Central Govt would focus on expanding metro network across the country

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04/05/2015

New Delhi: Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu today said the government would focus on expanding metro network across the country.

Naidu, who is a frequent traveller on the Airport Express Line, said he was trying to encourage his colleagues and others to use metro services and announced that Delhi Metro smart cards would be valid for travel in the New Delhi Station-IGI Airport section also.

“I am trying to persuade other ministers, MPs to avail the services of Metro regularly. The Prime Minister himself had travelled recently. We spend so much in running the facilities so optimum use is imperative,” Naidu said.

According to Metro officials, the Union Minister had travelled over 35 times in the mass transit network during his trips in and out of the national capital via flights.

“The idea is to have network of metro across the country. We need to have less private and more public transport and that is the need of the hour. We will be focusing on expanding metro throughout the country,” Naidu said.

The Minister, who would flag off the Phase I of Bangalore Metro tomorrow, said Chennai Metro would be made operational by the end of next month and that DMRC has prepared a DPR for the proposed metro for the new capital city of Andhra Pradesh.

“We are moving towards modernisation of India. PM wants transformation of India that’s why NITI Aayog was brought in replacing the Planning Commission. We must have a strong economy, smart solutions, smart leadership,” he said.

Meanwhile, tomorrow onwards, Delhi Metro smart cards would be valid for travel by the Airport Express Line, making a seamless travel between the two networks possible.

“There is no need for DMRC Smart Card holders to purchase any additional token or card separately for travel on the Airport Express Line however the existing smart cards issued from the stations on the Airport Express Line will continue to be valid only for travel on the Airport Express Line,” an official said.

Earlier today, the Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) organised a conclave at the India Habitat Centre (IHC) to showcase the emerging opportunities that exist in Uttar Pradesh in the Mass Rapid Transit (MRTS) sector.

LMRC Managing Director Kumar Keshav, who spoke on the occasion, said DPRs of Metro projects for Kanpur, Varanasi, Agra and Meerut would be submitted to the government in about four months.

“Once it is approved by the cabinet, the work for Metro rail projects will start very soon in these cities, thus, providing plethora of opportunities for all our stakeholders in this sector,” Keshav added

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Delhi Metro: Around 4 dozens of Delhi’s Metro stations have been found ‘unsafe’

By

Narendra Shah

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04/05/2015

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New Delhi: If you believe premises of the Delhi Metro stations are one of the safest places in the city, it’s time to rethink. Nearly one-third of the Metro stations have been found ‘unsafe’, particularly for women, by the Delhi Police. In a survey conducted to assess the status of lighting arrangements in Metro parking lots and on roads leading to the stations, the Delhi Police has found that 44 of the 125 Metro stations in the national Capital have inadequate lighting.
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Delhi Police officials said that nearly 500 cases of snatching and over 2,000 cases of stalking were reported from outside these stations, in 2014. The survey report states that parking lots at almost all Metro stations in and around Connaught Place are poorly-lit though the roads leading to them have adequate lighting. These include the crowded Rajiv Chowk, Barakhamba Road, Mandi House, R.K. Ashram Marg, Jhandewalan and Karol Bagh Metro stations. Similarly, the parking lot at Patel Chowk Metro station, which is located close to the Parliament House and the Parliament Street police station, has been found unsafe for women commuters. The parking lot at the station has inadequate lighting, which makes it prone to petty crimes. A police official said the survey was conducted following frequent complaints of snatching and stalking from outside several Metro stations.

The survey, conducted in every police district, has revealed that none of the Metro stations in East District—including Laxmi Nagar, Yamuna Bank, Preet Vihar and Nirman Vihar—has properly-lit parking lots or approach roads. Surprisingly, the Metro stations at Akshardham and Anand Vihar too lack proper lighting arrangements. Notably, these two stations receive high footfall as tourists and rail passengers use this station in large numbers.

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Mumbai Metro: Actress Shruti Hasan impressed by Mumbai Metro Rail

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Narendra Shah

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04/05/2015

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Mumbai: Shruti Haasan has found a perfect way to overcome Mumbai’s infamous traffic issue – it’s a Metro ride and the actress is gaga over it.

“Took the metro this morning in Mumbai and I must say I’m impressed,” Shruti tweeted on Thursday.

On the professional front, the daughter of actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan is gearing up for her film “Gabbar Is Back”, in which she shares screen space with Akshay Kumar.

Directed by Krish and co-produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Viacom18 Motion Pictures, the remake of the 2002 Tamil film “Ramanaa” also features Kareena Kapoor Khan in a special role. The film is slated to release on Friday.

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Delhi Metro: PM Narendra Modi enjoyed first time the metro ride

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Narendra Shah

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04/05/2015

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday took a Metro ride in the national capital. The PM boarded the Airport Express Metro at Dhaula Kuan station in south Delhi and got down at Dwarka Sector 21 station in south-west Delhi.

