CMRS conducts Safety Inspection of Maha Metro Nagpur project

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03/03/2019

CMRS Team Inspects Nagpur Metro Project Expresses Satisfaction at the Work Progress

Nagpur, Metro Rail News: A 3-member team of Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) conducted an inspection of Maha Metro Nagpur project today. The inspection went on for the whole day and the team conducted inspection at Depot, Stations and other major project locations. The team was led by Arvind Kumar Jain, Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS), Central Circle, Mumbai and a senior IRSE official. Maha Metro officials led by MD Dr Brijesh Dixit briefed the team about the project.

The other members of the team were G P Garg and E Srinivas, both Deputy CMRS. The team started inspection from MIHAN Depot and inspected all facilities provided there. The team inspected the Depot, rolling stock. The team checked various safety-related parameters, including front door evacuation, emergency and rescue mechanism. This was followed by inspection of the Depot Control Centre.

The emergency services like fire alarm, automatic gate closure were personally checked by the team. It was given a demonstration on safety aspects. The officials also talked to the officials and employees posted there about the facilities provide there. Apart from rescue machinery and alarm system installed at the station, it also checked the surveillance system installed there.
The team of officials conducted inspection at the Airport Metro Stations, Sitabuldi Interchange. During course of inspection, the CMRS team also checked track and traction system along the route. The two officials, accompanied by senior officials from Maha Metro Nagpur, also inspected track and traction between the three stations.

The officials moved on trolley from Airport Metro Station to Sitabuldi Interchange. During the station visit, the officials checked Automatic Fare Collection (AFC), Signaling & Telecom System and other major features. From Interchange Station, the CMRS team, along with Metro officials, boarded the Metro Train to travel to Airport South Station.

The three-member team was also given a detail presentation on the overall progress achieved by the Nagpur Metro Project. Maha Metro’s commitment to a green metro was reiterated today, when the CMRS team and Maha Metro officials planted sapling at MIHAN Car Depot. After its return, the team would submit its compliance report. The team expressed its satisfaction at the overall progress, achieved by the Nagpur Metro Project.

Today’s visit and the team’s compliance report holds significance as this would eventually pave way for launching of the passenger services. Senior Maha Metro Nagpur officials including Director (Project) Mahesh Kumar, Director (Rolling Stock and Systems) Sunil Mathur, Executive Directors (RS) Janak Kumar Garg, Executive Directors (Signaling & Telecom) V K Agrawal, Sr CPM (Reach-I) Devendra Ramtekkar, GM (Administration) Anil Kokate and other senior officials accompanied CMRS team during inspection.

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CM Devendra Fadnavis to flag off Mumbai Monorail Phase 2 services today

By

Narendra Shah

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03/03/2019

0

CM Devendra Fadnavis and Union Rail Minister Shri Piyush Goyal to Flag off the Second Phase of Mumbai Monorail

Mumbai, Metro Rail News: After missing more than dozens of deadlines since December 2015, the Mumbai Monorail second phase connecting Wadala to Jacob Circle is set to begin its services at 6 pm on March 3, 2019. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will flag off the new phase of the Monorail.

CM Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Piyush Goyal to flag off Monorail phase 2 and other railway projects/initiatives today pic.twitter.com/jH7xAD59YE
— CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) March 3, 2019

The Second Phase of Monorail increase connectivity to railway stations, Officials of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority feels that the Monorail Phase-2 may have better ridership compare to the first phase, which is from Chembur to Wadala. The new corridor of the project is expected to boost ridership on the entire Monorail corridor (Chembur-Wadala-Jacob Circle) which is built by the MMRDA at a cost of Rs 2,460 crore.

India’s first Monorail services started between Chembur and Wadala on February 2014, Although it had a good start with a daily ridership of 15,000 to 20,000 commuters, the numbers reduce steadily with the project running into losses that mounted over the years. The MMRDA had stated that the Monorail was incurring losses of Rs 6.40 lakh daily, In response to a Right To Information application filed by an activist,

CM Shri Devendra fadnavis Gifted and dedicated the second phase of Monorail to Mumbaikars. He also traveled up to Wadala after the inauguration along with Union Railway Minister Shri Piyush Goyal and other officials.

