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Lucknow Metro | European Investment Bank to lend $512 million for Lucknow Metro Project

Narendra Shah
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Lucknow Metro | European Investment Bank to lend $512 million for Lucknow Metro Project

Berlin: The European Investment Bank will give 450 million euros ($512 million) in loan to India to finance the construction of Lucknow’s first 23 km-long metro rail line and purchase a fleet of new trains.

An agreement on the first tranche of the credit was signed in Brussels on Wednesday during the 13th EU-India summit attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The loan represented the largest project financing by European Union’s official bank, also the world’s largest international public bank, in India since its engagement in the country began more than 20 years ago and the most significant investment in sustainable public transport outside Europe, Luxembourgbased European Investment Bank (EIB) said.

The 450 million euro ($512 million) long-term loan – expected to cover half of the total project cost for the Lucknow Metro – will be used to finance the first metro line in Lucknow, including both construction of the 23 km-long new metro line and a fleet of metro trains.

The line is the first part of a broader metro network planned for Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh. When it becomes operational, the new metro is expected to increase the use of public transport from 10 per cent to an estimated 27 per cent in the city of three million people, the bank said in a statement.

EIB president Werner Hoyer said the bank would expand its support for long-term investments in India and unveiled plans to open a regional representation for South Asia in New Delhi by the end of this year.

The EIB has supported long-term investment across India that has helped the country harness renewable energy, strengthened industry and reduced carbon emissions.

The bank recognises that the time is right to increase its engagement in India, Hoyer said.

“The first metro line in Lucknow is a flagship project not only for Uttar Pradesh and India, but also for the bank’s strengthened global commitment to support transformational investment,” Hoyer said.

The loan agreement was signed by India’s Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the EU Manjeev Singh Puri and EIB Vice President for Asia Jonathan Taylor in the presence of Modi, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council President Donald Tusk.

The EIB had committed loans totalling more than 1.34 billion euros for longterm investment in India since the cooperation began in 1993.

Nagpur Metro | NMRC gets Rs 3,800 crore loan from German development bank KfW

Narendra Shah
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Nagpur Metro | NMRC gets Rs 3,800 crore loan from German development bank KfW

Nagpur: The Nagpur Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (NMRCL) — purportedly the nation’s first green metro — will get a loan of €500 million from the German government’s development bank KfW. The loan will be utilised in several key packages of the project, like rolling stock (the various carriages and engines to be used in the Metro), track, signalling, telecommunication and civil work, NMRCL Executive Director Ramnath S told the Media.

“This will be the nation’s first green Metro where 14 MW of power will be generated from rooftop solar panels,” said Ramnath, adding: “We expect to save 65 percent of our power costs with this move. Power takes up 35 percent of the operating cost of a Metro. We will be able to repay a good part of the loan by saving on this head as well as other cost increases.”

He told that several other steps had been taken to make the project sustainable. “Floor-Space Index (FSI) on either side of the project has been increased from 1.33 to 4. Part of the revenue generated from this will be redirected to the NMRCL, as will be the case with the stamp duty and registration,” he said.

FSI is effectively the ratio between the total floor area of a building to the size of the land it is built on. It is generally limited in urban areas so as to prevent tall buildings from coming up in congested areas, which could be a logistical and infrastructural nightmare in several ways.

Meanwhile, the loan, which translates to around Rs 3,800 crore and is being given for a period of 20 years with a moratorium of five years, will be disbursed over three years, depending on the progress of work. “We will get this loan twice a year — in the first and second half,” Ramnath told Media.

“Civil work — creation of viaducts — is currently underway in a 12-km stretch of the project, and the tender for similar work on another 8-km stretch of the project, which will stretch over 38 km, will be awarded next week,” he said.

“We are looking to complete the work by end 2018,” said Ramnath of the Rs 8,680-crore project, on which work had begun in May 2015.

Meerut/Agra Metro | Official hurdles hampers the Meerut and Agra Metro Rail projects

Narendra Shah
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Meerut/Agra Metro | Official hurdles hampers the Meerut and Agra Metro Rail projects

Lucknow: Official hurdles have hampered the Meerut and Agra Metro Rail projects. Officials attribute this to the state government’s preferential treatment towards the projects in Kanpur and Varanasi. This seems evident as the state budget allocated around Rs 50 crore each for the projects in Kanpur and Varanasi and none for the western UP towns.

The detailed project report (DPR) of the Meerut Metro, officials said, is ready but has to be vetted by a team from the Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC). The LMRC team’s scheduled visit to Meerut has been pending for over a month, following which a report will be sent to the state government.

