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Mumbai Metro|MMRCL bags ‘First Prize’ as Exhibitor at Urban Mobility Expo

Narendra Shah
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New Delhi: The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. bagged the ‘First Prize’ in the Best Exhibitor Category at the 8th annual conference on the subject ‘Urban Mobility India 2015’, organised by the Union urban development ministry at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi, which concluded on Friday.

The second prize on this category goes to Nagpur Metro Rail Corporation. The award was handed over to the managing director of Nagpur Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (NMRCL) Brijesh Dixit by the Union minister of state for urban development Babul Supriyo, it was learnt.

Making a debut, the MMRCL & NMRCL had put up their stalls at the expo. During the expo, the innovative ideas adopted by MMRCL & NMRCL including use of solar power, no hassles land acquisition process, digital project management, etc, were much appreciated by the people.

The Jaipur Metro Rail Corporation won the best Urban Mass Transit Project award for its Project (Phase-1A).

The stall of metro rail was inaugurated by Union urban development minister Venkaiah Naidu and minister of state Babul Supriyo.

It is worth mentioning that the Metro Rail News team was media partner and successfully organised the event 8th Urban Mobility India 2015 with Ministry of Urban Development and Institute of Urban Transport (India).

Naidu expressed satisfaction at the progress of the metro rail projects.

Chandigarh Metro|Metro project faces delay as centre sends back detailed project report

Narendra Shah
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Chandigarh Metro|Metro project faces delay as centre sends back detailed project report

Chandigarh: The Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) has sent back the revised detailed project report (DPR) of Chandigarh Metro project to the UT administration, directing it to take the consent of its partners Punjab and Haryana government before submitting it to the central government for consideration.

The ministry has also asked the UT to change the name of the project and make changes in indexes and chapters of the DPR.

The development has delayed the formation of Greater Chandigarh Transport Corporation to start the work in the Tricity. The administration would soon hold a meeting with its partners

“We were not aware that the revised DPR needs consent of our partners. After getting revised DPR from Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, we directly sent it to the ministry or urban development. We will now write a letter to the Punjab and Haryana governments to hold a meeting in order to take their respective consent, so that the new DPR can be again sent for the formation of the corporation,” said a senior UT official.

Significantly, the ministry also asked the UT to change the name of the project. “The ministry has told UT not to be centric on Chandigarh and suggested names like Greater Chandigarh Regional Project.

At the moment, the project is largely known as Chandigarh Metro Rail Project. Moreover, the ministry has also asked to make changes in indexes or and chapters of the revised DPR,” said an official.

Mumbai Metro| Metro rail fares to increase from December 1

Narendra Shah
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Mumbai: Fares on this city’s metro rail network will rise from Tuesday. Due to lack of response from the Maharashtra government on a relief package, Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd (MMOPL), an arm of Reliance Infrastructure which operates the 11.4-km Versova to Ghatkopar stretch, will raise fare slabs up to Rs 5.

The current fare slabs are Rs 10, 20, 30, 40. The new structure will have five slabs, of Rs 10, 20, 25, 35 and 45. There will be a Rs 1 rise in the daily charge on the 45-trip monthly pass, currently available at 675 for short and Rs 900 for long trips.

The increase in the fare per trip for commuters holding store value passes is Rs 2. Instead of the the fare slabs of Rs 10, 18, 27 and 32, the revamped structure has five slabs of Rs 10, 20, 22, 29 and 34 in this category.

An MMOPL spokesperson said: ”(We) continue to suffer losses of about Rs 300 crore a year. The company chose to defer any fare revision till November 30, after the Fare Fixation Committee recommended a structure of Rs 10 to Rs 110 in July.

The company engaged with the state government with an intent to finding a viable solution and to avoid giving any shock to its valued commuters. While MMOPL continues to pursue the matter, the fare revision is very moderate and much below the FFC’s recommendations.”

As reported earlier, MMOPL in July had appealed to the state government to provide a one-time grant of Rs 1,000 crore, pay it a monthly subsidy of Rs 21.75 crore and allow real estate development along Metro rail stations.

The government did not respond. Instead, state chief minister Devendra Fadnavis recently announced the government would ensure an audit by the Union comptroller and auditor general of the operations.