We travelled by the #MonoRail upto Wadala !
This project is of 19 km with 30 lakh travellers per month ! pic.twitter.com/W6IfBP2NXf
— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) March 3, 2019

Two coaches of the Monorail were gutted in a fire at Mysore Colony Station On November 9, 2017, leading to the closure of the first phase of monorail services between Wadala and Chembur for 10 months.

A committee was set up to investigate the matter. In a report submitted to the MMRDA in January 2018 by thee committee, found that there were irregularities in the maintenance of the project. Also, the committee suggested that before restarting Monorail services, precautionary like emergency exits must be put in place. Services of the monorail were restored in September 2018.

Monorail Phase-2 has a connectivity to all three local railway lines — Central, Western and Harbour lines — so more commuters may be attracted to the Monorail in its second phase Said A senior officer from MMRDA. MMRDA has set itself a target of achieving a ridership of 1 lakh on the entire corridor from Chembur to Jacob Circle. The second phase will have Monorail services every 20 minutes and fares will range between Rs 20 and Rs 40 for a one-way ticket.

Glimpse of Inauguration

“Currently, we have a total of seven monorail trains. The trains will run at an interval of 20 minutes. Later, we are planning to purchase 10 more trains. We have Rs 200 crore to buy five rakes, while we will raise funds for five more. We will soon float a tender for the five new rakes and procure them by the year-end, and the services will be increased.” Said Dilip Kawathkar, Deputy Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA.

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Jaipur Metro terminating the contract for detailed project report given to EGIS Rail S.A.

By

Aradhana Patel

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03/03/2019

0

Jaipur, Metro Rail News: The Jaipur Metro Rail Corporation (JMRC) terminating the contract for detailed project report (DPR) given to EGIS Rail S.A. for The construction of the 23.8 Kilometre long metro track from Ambabadi to Sitapura Industrial area.

It has stalled again and Commuters will now have to wait longer for the Phase-II project of the metro proposed in 2011.
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According to the source, the project has been terminated due to the poor technical performance of the company.

Subir Kumar, Managing Director of the JMRC said “The technical performance of the company was not up to the mark. The JMRC, therefore, decided to terminate the contract in November 2018,”.

The JMRC will be able to give the new contract only after the court orders, EGIS Rail S.A. has approached the court against the termination decision. said officials.

The Phase-II metro has been seen as the profit building project for loss Jaipur Metro Corporation. JMRC witnessed a loss of nearly Rs. 31 crore for the financial year 2017-2018. Thereafter, it started various non-fare revenue generation schemes such as advertisements, installing ATMs etc. to generate the revenue.

The Second Phase plan was first proposed when a revised DRP prepared by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) was approved by the state cabinet in a meeting held in November 2011. According to the plan proposed in the metro would be constructed joining Sitapura Industrial area and Ambabadi where the stretch of 23.1 Km was covered. The underground area to be covered amounted to 5.1 Km whereas the elevated area to be covered was 18 Km. The estimated cost for the project amounted to Rs. 6583 crore.

In a meeting held under chairmanship of the then Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in November, 2012, DMRC was asked to examine the possibility of a revised route chart and design that connects the Jaipur International Airport terminal(s) to Jaipur Metro and work out the revised cost.

DMRC submitted updated DPR on July, 2014 connecting Airport and Collectorate circle increasing the total length to 23.8 Km and estimated cost to Rs. 10,394 crore.

In September 2017, EGIS Rail SA in collaboration with EGIS Rail India and Feedback Infra Limited were given the contract for preparing a detailed project report within six months. But the contract was terminated in December 2018 due to poor technical performance of the company.