“There is a long, tedious process before construction work on the Metro can commence. There are two aspects – technical and administrative. The administrative aspect will be taken care of the Meerut Development Authority and the local administration. As far as the technical aspect is concerned, MDA officials have created a DPR. This includes specific technical details like where pillars will be erected and specifications of Metro stations. This DPR will be studied by the LMRC. After this, a team will be sent to Meerut to suggest changes, if any. The MDA and local administration have been waiting for a response from the LMRC but we don’t know why the visit is taking so long,” a government official not wishing to be named told Media.

The official further added, “The four Metro projects – Meerut, Agra, Kanpur and Varanasi – were meant to be parallel projects. This implies that work should have been carried out simultaneously. For reasons best known to officials in Lucknow, the Kanpur and Varanasi Metro projects are moving along much further. After the LMRC clears the DPR, the local administration will send a report to the chief secretary, who will send it to the state cabinet for approval. The proposal will then be sent to the Centre.”

“Only after the Centre gives its nod to the proposal, the Meerut Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) will be formed. While we’re still waiting for the LMRC to approve our DPR, the Kanpur project is at the state government level. Also, the Kanpur Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) is likely to be formed by this year. I can’t say the same for the MMRC.”

Delhi Metro | DMRC approached to be consultant in 10 projects

Narendra Shah
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Delhi Metro | DMRC approached to be consultant in 10 projects

New Delhi: With an increasing demand for metro projects across the country and the globe, the Delhi Metro bagged consultancy assignments in the financial year 2014-15 in at least 10 projects and worked as a turn-key consultant in three others.

Upcoming metros in Dhaka, Jakarta, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Pune, Vijayawada and Vishakhapatnam, Kerala Light Metro projects in Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram, Raipur and Amritsar have DMRC playing a key role, the annual report of the Corporation for 2014-15 tabled in the Delhi Assembly on Tuesday stated.

In the capital, the mass rapid transit system touched a high of 31.72 lakh passengers on a single day in August last year. It is set to expand further this year with the commissioning of lines as part of Phase III.

A total of 160.57 km will be added to the existing 190 km network and will expand the boundaries by connecting Ghaziabad, Bahadurgarh, Faridabad, Najafgarh among others, the report stated.

Bangalore Metro | Recruitment of Engineers and Law Officers

Narendra Shah
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Bangalore Metro | Recruitment of Engineers and Law Officers

Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) inviting applications from the eligible candidates for the recruitment of following positions:-
1. Assistant Engineer: 15 Posts
2. Junior Engineer: 25 Posts
3. Section Engineer: 25 Posts
4. Assistant Law Officer: 01 Post
5. Legal Assistants: 02 Posts
6. Chief Engineer: 03 Posts

Age Limit: 35 years for Sr. No. 1 to 5 and 55 years for Sr.No.6.

Last date for apply: 25.04.2016 for Sr.No. 1 to 3, 22.04.2016 for Sr. No. 4 & 5, and 11.04.2016 for Sr. No.6.

How to apply: How to Apply: Eligible candidates may apply in the prescribed format along with copies of all the relevant certificates, testimonials & in an envelope should be superscribed as “Application for the Post of ——— ” to General Manager (HR), Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited, III Floor, BMTC Complex, K.H.Road, Shanthinagar, Bangalore 560027 on or before the last date of submission of application.

For more details, please log on to http://bmrc.co.in/careers.htm

MEGA Metro | Residents reject MEGA’s relocation offer

Narendra Shah
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MEGA Metro | Residents reject MEGA’s relocation offer

Ahmedabad : Residents, facing displacement due to a proposed metro rail project here, today rejected the relocation offer made by Metro-Link Express for Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad (MEGA) Co. Ltd. before the Gujarat High Court, arguing that the area in question is “communally-disturbed”.

The 22 petitioners, who own houses and shops in Jivraj Park Society, have instead demanded relocation to the plots available in Prahladnagar or Manekbaug areas of the city.

The matter was heard by the division bench of Justice Akil Kureshi and Z K Saiyed.

MEGA had made an offer to the project affected residents to relocate to a plot bordering Vejalpur and Juhapura. However, they opposed the proposal stating that the area was communally disturbed and was among the first to be affected in the event of communal riots.

The residents said they are willing to shift to either of the two areas– Prahladnagar or Manekbaug– which they have suggested, if offered relocation there. MEGA said it would think of the option offered by them.

Respondent Anil Gupta, General Manager (Planning) of MEGA, had earlier stated that the company will go ahead to acquire the land if the petitioners agreed to be relocated to the area.

The petitioners, including residents and shopowners of Mangal Deep and Vishwakarma Residential Societies of Jivraj Park area from where the north-south elevated corridor of the proposed metro rail starts, had moved the high court, alleging that acquisition of their properties by MEGA was not in accordance with Land Acquisition Act of 2013.

