KFW & GoI Ink €340 million Loan For Bangalore Metro Phase 2

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16/12/2024

Bangalore (Metro Rail News): Bangalore Metro Phase 2 has achieved a major milestone by securing 100% external funding. On 13 December, the Government of India signed a Rs 3,044.54 Crore (€340 million) loan agreement with KfW Germany marking the 100% financial closure for the Phase 2 project.

According to the BMRCL release, the agreement was signed by Ms. Manisha Sinha, Additional Secretary (DEA), on behalf of the Government of India, and Ms. Carolin Gassner, Director (South Asia), on behalf of KfW Germany.

A major milestone for #BangaloreMetro Phase-2! The Government of India & KfW Germany signed a €340 million loan agreement today, ensuring 100% financial closure. External funding for the phase-2 project is now fully secured. #Infrastructure #Metro pic.twitter.com/r3RnvYiDTN
— ನಮ್ಮ ಮೆಟ್ರೋ (@OfficialBMRCL) December 13, 2024

The loan agreement was inked in the presence of the BMRCL Finance Director and officials from the offices of KfW Germany and India. The signing ceremony took place at the KfW office located in New Delhi.

BMRCL officials mentioned that, of the total approved senior debt of ₹12,141.14 crore, ₹9,096.60 crore had previously been secured by the Government of India through funding from JICA, AFD, AIIB, and EIB.

Additional Information

Besides the loan agreement, BMRCL and KfW Germany also signed a separate project agreement in respect of the said loan. Sri Maheshwar Rao, IAS, Managing Director, BMRCL and Ms. Carolin Gassner, Director (South Asia), KIW Germany signed the agreement

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K-RIDE Reveals 2 Bidders for Bengaluru Suburban Rail’s Soladevanahalli Depot

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Staff Reporter

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14/12/2024

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Bengaluru Suburban Rail’s — Image for representation.

Bengaluru (Metro Rail News): On 9 December, the Karnataka Rail Infrastructure Development Company (K-RIDE) announced that KPC Projects Ltd. and URC Construction Pvt. Ltd. were the only bidders who submitted the bids for the construction of the Soladevanahalli Depot for the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (BSRP).

Significance of Soladevanahalli Depot in Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project

The Soladevanahalli Depot is a key component of the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (BSRP), This depot will be used for stabling and maintaining trains on Line 2 (Mallige Line) which covers a 24.866 km distance between Baiyyappanahalli and Chikkabanavara.In conjunction with the Akkupet (Devanahalli) depot, Soladevanahalli Depot will accommodate the project’s rolling stock.

Bidding Process

In September 2024, K-RIDE initiated the bidding process for the construction work of Soladevanahalli Depot.

Key Details of Contract

Tender No: K-RIDE/BSRP/DEPOT/SDHL/2024
Estimated Cost: Rs. 170.93 crore
Deadline: 2 Years (24 months)

The Scope of Work

The appointed contractor for this contract will be responsible for the construction of the Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project (BSRP) Rolling Stock/Train Maintenance Depot at Soladevanahalli (Chikkabanawara)including the development of administration and workshop buildings. The scope of work includes civil, MEP, roofing, signage, architectural finishes, sewage treatment plant (STP), external drainage, internal roads, and boundary walls.

The contractor will also be responsible for constructing a 1 km at-grade section between Chikkabanavara Station and the Soladevanahalli Depot. In addition, the contractor will be responsible for various associated works between Chikkabanavara Station and the Soladevanahalli Depot of the Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project (BSRP).

The Process Ahead

The bids submitted by KPC Projects Ltd. and URC Construction Pvt. Ltd. will undergo technical evaluation. Furthermore, K-RIDE will reveal the financial bids of the technically qualified bidders to reveal the lowest bidder for the contract.

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Shri Hitendra Malhotra Appointed Member (Operations & Business Development), Railway Board

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Staff Reporter

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13/12/2024

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Shri Hitendra Malhotra Member (Operations & Business Development) on the Railway Board

New Delhi (Metro Rail News): Shri Hitendra Malhotra, an esteemed officer of the Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE) from the 1987 batch, has been appointed as Member (Operations & Business Development) on the Railway Board.

With over 35 years of service, Shri Malhotra brings a profound understanding of railway operations, rolling stock, and project management.

Academic Accomplishments

Shri Malhotra is an alumnus of the University of Roorkee (now IIT Roorkee), where he earned a degree in Electrical Engineering.