According to the latest proposal of the phase-II, the metro would cover 20 stations. The stations of Sitapura, Airport, Gopalpura, Tonk Phatak, SMS Stadium, SMS Hospital, Ajmeri Gate, Sindhi Camp Station, Collectorate circle and Ambabari. The track will have seven underground stations and 13 elevated stations.

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Maharashtra Metro focuses on generating 50% revenues through non-fare services says Dr. Brijesh Dixit, MD, MMRCL

By

Narendra Shah

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02/03/2019

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Dr. Brijesh Dixit, Managing Director, Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation

The Nagpur Metro Rail Project which is set to go on stream in the first week of March has many firsts to its credit from solar-powered coaches to targeted over 50% revenue through non-fare revenues. Dr. Brijesh Dixit, Managing Director of Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation (Maha-Metro), in an interview said, the company will likely break-even by 2021. Here are the edited excerpts:

Which are the routes you are planning to launch in the first phase?
Dr. Dixit: The stretch starting from Khapri Metro Station to Sitabuldi Interchange which is part of the north-south corridor along with Lokmanya Nagar and Subhash Nagar on the east-west corridor are proposed to be launched in the first phase. These routes will provide connectivity between industrial areas on the outskirts of the city (SEZ, cargo hub) to the Central Business District of Sitabuldi. It will also provide easy transportation for the workforce employed in the industrial area of Hingna. The proposed work on these two routes would cover a distance of 18.5 km and will be over by February 26.

What are the sizes of rakes that we are looking at?
Dr. Dixit: The Metro train would comprise three coaches against four coaches elsewhere. However, these coaches would have a higher powering capacity, which allows faster pick-up between stations. The other major highlight of the train would be a special coach for women called ‘Nari Shakti’. The special coach would not just ensure safety for women, but also promise a hassle-free journey.

By when can we expect both the corridors (east-west and north-south) to be ready?
Dr. Dixit: The entire Nagpur Metro project which covers a distance of 38.215 km and includes 38 stations is expected to be ready by the end of 2019. While the north-south corridor of this project stretches to a distance of 19.985 km and covers 18 stations, the east-west corridor covers a distance of 18.23 km and 20 stations. Sitabuldi Interchange would serve to be the meeting point for the train coming from all the four directions.

According to DPR, what is the ridership projected this year? And in the next five years?
Dr. Dixit: As per DPR, the proposed daily ridership in 2021 is expected to be 3.83 lakh. The ridership for the north-south corridor is expected to be 1.85 lakh, while the figure for the east-west corridor would be 1.97 lakh. Similarly, the ridership figures, as proposed in the DPR, would increase exponentially, and by 2041, the ridership is expected to be 5.63 lakh (north-south corridor 2.77 lakh and east-west corridor 2.86 lakh). The Detail Project Report (DPR) lists ridership figures for every five years.

How much of the total power requirement for the Metro will be met through solar energy?
Dr. Dixit: Solar power has been integrated right from the inception to meet 65% of the total requirement of the project. In Phase-I, 14 MW solar power was installed which will be upgraded to 25 MW later. The rooftops, depot boundary walls, and depot sheds will be mounted with solar PV panels which will be grid connected and net-metered.

What is the kind of investments we have seen till date for the Metro and what is the total project cost?
Dr. Dixit: The total project cost for the Nagpur Metro is Rs 8,680 crore. Till date, over Rs.5,000 crore has been invested in the project and 77 % of the total work has also been completed. Apart from the continuous financial support by the central and state governments, foreign funding agencies such as Kfw of Germany and Afd of France have also provided 630 million euros for the project.

In terms of revenues, what are your expectations and how soon can we expect the Nagpur Metro to break-even?
Dr. Dixit: Maha Metro has focussed on generating more than 50% of revenue through non-fare box sources. It will be highest-ever in the metro rail segment across the world. We aim to overtake Hong Kong Metro service which is around 42%. We have not waited for the launch of services but our earnings have already started. Maha Metro has already earned almost Rs 140 crore through property development initiatives. Metro has earned from the 1% additional surcharge on stamp duty levied by the state government and the earnings through transit-oriented development (TOD) policy. We expect the break-even to happen by 2021 when our traffic reaches 3.83 lakh.