They had claimed that they would lose their houses and shops due to the project and state-owned MEGA, undertaking the project of Metro Rail, is not ready to provide anything beyond cash compensation against the acquisition of their properties, which is a violation of the Act.

The next hearing on the matter is scheduled on April 12.

Chennai Metro | 4 metro officials arrested for safety lapses at site

Narendra Shah
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Chennai Metro | 4 metro officials arrested for safety lapses at site

Chennai: Four people, including safety engineer and site supervisor, were arrested a day after a worker fell to death at a metro rail work site near Alandur on Saturday. The worker was involved in installing signalling panels and electrification at the Little Mount-Airport elevated line when he slipped and fell into a well where reinforcements for concrete were kept.

A police official said, the staff were arrested because they were responsible for safety lapses at the worksite. Chennai Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL) has ordered an enquiry.

The accident shows that neither CMRL nor its contractors have learnt their lessons from past experiences. The project has seen more than four fatal accidents since the construction began in 2009.

A senior official of metro rail said it was challenging to ensure safety at worksite where labourers from a variety of background work.

“The periodic audits done by safety wing suggests ways to improve protection and avoid accidents. Workers are counselled while supervisors are advised to be stern. This has helped in cutting down on accidents. Our track record is good when compared to other metro rail projects,” he added.

Delhi Budget: Delhi Govt. allocated Rs 763 crore for Delhi Metro

Narendra Shah
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Delhi Budget: Delhi Govt. allocated Rs 763 crore for Delhi Metro

New Delhi: Delhi government, which holds a stake in the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), on Monday allocated Rs 763 crore in its budget for the mass rapid transit system, the daily ridership of which is expected to rise to 41 lakh by this year end.

At present, about 27 lakh people commute daily across the national capital using the metro. The ridership which is expected to increase to 41 lakh after the completion of its phase-III will bring more areas into its fold, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said while presenting the annual budget.

One section of the under-construction phase-III network, stretching from Jahangirpuri to Badli, was operationalised in November last year.

Last month, the Union government had announced Rs 5,579 crore for DMRC in the Union Budget, a jump of about 31% over the previous year.

Besides, about 248 new mini-buses will be inducted in the metro feeder bus fleet, taking their count to 517 across 93 routes during 2016-17.

Delhi Metro | ITO-Kashmere Gate line may open soon

Narendra Shah
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Delhi Metro | ITO-Kashmere Gate line may open soon

New Delhi: The Delhi Metro, which is facing a delay in the launch of its two new corridors paralleling the Ring Road, is hoping to get at least the Heritage line off the mark. Delhi Metro spokesman Anuj Dayal said, “We are hoping to open the line from ITO to Kashmere Gate before August 15, provided we get all the clearances. This is an internal deadline though, and we have asked engineers to expedite the work.”

The Heritage line, which is an extension of the Violet corridor from Central Secretariat, goes via heart of the city, including the congested Daryaganj area. It has stations at Janpath, Mandi House, ITO, Delhi Gate, Jama Masjid, Red Fort and Kashmere Gate. The corridor was originally supposed to be completed by December 2015, but got delayed by several months due to a number of reasons, including a change in alignment at Jama Masjid. Work in fact, has been slow on the corridor, with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) facing some major engineering challenges from Delhi Gate to Jama Masjid area.

The station at ITO had been thrown open to the public last year. The new August-15 deadline comes after Delhi Metro chief Mangu Singh recently admitted that work on the rest of the new network — including the upcoming corridors from Majlis Park to Shiv Vihar and Janakpuri (west) to Botanical Garden— was running behind schedule.

According to Singh, only one of the new corridors, line 8 (Janakpuri west to Botaical Garden), is likely to meet the December 2016 deadline. The other corridor has been delayed “seriously”, Singh had said at the time.

The ITO to Kashmere Gate section was supposed to be commissioned by October this year, but sources said that the DMRC was hoping to throw it open much before that. The major clearance required would be from the commissioner of metro rail safety.

A number of problems have been plaguing Delhi Metro on the construction of the extension of the Violet line.

Delhi Metro | Train services to start at 2.30pm on Holi and Feeder bus services will be closed for whole day

Narendra Shah
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New Delhi: On the day of the ‘Holi’ festival, i.

e., 24th March, 2016 (Thursday), Metro services will NOT be available till 1430 Hrs (2:30 PM) on all lines of Delhi Metro including Airport Express Line.

Metro train services will thus start at 1430 Hrs (2:30 PM) on all lines on 24th March and will continue normally thereafter.

In addition, Metro feeder bus services will NOT be available for the whole day on Holi i.e, on 24th March 2016.

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