Japan to provide Rs.5536 crore loan for MEGA and Chennai Metro Rail projects

Narendra Shah
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Japan to provide Rs.5536 crore loan for MEGA and Chennai Metro Rail projects

New Delhi: In a move that should give a fillip to Metro Rail projects in Chennai and Ahmedabad, the Finance Ministry on Friday announced that it had exchanged notes with the Government of Japan for a combined loan assistance of Rs. 5,536 crore for both the Metro projects.

“The notes were exchanged here on Friday between S.

Selvakumar, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, and Yutaka Kikuta, Charge d’ Affaires ad interim, Embassy of Japan to India. The Government of Japan has committed an Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan of JPY 19.981 billion (approximately Rs. 1,080 crore) for the Chennai Metro Rail Project and JPY 82.434 billion (approximately Rs. 4,456 crore) for the Ahmedabad Metro Project,” the Finance Ministry said in a release on Friday. The estimated base cost of the Chennai Metro Rail project, according to the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), is about Rs. 14, 600 crore. “Of this, the Central and State governments together are expected to contribute about 41 per cent. The balance will be met by a loan granted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA),” the website said. The first phase of the Chennai Metro Rail project, from Alandur to Koyambedu, began on June 29, 2015.

The Ahmedabad Metro Rail project is estimated to cost a total of Rs. 11,463 crore covering a distance of around 38 km. Meanwhile, CMRL officials said they had received the funds for the year 2014-15 already from JICA and the State government as well.

“Of the Rs. 14,600 crore which is the total cost of the project, we received around Rs. 11,000 crore so far. The work is progressing well,” an official said.

Hyderabad Metro|Govt. Backtracks, No Change in Metro Rail Plan

Narendra Shah
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Hyderabad Metro|Govt. Backtracks, No Change in Metro Rail Plan

Hyderabad: In a move that has raised the hackles of Sultan Bazar traders, the Telangana government has backtracked on its insistence for a change in the alignment of metro rail route near the State Assembly and Sultan Bazar, and has now given the green signal to L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Limited (L&TMRHL) to go ahead with the construction as per the original plan.

Hours after this announcement, the Sultan Bazaar Traders Association called for a bandh in the area on Friday, to be followed by an emergency meeting to chalk out their strategy.

“This (government nod) was orally communicated to us by the state government that we should go ahead with the original plan,” L&TMRHL chief executive and managing director VB Gadgil said.

Addressing a press conference after inaugurating sample station retail outlets and walk around display of advertising boxes at the Nagole station on Thursday, Gadgil said that works would be taken up as per the original plan and there would not be any change in the alignment at the State Assembly and Sultan Bazar.

Regarding the change of alignment in the old city, which is for over 3 km, he said that discussions were going on at the state government level.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had earlier objected to the alignment of metro rail passing through Gun Park opposite the Assembly building and the Sultan Bazar market. He had announced on the floor of the State Assembly that the heritage structure of the Assembly, Sultan Bazar market and the old city would be protected by changing the metro rail alignment at the said places.

As per the Chief Minister’s direction, Hyderabad Metro Rail authorities prepared draft realignment plans and submitted the same to the state government.

The proposed realignment was to run from the backside of the Lakdikapul railway station, DGP’s office, Assembly, Jubilee Hall, Lalitha Kala Thoranam and outside the Telugu University gate.

To protect the 100-year-old Sultan Bazar market as well as traders, HMR prepared an alternative route that was to run behind Koti Women’s College and Osmania Medical College.

Regarding the old city metro stretch, HMR proposed a new alternative route through Musi River, Salarjung Museum, Puranapul, Bahadurpura, Eidgah Mir Alam, Tadban and Shamsheerganj to Falaknuma.

When asked about the delay in acquiring properties at certain places, Gadgil said it was the responsibility of the HMR to hand over the land to them. It is for them to take up the issue with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and other government departments concerned to acquire properties, he explained.

Hyderabad Metro|HMR showcases sample station retail stores

Narendra Shah
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Hyderabad Metro|HMR showcases sample station retail stores

Hyderabad: Each typical metro station of Hyderabad Metro Rail will have retail space ranging from 2,500 square feet to 9,000 square feet while interchange and special stations will have more space, said project developer L&T announced today.

Two stores of 180 and 200 square feet have been created at Nagole station to showcase to retailers and others to give them a first-hand experience of the proposed space.