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Indian Railways Five Year Achievements & Initiatives

By

Narendra Shah

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02/03/2019

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Five Year Achievements & Initiatives of Ministries of Railways and Coal

New Delhi, Metro Rail News: In the last five years (2014-19), the Government of India has made safety the foremost priority of Indian Railways. Indian Railways has achieved its best ever safety record in 2018-19 – there has been 81% drop in the number of deaths from 152 in 2013-14 to 29 this year (up to Jan 31, 2019). This is a result of holistic efforts. All Unmanned Level Crossings (UMLCs) on Broad Gauge network have been eliminated. Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK) fund of Rs. 1 lakh cr has been created for safety expenditure.

Laying the foundations of infrastructure for a New India, there has been a quantum leap in capital expenditure. Total capital expenditure between 2014-19 is Rs. 5.1 lakh crore which is more than double of total expenditure during 2009-14. Railways is connecting India at a faster pace with a 59% increase in the average pace of commissioning New Line / Doubling / 3rd & 4th line projects from 4.1 Kms during 2009-14 per day to 6.53 Kms per day during 2014-18.

Aspirations of the people of North East were fulfilled with the completion of 4.94 Kms long Bogibeel Bridge, longest rail-cum-road bridge in India. Now, the journey from Itanagar to Dibrugarh is only 180 Kms, reducing the travel time from 24 hrs to only 5 hrs

Commuter travel in urban India has been given sufficient attention. Bangalore Suburban System is being developed with ongoing projects worth more than Rs. 15,700 cr. This will benefit about 15 lakh commuters. Mumbai Suburban Systems is also being modernized with ongoing projects worth more than Rs. 70,000 cr, which will benefit about 75 lakh commuters.

India entered a new era of mobility with Vande Bharat Express – India’s first high-tech, energy-efficient, self-propelled train. This is a prime example of the success of Make in India movement. This train will be proliferated across India and also exported globally.

The Ahmedabad-Mumbai High-Speed Rail (HSR) will revolutionize the transport sector in India through speed, safety, and service. Besides the Make in India benefits from the HSR project, Railways is creating large scale employment and economic development through sanctioned projects in Latur, Maharashtra; New Bongaigaon, Assam; Lumding, Assam; Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, and Sonipat, Haryana. Setting records for Indian Railways, Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh has successfully executed world’s 1st ever conversion of diesel locos into electric loco to enable Mission Electrification.

Indian Railways has embarked on transitioning to sustainable rail transport with a six times increase in electrification from 610 RKM during 2013-14 to 4,087 RKM during 2017-18. 100% Electrification of Broad Gauge Routes of Indian Railways is targeted by 2021-22.

Indian Railways has achieved significant milestones in moving the country’s economy faster with the highest ever freight loading in 2018-19. Freight earnings have touched their highest level and is expected to be about Rs. 1.43 lakh cr in BE 2019-20.

Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFC) are gateways to India’s superfast growth and development. First sections of Eastern DFC (Bhadan to Khurja, 200 Kms) and Western DFC (Rewari to Madar, 200 Kms) have been completed.

Indian Railways is improving passenger services including a complete makeover of Stations by installing modern facilities including escalators, lifts, free wifi etc. and using local art in the design. 4 stations are undergoing redevelopment – Habibganj, Gandhinagar, Charbagh and Gomtinagar. Beautification of 65 stations has been completed using local art. Indian Railways has improved trains and coaches including launching the Tejas, Antyodaya and Humsafar trains and Deen Dayalu and Anubhuti coaches. Connecting passengers to the digital world, high-speed WiFi service has been provided at more than 800 stations. Pan India rollout of paperless Unreserved Ticketing (UTS) has been done to make ticketing convenient and hassle-free.