The Prime Minister was going to Dwarka to attend a function of the National Intelligence Academy.
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Sources said the PM took the Metro to avoid causing inconvenience to the public on the route because of the security arrangements. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval accompanied PM Modi during the Metro ride.

PM Modi later tweeted that he enjoyed the Metro ride. According to him, former Delhi Metro Rail Corporation chairman E Sreedharan, popularly known as ‘Metro Man’, used to tell him to travel on the Delhi Metro.

It is the first time that PM Modi has travelled in the Delhi Metro.

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Kochi Metro: KMRL plan to move its official website out of the currently hosted server for security reasons

By

Narendra Shah

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01/05/2015

0

Kochi: Kochi Metro Rail authorities are planning to move its domain website www.kochimetro.org out of the hosted Servers hosted in a Data Centre based out at Hyderabad.

The official website of Kochi Metro Rail Limited was hacked on 29th April, 2015 by some unknown group but it was later set right. The hackers posted “Pakistan Zindabad” message on the website, that deals with all functions of the Kochi Metro Rail Project. Although the messages were blocked immediately and a complaint was lodged with the Cyber cell, KMRL is planning to host it in some Data Centres with highest physical and online security parameters. It was immediately not known as to who could have been behind the hacking.

KMRL’s website had been developed and hosted by C-DIT, an autonomous institution set up by the state government along with many other government of Kerala companies, department and agencies. After the incident, KMRL has asked C-DIT to ensure the site be hosted on a reliable dedicated server.
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it said.

The cyber attack was effectively countered by 2 p.m. by the Centre for Development of Imaging Technology (C-DIT) with most of the sites being restored. Some of the departments that had their websites hacked did not realise what happened and by the time they heard of the attack, the websites were restored.

G. Ganapathy, Head, Web Services of C-DIT, said the first report came from Kochi Metro authorities.

They informed that the website was hacked and the homepage displayed an image of a faceless man, wearing a striped hooded jacket and with a message that read ‘Just Support My Bro. Hacked by S@NT3T3. Pakistan Zindabad.’ with an accompanying email id that read ivorian.haxor@ hotmail.com.

Hyderabad-based server

Mr.Ganapathy said the hacker had just denied access to the sites, which were hosted on a Hyderabad-based server. A message was sent to Hyderabad, following which the server was shut down, and usernames and passwords for administrators of websites changed. Some of the websites that were hacked, Mr.Ganapathy said, included those of Kerala Ceramics, State Stationery Department, State Literacy Mission, Kerala State Council for Science, Technology, and Environment, State Handloom Weavers Cooperative Society., (Hantex), and State Hill Area Development Agency (HADA). Probes at various levels, including by the police, had been launched.

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Hyderabad Metro: Hyd Metro has no chances of being affected by a high intensity earthquake

By

Narendra Shah

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01/05/2015

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Hyderabad: In case Hyderabad is hit by a high intensity earthquake the chances of the Metro Rail being affected is zero, as each pillar of the rail has been installed with seismic arresters.

These expensive devices are installed at the top of every pillar. Metro rail will be the first project in the state to have seismic arresters. Experts from Delhi, with vast experience in Indian Railways and Metro strongly suggested to the Hyderabad Metro Rail to install the seismic arresters though it adds to the cost of the project. The arresters are being installed along the three corridors to withstand earthquakes or tremors.

The seismic arresters are being presently installed on the following corridors, Corridor-1 from Miyapur-L.B. Nagar (29 km) and Corridor-II from Jubilee Bus Station to Falaknuma (15 km).

HMR managing director, N.V.S. Reddy said, “The name itself explains the device, these seismic arresters are installed on the top (centre) of the pillar and it arrests the via duct. Though each via duct looks independent, they are connected through a rod, which will not allow the via duct to be affected even in case of extreme earthquakes. Hyderabad does not fall under high intensity zone but to be on the safe side the arresters have been installed, as earthquakes are a phenomenon that cannot be predicted.”

According to experts, the twin cities that are Hyderabad and Secunderabad are located in a zone that can be hit by earthquake measuring 4.5 to 5.0 on the Richter Scale. This natural disaster can occur but any tremors measuring between 5.8 and 6 on the eastern side can affect the twin cities, particularly in areas like Jubilee Hills and Banjara Hills (these areas are prone to minor tremors). But earthquake occurrences are rare in Hyderabad (low density). The city witnessed minor earthquakes in 1982 and 1983.
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Chennai Metro: Chennai Metro can withstand upto 8 on Ritcher Scale

By

Narendra Shah

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01/05/2015

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Chennai: It may take more than a 7.8 magnitude quake that wreaked havoc in Nepal to test the strength of the city’s maiden metro rail infrastructure. The row of pillars on the elevated corridor and columns of the underground network have been built strong enough to withstand easily up to 8 Richter, two decimal points more than the one that hit Nepal Saturday.Though the city is classified under moderate intensity zone III (5-5.9 Richter) in the national seismic map of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), all CMRL structures are constructed to zone IV standard.