L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Ltd chief executive and managing director VB Gadgil on today inaugurated the sample retail stores and unveiled the retail development plans.

Under the brand name Hyderabad Next, the retail space at the stations is being developed to cater to the daily requirements of commuters making metro their one stop solution.

Each centre will have convenience stores like grocery, vegetable, daily needs, accessory stores, quick service restaurants, large format food courts, ATMs, medical stores and laundry centres.

There will be a total of 64 stations including 55 typical stations, three interchange stations and four special stations. A typical station will have retail space ranging from 2,500 square feet to 9,000 square feet at two different locations at a concourse level. Station retail box will have stores sizes ranging from 100 square feet to 350 square feet while entry exit retail area will have store sizes ranging from 1,000 square feet to 2,500 square feet.

Interchange and special stations will have retail spaces ranging from 10,000 square feet to 40,000 square feet with store sizes ranging from 1,500 square feet to any maximum possible size.

These stations are being considered to be made as destination stations with kids, women, electronic, and entertainment themes.

The developer has also come up with a unique advertising model to make the advertising business more professional with reduced risk and return on investment to brands.

In June, L&T Metro Rail had announced that it will develop six million square feet of real estate at a cost of about Rs. 2,300 crore under the first phase as part of Metro rail project, which is expected to be commissioned in July 2017.

The construction major, which is building 71.16 km elevated Metro rail in public-private partnership, has already achieved financial closure for the first phase of Transit Oriented Development (TOD), which is scheduled to be completed with the commissioning of the Metro.

L&T also plans to take up development of 12.5 million square feet of space over next 10 years. Mr Gadgil had hinted that this may require more than Rs. 5,000 crore.

In 2011, LTMRHL achieved financial closure for Rs. 16,375 crore – Rs. 14,132 crore for Metro rail system and Rs. 2,243 crore for first phase of TOD.

Agra Metro|RITES submits DPR of Agra Metro Rail Project to ADA

Narendra Shah
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Agra Metro|RITES submits DPR of Agra Metro Rail Project to ADA

Agra: The much-awaited Metro rail’s detailed project report (DPR) has been submitted to the Agra Development Authority by engineering consultancy firm Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES).

According to officials, the report will be studied by the department and suggestions, if any, for making changes would be given to the consultant. Following this process, the DPR would be sent to the state government for approval.

According to the report, three-coach trains will make 136 trips per day (in a single direction) on Corridor One, from Sikandra (Akbar’s tomb) to Taj Mahal via Agra Fort, and 160 trips on Corridor Two, Agra Cantt to Kalindi Vihar. Both corridors will have 15 stations each.

There are some changes in the DPR from the feasibility report submitted in September. In the first corridor, the consultant has removed the station at Hing Ki Mandi and instead proposed for one at Shastri Nagar. Likewise, in the second corridor, they have added a station at Sur Sadan while removing the Nehru Nagar stop.

While the first corridor has seven underground stations and eight elevated ones, the second line will be above ground. The longest inter-station distance is between Agra Cantt and Sadar bazar (1.928 km), while the shortest is between Agra College and Medical College (0.58km).

The location of the stations has been finalized following sites visits and detailed discussions with Agra commissioner, senior officials of the district administration and Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation.

The interchange stations will be built at Agra College for Corridor One and St John’s College for Corridor Two.

According to DPR altogether 210 acres of land would be required for building stations, depots and other facilities. Moreover, a total of 159 structures, mostly commercials, will be affected by the Metro construction.

The next step after government’s approval to the DPR would be the formation of a special purpose vehicle (SPV) – Agra Metro Rail Corporation – for completion of the project.

An SPV is a legal body formed to complete a specific project. Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation, which has been formed to oversee work in the state capital, is an SPV.

The Metro project would be built at a cost of Rs 200 crore per kilometre for the elevated sections, and Rs 450 crore per kilometre for the underground stretch, according to ADA.

Amaravati Metro|AMRC urges AP State Govt. to release Rs.500 Crore

Narendra Shah
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Amaravati Metro|AMRC urges AP State Govt. to release Rs.500 Crore

Amaravati: The Amaravati Metro Rail Corporation (AMRC) managing director Ramakrishna Reddy has urged the government to take immediate measures for release of funds to the tune of Rs. 500 crore.