Catering has also been a focus area with compulsory printing of MRP on all food items and use of artificial intelligence to monitor food production in base kitchens for improving quality and hygiene.

Indian Railways is also playing its part in promoting tourism and providing a wonderful experience to tourists. It is also connecting Indias to their roots with the launch of Ramayan Express, Panj Takht Express, and Buddhist Circuit Train.

Rail Drishti dashboard has been launched, encompassing all the digitization efforts in Indian Railways and promoting transparency and accountability. It brings information from various sources on a single platform and gives access to key statistics and parameters to every citizen of the country. The available information has been categorized under 15 user-friendly sections on the Dashboard.

India’s first National Rail & Transportation Institute has been launched with 1st academic session started with two undergraduate programmes – B.Sc. in Transportation Technology & BBA in Transportation Management with 103 students. Rs. 421 crore has been sanctioned for the next 5 years.

Recognizing the significance of empowering and upskilling the Railways family, various steps have been taken including delegation of powers. The historic recruitment drive is being undertaken with 1.5 lakh vacancies being filled. 2.3 lakh individuals will be recruited over the next two years.

Indian Railways has also focused on digital initiatives for bringing transparency and accountability to its business practices. E- reverse auction policy has been issued. 100% e-Procurement is being done through a single web-portal. Simpler approval processes in Research Designs and Standards Organisation have reduced process time from 30 months to 6 months.

Click here to download Booklet: Indian Railways

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Asian Development Bank Grant $926 million for Mumbai Metro Rail Project

By

Narendra Shah

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02/03/2019

0

The single largest infrastructure project loan ever, The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India today signed a $926 million loan to operationalise two lines for the Mumbai Metro Rail System.

It aims to ease the distress of millions of commuters each day and help to provide a cleaner, less congested city.

“The single largest infrastructure project loan in ADB history—approved by the ADB Board on 26 February—will help fund lines 2A (Dahisar to D.N. Nagar), 2B (D.N. Nagar–Bandra–Mandale), and 7 (Dahisar [East] to Andheri [East]), totaling about 58 kilometers (km)” said Deol, Rajesh K. Senior External Relations Officer, India Resident Mission

The project will fund 63 six-car trains, signaling and safety systems, and help establish a new dedicated metro operations organization to manage the entire metro network in Mumbai.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will implement the project. an estimated 2 million passengers a day will use the two new lines, travelling in improved safety and comfort once operational by the end of 2022.

It will also reduce emissions from vehicles, with carbon dioxide emissions expected to fall by about 166,000 tons a year.

“ADB financing will ease travel for millions of commuters across Mumbai, help decongest heavily crowded suburban rail systems, and contribute to providing modern, clean, and livable urban environment to its citizens,” said Mr. Kenichi Yokoyama, Country Director of ADB’s India Resident Mission

Mr. Kenichi Yokoyama signed the loan agreement for Asian Development Bank and Mr. Sameer Kumar Khare, Additional Secretary (Fund Bank and ADB), Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance signed the loan on behalf of the Government of India.

“The New Mumbai Metro is an ambitious and truly transformative venture planned by the state government, which will contribute to enhance the efficiency of the urban transport network and productivity of India’s financial center,” said Mr. Sameer Kumar Khare, Additional Secretary (Fund Bank and ADB), Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance

Mumbai, with a population of about 12 million, is the capital of the state of Maharashtra and renowned as the financial capital of India. Maharashtra accounts for about 15% of India’s gross domestic product, about 40% of which is generated from the Mumbai metropolitan region. Rail is the primary means of transport in Mumbai, where the suburban network totals almost 400 km and carries more than 7.5 million passengers a day.

Recognizing the transportation challenges, the government has developed a plan for 12 metro lines with a total length of 276 km. Line 1, completed in 2014 on a public-private partnership model, carries about 400,000 passengers a day and has reduced travel time along its east-west route from 71 minutes to 21 minutes.