“The building strength was set to zone IV specification as per NCB (National Building Code) specification despite the city falling under zone III,” CMRL (Chennai Metro Rail Ltd) project director R Ramanathan told Deccan Chronicle.“It might shake a bit. All buildings will. It happens across the world. But, CMRL’s structures will not be disturbed even if an 8 Richter quake hits the city,” he claimed explaining that the CMRL structures, unlike residences that are designed to last for 30 years, have been designed to last for 120 years and, hence, the likelihood of pressure and force exerted by natural calamities like quake and storm among others during the next century have been factored in, as was mandated in the NBC.

It is not just the pillars and columns; even the walls of the underground and elevated structures have been fortified to withstand any excess pressure. CMRL has its own set of forecast systems to plan and respond to emergencies caused by natural calamities. For instance, anemometers have been fixed atop all stations on the elevated corridor to measure wind speed. The readings will the constantly monitored by the stationmasters. This apart, CMRL has tied up with IMD to get updates on seismic activity.

In the event of a calamity, the train can be halted instantly from the operational control centre (OCC) in Koyambedu. “Electricity to the OHT (overhead traction) can be severed and all trains instantly halted by just turning off the emergency switch in the OCC,” he explained.
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He added that the distance between most of the stations is only 1 km and so passengers can be easily made to alight and exit the stations during emergency easily. “Quake resistance and preparedness is on a par with international metro systems and that is why CMRL engaged multi-national general consultants (three of its five-member GC are MNCs) with metro experience. Nothing has been localised. It is absolutely safe,” said CMRL managing director Pankaj Kumar Bansal.

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Pune Metro: Pune metro rail project committee submitted Report to Maha CM

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Narendra Shah

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01/05/2015

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Pune: The state-appointed committee, formed to study alternative alignment for metro corridor-II between Vanaz and Ramwadi, has submitted its report to the chief minister.

Guardian minister Girish Bapat, who heads the committee, told reporters on Saturday, “After the chief minister’s approval, the report will be sent to the concerned authorities in New Delhi.”

Last month, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had said that the state will immediately start work on corridor-I which would connect Pimpri-Chinchwad with Swargate. The work on the second corridor is expected to start once the committee report is approved by the CM.

Bapat, who is also the head of the Pune Metropolitan Development Authority (PMRDA), said the PMRDA will start working from May 1. “The district collector’s authority to sanction building permission has been transferred to the PMRDA,” said Bapat.

He said the PMRDA will need manpower to fulfill its functions. The staff from the public works department (PWD) and the town planning department will be working with the PMRDA. Some staff will be hired on contract basis, he added.

Bapat, who is also the food and civic supplies minister, said that his ministry was taking stringent steps to curb misappropriations in the public distribution system. “We have already suspended eight tehsildars from Nashik. Similar action has been taken in Buldhana and Ahmednagar,” said Bapat.

He added that the guilty will get anticipatory bail.
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Hence, a strict law is needed to ensure they do not get bail quickly like it happens in cases under MCOCA, the Essential Commodities Act and other legislations.

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Vizag Metro: E.Sreedharan submitted DPR on Vzag Metro to Andhra CM

By

Narendra Shah

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01/05/2015

0

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government on Sunday said works on the proposed Vijayawada metro rail project with an initial estimated cost of Rs 6,823-crore would begin from June this year.
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Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) principal adviser E Sreedharan, who met Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu in this regard, has submitted the detailed project report (DPR) of the metro, coming up in two corridors covering a total distance of 26.03 kilometres, an official release stated.

Corridor-I would be linked to the capital city Amaravathi and the other to the Gannavaram airport. Corridor-I extends between Pandit Nehru Bus Terminal-Penamaluru extending 12.76 km, and corridor-II covering Pandit Nehru Bus Terminal – Nidamanuru for 13.27 km. The DPR estimated the total cost of the project only till 2019.

Union urban development minister M Venkaiah Naidu too was present in the meeting. The report estimated the metro rail development cost per each kilometre at Rs 209 crore.

“Whether it is (the project) is going to be elevated or not would only be decided during the capital development stage,” Sreedharan said, adding the underground project of the metro per kilometre would cost Rs 500-600 crore, as against the proposed Rs 209 crore per kilometre if it is elevated.

On the transportation fare, the DPR stated the ideal fare per person was Rs 10 between 0-5 km; Rs 20 for 5-10 km, and Rs 30 if it is above 10 km distance.

Explaining the land requirement, the DPR mentioned that 31.029 hectare (both government and private) would be required for the project. For building the metro rail depot, 11.34 hectare would be required.