The money would be given to Krishna Collector Babu A. to pay compensation to people who stand to lose their lands to the project.

“To commence the process of land acquisition for construction of Corridor-2 of the rail project, We have to pay the amount to the land-losers,” said the Collector.

In a letter addressed to the government, the AMRC MD has stressed the need for speeding up the process since the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) plans to commence works on the project in January.

The DMRC has called for tenders which will be finalised on December 7. Top companies have evinced interest in the project.

The DMRC has earmarked 65.50 acres at Nidamanuru for construction of a coach depot as part of Corridor-2.

In response to a letter by the AMRC MD asking him to hand over the allocated land to the DMRC, the Collector constituted a 20-member survey team which carried out a quick survey. In his reply, the Collector asked the AMRC to deposit of sum of Rs. 500 crore to be paid to the project evacuees. He said a notification was being prepared and land acquisition would follow payment of compensation to beneficiaries.

The government, meanwhile, has allocated only Rs. 282 crore in this year’s budget for the project and Rs.220 crore more is required to go ahead with the land acquisition.

It has been urged to release the funds by March.

The Metro Rail project will have two corridors—one from Penamaluru to Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS) passing through Bandar Road and the other from Nidamanuru to PNBS, passing through Eluru Road.

Chennai Metro|Metro Rail was flooded with commuters

Narendra Shah
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Chennai: Chennai Metro Rail came to the rescue of several thousand people when the city was brought to its knees on the evening of Monday, which witnessed heavy rain in a short span of time.

On an average, 10,000-12,000 people travel by the Chennai Metro Rail on a weekday; but on Monday at least 10,000 people took the train in just about four hours.

According to officials of CMRL, there was a 100 per cent increase in the number of people who travelled by Metro Rail on Monday alone. “From 7 p.m. onwards, the trains were running full. Hence, we decided to extend the services till about 11.30 p.m. There was an exceptional response from people on that day,” an official said. While the traffic recorded on Monday was the highest in the last three months, it has been quite high during the last two weeks when the rains wreaked havoc.

“On many days, we noticed several people wanted to use Metro Rail. So, we extended the services as much as possible,” an official said.

People took to social media to praise Metro Rail. When people were venting their anger on Twitter, some suggested commuters use Chennai Metro to escape traffic.

Delhi Metro|Delhi Metro services hit on Blue Line due to trade fair rush

Narendra Shah
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Delhi Metro|Delhi Metro services hit on Blue Line due to trade fair rush

New Delhi: Commuters of the Delhi Metro had a harrowing time on Wednesday as lakhs of people took advantage of the holiday for Gurpurab to visit the India International Trade Fair at Pragati Maidan.

So much is the rush for trade fair that the Pragati Maidan metro station alone has witnessed a 433 per cent increase in average ridership.

Major stations on the busy Blue Line (Dwarka Sector 21-Noida/Vaishali) were packed and in some the crowd even spilled outside the station premises which also led to slowing down of several trains.

To cater to the extra rush on Wednesday, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation pressed 17 extra trains to service on the 50-kilometre long Blue Line alone.

“The 17 extra trains are performing around 100 extra train trips in comparison to an off day (Sunday) time table,” said a DMRc official. Ridership on the metro network on last Sunday (November 22) till 8 pm was 17.11 Lakh, but on Wednesday, due to Gurupurab, it climbed up to 19.01 Lakh.

The total sale of tickets from all metro stations on November 25 was over 1.13 lakh and from Pragati Maidan station itself 35,945 tickets were sold. Even at the IITF counters, scores of visitors expressed their disappointment as the counters too ran out of tickets after selling about two lakh of them.

The corporation also denied of any technical snags on the line and said that the slow movement of the trains was for “crowd management”. “There was no failure throughout the day, but train movement was regulated at Pragati Maidan due to large inflow of trade fair visitors. Trains from the Yamuna Bank and Mandi House end had to be put on hold till the crowd was cleared from the platform and concourse of Pragati Maidan station,” the officials said. This was done to accommodate the next rush of passengers from coming trains which led to the delay, she added.

Impatient commuters vented their frustration on the authorities, wondering why they could not at least make announcements stating the reason for the delay.

“A 20 minutes journey from Mayur Vihar to Mandi House took me around an hour. Trains were halting for around 7-10 minutes in each station till Pragati Maidan,” a commuter said.

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