Other new metro lines will ease travel and make the city more livable and competitive. Since access to the stations is sometimes difficult, ADB is also assisting MMRDA to improve last mile connectivity by piloting electric vehicles and nonmotorized transport at select stations.

Carriages procured under this project will feature high-level safety features and automation, including surveillance systems, door closing, and train obstacle detectors. Platforms will have automatic doors, which will be synchronized with the trains, so there will no longer be a danger of surging crowds pushing passengers onto the tracks. The tracks will be elevated about 9 meters above road level, ensuring no nearby residents are put at risk.

Various features that will benefit women include women-only carriages, mobile applications for women’s security, separate ticket counters, and reporting desks to address incidents of harassment. It will ensure women have improved opportunities for employment along the new lines, including a station staffed only by women. There will be station and carriage facilities for elderly or differently-abled passengers including priority e-ticket counters.

The project marks ADB’s first cofinancing with the Shanghai-based New Development Bank, which will provide $260 million toward the metro systems project. The MMRDA will implement civil works and other related components for the lines 2A, 2B, and 7.

ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. In 2018, it made commitments of new loans and grants amounting to .
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Hyderabad Metro works at Hitec City to end in 10 days

By

Narendra Shah

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02/03/2019

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L&T metro Hyderabad /Image Source: Twitter

Hyderabad, Metro Rail News: Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) managing director NVS Reddy Said: “Metro works at Hitec City to be completed in 10 days”. On March 1, 2019, NVS Reddy inspected all the eight stations of Ameerpet – Hitec city stretch.

“Footpaths developed by HMRL on Road No. 36, Jubilee Hills and other places will be protected with bollards to prevent parking of the vehicles and the shop owners shall be warned not to misuse the footpaths and allow free pedestrian movement” He Added.
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Now the Electric charging facilities, bus bays, auto bays and e-vehicle bays will be created at all the metro stations and the two-acre space at Madhuranagar-Taruni station will be utilised for holding a temporary ‘Taruni Market’ on the lines of Numaish (Exhibition) with about 150 stalls, catering to the needs of women and children.

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Cabinet approves Agra and Kanpur Metro Rail Projects

By

Aradhana Patel

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01/03/2019

0

New Delhi, Metro Rail News: To boost Urban Public Transport connectivity in two Uttar Pradesh cities Kanpur & Agra . The Union cabinet approved the Kanpur and the Agra metro rail projects.

According to the government report, the Agra rail project will have two corridors.

which will pass through the heart of the city and will connect prominent tourist places like the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, and Sikandra. It will also connect Interstate bus terminal, railway station, medical college, and others.

The decision was taken a cabinet meeting chaired by Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The estimated cost of the Kanpur metro project is Rs 11,076.48 crore and the Agra project is Rs 8,379.62 crore. Both the projects will be completed in five years.

According to the source, In Kanpur metro project, the length of the ITT-to Naubasta corridor is 23.785 km, which is partly elevated and partly underground. It comprises of 22 stations.

Cabinet Approve Kanpur Metro Rail Project

Also, the length of the Agriculture University to Barra-8 corridor is 8.60 km, comprising of four elevated and four underground stations.

The financing of the Kanpur Metro Rail Project will be partly from the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government on an equal-equity basis and party as soft loan from multilateral international funding agencies.

In a momentous decision that will accelerate the process of development & urbanization in Uttar Pradesh, the Union Cabinet has approved metro rail projects for the people of Agra & Kanpur, two of the largest cities of the state. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/zhgNsgpoZ4
— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) February 28, 2019

Although, the Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation a 50:50 jointly-owned company of the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government will be restructured as the Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) for implementation of the project.

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CM Devendra Fadnavis to flag off the second phase of Mumbai Monorail on March 2

By

Narendra Shah

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01/03/2019

0

Mumbai, Metro Rail News: Chief minister of Maharastra Shri Devendra Fadnavis on March 2, 2019 inaugurate the second phase of the Mumbai monorail (Wadala-Jacob Circle), with the inauguration of the second phase the entire corridor (Chembur-Wadala-Jacob Circle) operational eight years after missing of the first deadline.