“Government lands along the route may be reserved for property development to fund the project,” the report said.

Naidu wanted a section of the metro to be commissioned by January 2019.

The DMRC team predicted the traffic demand could be 291,000 trips in 2019-2020, and would rise to one million trips in the next 30 years.

Meanwhile, Sreedharan also said the DPR for the Visakhapatnam metro rail would be ready by June 15. He, however, presented the status report of it to the chief minister today.

Naidu was informed that a rapid rail transit system for Vijayawada, Guntur, Tenali and Mangalagiri (VGTM) could be planned as the metro would not be feasible on this route.

However, a discussion on the projects would be taken up in the next Cabinet meeting. Proposals for connectivity between Visakhapatnam to Tirupati through Amaravathi, and Bengaluru to Amaravathi high-speed train proposals would also be discussed, the chief minister said.

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MEGA Metro: Underground section to be completed in 27 months

By

Narendra Shah

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01/05/2015

0

Ahmedabad: Construction work in respect of Ahmedabad Metro Rail Project has begun within three months of the project being sanctioned by the central government with the Special Purpose Vehicle for execution of the project, MEGA (Metro –Link Express for Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad) Company Limited commencing work for construction of 6 km. Viaduct between Vastaral Gaam and Apparel Park. The Rs.10,773 cr project was sanctioned in November last year and the work has commenced in February this year. The project envisages 37.66 km of Metro Rail with and elevated portion of 31.43 km and underground portion of 6.33 km.

Ahmedabad Metro Project will have an East-West corridor of 20.53 km between Thatlej Gaam and Vastrapur Gaam including the underground portion and fully elevated North-South corridor of 17.23 km between APMC and Motera stadium. There will be a total of 32 stations.

During the review of progress of Metro Projects being implemented on 50 : 50 Centre and State Joint Venture basis by the Ministry of Urban Development, CMD of MEGA informed that Design Consultants for Metro Stations and other components of works are being appointed. He said that the underground section will be completed in 27 months time.
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Shri Madhusudhan Prasad, Secretary (UD) during the review on Friday last has asked the six Metros being implemented on 50 : 50 basis to ensure that there are no time and cost overruns. He said that infrastructure projects are top priority for the government and they are being monitored by the Prime Minister’s Office.

CMD of Kochi Metro informed in detail about the Smart Card based Automatic Fare Collection system to be introduced resulting in substantial savings in capital expenditure besides additional revenue to the Metro. Axis Bank led consortium which has been selected through international competitive bidding will introduce Smart Cards which can be used for payment of metro fares as well as for other commercial merchandise at various market outlets. Kochi Metro will be paid a royalty of Rs.209 cr over a ten year period besides 0.2 % of transaction value on card transactions for non-metro fare purposes. Through this initiative, Kochi Metro saves Rs.270 cr on capital expenditure on introducing AFC systems besides the expenditure on annual maintenance for 10 years.

Kochi Metro informed that 51% of work has been completed on Reach I from Aluva to Maharajas and 17% of work on Reach II between Maharajas and Petta. 4883 of 5693 Piles, 731 of 1416 Piers and 862 of 2751 Girders have also been completed. Financial progress has been reported to be 34%.

In respect of Bengaluru Metro, physical and financial progress of about 92% has been reported. The entire network of 42.30 kms. in Phase I will be complete in all respects by December this year of which 38.30 km. would be operational for public service and the balance 4 km would be ready for testing and commissioning. This Metro has a North-South corridor of 24.20 km between Puttenahalli and Nagasandra and East – West corridor of 18.10 km between Mysore Road and Baiyyappanahalli. Three Reaches with a total length of 17 km with 16 stations have so far been commissioned.

Regarding Chennai Metro, Stage -1 comprising 7 stations and Viaduct of 10 km is set for revenue operations soon. Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety has carried out Rolling Stock inspection for this stage in the first week of this month. Out of the 42 train sets required, 9 from Brazil and 12 from Sri City, Chittor (AP) have been received. Regarding other four Stages, works are in progress.

Nagpur Metro has reported completion of demarcation of alignment on Airport –MIHAN , Automative Square to Zero Mile and Prajapatinagar – Dosar Vaisya Chowk sections amounting to 55% of total alignment. DMRC has been assigned the Consultancy work of preparation of bid document for appointment of General Consultant and preparation of Design Basis Report. RITES has been tasked with preparation of bid document and bid process management for appointment of execution agency for the priority section between Airport and MIHAN and bid document for appointment of Detailed Design Consultant and for construction of Viaduct between Airport and Sitaburdi.

DMRC reported 70% progress in civil works and overall physical progress of 57% in respect of Phase-III Project and financial progress of 40%. This Phase is scheduled for completion between May, 2015 and December, 2016.

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