At present, they (vendors) start manufacturing only after receiving payment from MMRDA. This leads to delays. Moreover, since we have made more rakes functional after taking over the operations, the requirement of spares has increased,” a senior official said.

Ever since it took over operations in December 2018, MMRDA has repaired two rakes, and is running operations with five rakes. It is in the process of repairing two more and aims to have seven rakes running by September. “We have finalised tenders to procure 10 new monorail rakes, which will be finalised by September 15 and will be delivered in 21 months,” an MMRDA spokesperson said.

Monorail operations were badly hit in July when the monthly ridership fell to 2.13 lakh from around 4 lakh in June. MMRDA officials said with their efforts to regularise the supply of spare parts, services should improve in future.

Hyundai Rotem bags Cairo metro train contract

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10/08/2019

Hyundai Rotem bags Cairo metro train contract

Greater Cairo, Egypt (Metro Rail News): A delegation of Hyundai Rotem headed by vice chairman, Mr Yoon Yeocheol signed the contract with al-Wazir, South Korean ambassador on August 7, 2019.

The contract to supply 48 metro trains for Line 2, which Hyundai Rotem was awarded in June. Egypt’s National Authority for Tunnels (NAT), a division of the ministry of transport, selected Hyundai Rotem to supply 256 metro cars for the phase three extension of Cairo metro Line 3 in 2017.

“The delegation there were other upcoming metro investment opportunities, including upgrading the existing Alexandria – Abu Qir branch line to electrified metro, which is due to be tendered internationally” said Minister.

The delegation also discussed the possibility of cooperating on a number of railway projects such as the construction of the Manashy – 6th of October City line, which would ease freight transport between the Port of Alexandria and the dry port at 6th of October City, and a feasibility study into the Hurghada – Safaga – Qena – Luxor line.

Other proposed projects discussed include track doubling of the Mansoura – Damietta line, resignalling the Tanta – Mansoura – Damietta line to improve safety, increasing rail freight between Damietta Port and the Red Sea as well as the possibility of manufacturing locomotives.

Cash-strapped GDA hopes to raise Rs 300 crore by selling land for RRTS station

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09/08/2019

Cash-strapped GDA hopes to raise Rs 300 crore by selling land for RRTS station

GHAZIABAD (Metro Rail News): The Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) plans to sell 24,017 sqm, or nearly 6 acres, of land for Rs 328 crore near New Bus Stand to the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) for construction of a station under the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project.

The move is expected to give a big boost to GDA, which is facing a financial crunch and hasn’t been able to pay the salaries of the previous month until now to nearly 900 employees.

Officials said the state government has given the go-ahead to GDA for the plan and a proposal in this regard will be sent to NCRTC for consideration.

Along with the station, space will also be used for commercial development. The rate has been fixed at Rs 1.10 lakh per sqm in accordance with the district administration’s circle rate. Besides that, an additional charge at the rate of 22% under the head of the corner charge, lease rent and freehold will be imposed.

At present, a tourism department-run Hindon Motel is present at the site. GDA chief engineer VN Singh said altogether 31,000 sqm of land was given to the tourism department on lease for 30 years in 1981, but the contract lapsed in 2011 and was not renewed.

Of 31,000 sqm, 7,000 sqm was earlier used for the construction of a road and a roundabout. Apart from the land where Hindon Motel exists, a request for 8.5 acres near the elevated road at Vasundhara has also been made by NCRTC.

A segment of the RRTS corridor, from Sahibabad to Duhai, is set to become operational by March 2023. The deadline for the entire corridor — Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi to Modipuram in Meerut — is March 2024.

Booking an e-ticket will soon cost more

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09/08/2019

MUMBAI (Metro Rail News): Get ready to pay more for making an online reservation for train journeys. Service charge, which was earlier withdrawn to promote digital transactions, will soon be reintroduced for e-tickets. Earlier, service charge for sleeper class was Rs 20 and Rs 40 for AC compartment seats.

A Railway Ministry letter dated August 3, of which Mirror has a copy, has announced restoration of this operation cost which includes marketing and after-sales service. The service charge for e-tickets had existed until November 2016, just before demonetization.

This money was used by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to fund its e-ticketing system. According to sources, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) advised the railways to discontinue the charge with the promise that the department’s operating costs will be reimbursed. On July 19 this year, the MoF informed the railways in writing that the reimbursement of operation costs for e-ticketing to IRCTC was a “temporary arrangement in special context for a limited period of time”.

Initially, the directive was to not levy service charge till June 2017, but later the timeline was extended multiple times and no service charge is levied until now. During this period, IRCTC’s revenues took a big hit as a service charge was a major source of revenue for the railway arm.

According to sources, IRCTC was to be reimbursed around Rs 88 crore by MoF but even this wasn’t sufficient.

The letter, written by BS Kiran, who is joint director traffic commercial (general) of the Railway Board, further empowers railways to restore the service charge and the quantum to be levied.

According to sources, the matter will be taken up by the directors of IRCTC and the amount will in all probability be the same as before. The passengers Mumbai Mirror spoke to are not happy with this move. “It’s totally against the interest of passengers. Railways should bear the service charge as online booking reduced their expenses,” said Subhash Gupta, member of Zonal Railway Users’ Consultative Council, Central Railway.

Gupta added that online booking reduces the number of windows, booking clerks and other expenses required for the department to function.
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Shailesh Goyal, the former member of the council, also opposed this decision and said the sale of tickets is the responsibility of railways.

“Imposing service charge on the passengers is not a fair decision. It’s for the railways to bear the cost,” he said. According to railway officials, it has been incurring losses despite the MoF reimbursing a certain amount in lieu of the exemption.

They told Mirror that restoration of the charge will generate at least Rs 200 crore for railways and the amount is essential in meeting the escalating costs of maintaining the IRCTC website and keeping all safeguards in place to dissuade the touts from booking tickets illegally.

Government nod to service extension of LMRC MD

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09/08/2019

Government nod to service extension of LMRC MD

LUCKNOW (Metro Rail News): In an about-turn on its earlier stand, the UP government has decided to grant a two-year extension of services to the managing director of Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) who was due to retire on August 17, said housing department officials.

While LMRC MD Kumar Keshav was not available for comment, sources in the housing department confirmed that the state government gave its nod to the proposal for a two-year extension to him.
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Kumar was hand-picked by ‘Metro Man’ E Sreedharan for implementation of the Lucknow Metro rail project.

While Sreedharan (who was the principal advisor to UP government on metro rail projects), tendered his resignation a couple of months ago, Kumar’s term was coming to an end on August 17.

“A formal government order would be issued soon,” said a senior housing department officer. He refused to comment as to why the government had then set up a three-member selection committee headed by the chief secretary, Anup Chandra Pandey, to hunt for a new MD for LMRC in July.

According to sources, around 15 applicants had already applied for the top job and the search committee had forwarded its recommendation to the selection panel.

“I guess the selection process would have to be shelved and a formal call in this regard would be taken by the government over the next couple of days,” said the official. He said the selection process was started because there was an urgent need to fill up the vacancies fast because of the Agra and Kanpur metro rail projects, which have to get off the ground in a couple of months.

CMRL to recycle water from ACs in stations, use it for drinking

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08/08/2019