CM Fadnavis is expected to flag off the second phase from the Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk station at 11am, and address citizens after travelling till the Wadala depot. The 19.5-km corridor is being inaugurated days before the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections sets in.

According to the source, The trial runs for the second phase are being conducted every night for the past few days. In December 2018, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) took over the project from the contractor, after serving a show-cause notice for not completing the project on time.

The initial deadline for the opening of the entire corridor was May 13, 2011. It was revised eight times through the years, with the project running into several hurdles. The first phase (Chembur-Wadala) was operationalised before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

1 Lakh Passengres

The MMRDA, which has executed the project, expects the ridership to touch around 1 lakh passengers a day with the entire corridor operational.

A senior MMRDA official said, “The ridership will increase once the gap between trains reduces. We are looking at purchasing new rakes for this purpose.”

Frequency of the trains

MMRDA is also considering getting 10 new rakes in the next one-and-a-half years to increase the frequency of the trains to four minutes from the current 20 minutes.

Currently, the phase-1 is operational using four rakes, while six rakes are lying unused.

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Metro ‘MAHA CARD’ Now Open to Public

By

Narendra Shah

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28/02/2019

0

Nagpur, Metro Rail News: Right since its inception, Maha Metro had envisaged the need for reducing hassles faced by commuters while travelling through Metro. It was this concept, which prompted the Organization to introduce an all-in-one co-branded “MAHA-CARD”. This Card caters to both commuting as well as daily needs within the city.

Maha Metro joined hands with Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and State Bank of India (SBI) to bring them onboard for the common mobility program. As Maha Metro Nagpur gets ready for launch of its services, the first Maha Card is being presented to City mayor and Nagpur’s first citizen Smt Nanda Jichkar at the hands of MD Dr Brijesh Dixit, today.

As Nagpur takes huge steps in overall development, the initiative of “MAHA CARD” is a revolutionary step towards placing the city of Nagpur at par with its international counterparts. It is an all-inclusive, user-friendly approach that will increase the efficiency and mobility of everyday transactions.

Maha Card was unveiled at the hands of Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadanvis, Union Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari, SBI Chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya and other dignitaries at a glittering ceremony held during the inaugural trial run on 30th September 2017. With Maha Metro Nagpur gearing up to launch passenger services, the Card is now being shared with the common public of the city.

Some of the main features of MAHA CARD are:-

Single card for Metro, Buses, Feeders, Parking, Utility and other retail payments.
Highly secured Chip based dual interface (contact and contactless) smart card.
Dip and swipe interface for retail operations.
Compatible for web and mobile based transactions
Personalized card on proven EMV (Europay, Master, Visa, Rupay) platform.

Automatic fare collection system implementation work was awarded to SBI Consortium comprising State Bank of India, M/s S. C. Soft Pte. Ltd. and M/s Aurionpro Solutions Pvt. Ltd on 12th April 2017.The contract is based on BOT (Build, Operate, and Transfer) model where the consortium will bear the upfront Capital cost and will maintain the system for 10 years.

Win-Win situation for all stakeholders:

For Maha Metro:

Share from other transit and non-transit transactions.
Royalty from Consortium
No investment in capex
No operational hassles during contract duration

For State Bank of India Consortium:*

Access to Nagpur Metro’s potential huge customer base
Revenue % in all transit and non-transit transactions
Successful mobile application and credentials for the solution
Exclusive rights to issue their cards to commuters of other transit organizations

For citizen of Nagpur:

Promotion/ discounts and loyalty rewards for increased customer acquisition.
Single smart card for transit purpose (Metro, NMC buses, Parking) and for non-transit (retail) purpose
In win-win situation customer is the ultimate winner.

The AFC System and MAHA CARD, which have been embraced by Maha Metro Nagpur would go a long way in making commuting not just simpler, but would also ensure that the Metro train ride becomes hassle-free for every passenger.

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