Distinguished Career Journey in Indian Railway

Shri Hitendra Malhotra has held several key positions during his extensive career in Indian Railways.. His roles and responsibilities include:

General Manager, Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW):
As the General Manager of Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW), he was responsible for overseeing locomotive production and operational efficiency.
Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Solapur, Central Railway:
Supervised the operations of the Solapur division
Research Designs and Standards Organization (RDSO):
At RDSO, he focused on standardizing designs and improving the reliability of self-generating coaches
Deputation to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC):
During his deputation to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), he served as Chief General Manager (Rolling Stock).

Vision for the Future

As Member (Operations & Business Development), Shri Malhotra is instrumental in guiding Indian Railways toward modernisation. His experience in optimising operations, enhancing rolling stock reliability, and managing cross-functional teams aligns perfectly with the vision of transforming Indian Railways into a more efficient network.

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CMRL Inks Contract for Property Development Across Chennai Metro Network

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Staff Reporter

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12/12/2024

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Chennai (Metro Rail News): Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has signed a contract for the development of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for property development at several locations in Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Chennai metro network.

Contract Information

CMRL awarded this contract to M/s. Jones Lang Lasalle Property Consultants India Pvt. Ltd at Rs. 67.2 lakhs (excluding GST). The Letter of Acceptance (LOA) for the contract was issued on 28th October 2024.

Deadline: The final DPR is expected to be completed within 150 days from the date of the LOA.

The scope of work for the contract includes the development of the Detailed Project Report (DPR), feasibility study, market analysis, transactional advice, concept plans, and land use report.

Additionally, it involves the submission of necessary documents to the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) and Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) for approval, as well as the preparation of cost estimates and tender documents for the property development projects at:

Alandur,
Alapakkam Junction,
Boat Club,
Nandanam,
Wimco Nagar Depot.

Chennai Metro Phase 2map page 0001 — Chennai Metro Phase 2 Map

Non-Fare Revenue Strategy of Chennai Metro Rail

CMRL plans to generate non-fare revenue alongside fare revenue by integrating property development with metro stations at key locations, including Alandur, Alapakkam, Nandanam, Boat Club, and Wimco Nagar Depot.

The property development at Alapakkam will be connected to the Phase 2 station entry/exit via a Foot Over Bridge (FOB). At Nandanam, the property development will be integrated with the upcoming Phase 2 underground station. Alandur’s property development will connect to both Phase 1 and Phase 2 metro stations. Additionally, the Wimco Nagar Depot station will feature eight floors of property development above the existing metro building.

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Kernex Bags Rs 2,041 crore Order for Kavach From Railways

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Staff Reporter

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12/12/2024

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2500 Kavach System for Indian-railways — Indian-railways/Representational Image only

New Delhi (Metro Rail News): To streamline the safety of passengers the Indian Railways has taken a critical step by awarding a Rs 2,041.04 crore contract to Kernex Micro Systems (India) for the deployment of the Kavach System across the railway network.

The Contract Details:

The contract for the supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of 2,500 sets of onboard Kavach equipment (anti-collision system) was awarded by Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW), a key manufacturing unit of Indian Railways situated in Chittaranjan, West Bengal.

Under the contract, Kernex Micro Systems is tasked with completing the installation and testing of the equipment within a 12-month period.

Kavach – An Initiative By Indian Railways to Strengthen Passenger Safety

Kavach is an Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system. The Research Designs & Standards Organisation (RDSO) developed this system in collaboration with Indian companies

In the beginning, this system was known as the Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), later in July 2020, the Ministry of Railways adopted Kavach as the national ATP system.

The Kavach system is engineered to prevent train collisions and enhance operational safety on Indian Railways. This system continuously monitors train speed and automatically applies brakes if the loco pilot fails to respond, thereby preventing potential collisions. The system also enhances safety during challenging weather conditions, such as fog and heavy rain, ensuring reliable train operations in adverse environments.

About Kernex Micro Systems

Since 1999, Kernex Microsystems has been involved in the development of railway safety systems, including anti-collision devices (ACDs) and other safety technologies for Indian Railways. Kernex Microsystems boasts a production capacity of 100 Kavach units per month, with the ability to scale up to 250 units per month as required.

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8 Firms Bid For Gurugram Metro’s New Line GC Contract

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Staff Reporter

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11/12/2024

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8 Firms have submitted bids for the GC Contract of Gurugram Metro's New Line — Image for representation.

Gurugram (Metro Rail News): Another major development has been waiting as eight firms have submitted for the General Consultant (GC) contract of Gurgaon Metro’s New Line spanning 28.5 km from HUDA Millennium City Centre to Cyber City.

The new line spanning 28.5 km will form a ring line connecting the Gurugram and old Gurugram through 27 stations.

In May 2024, Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation Ltd. (HMRTC) floated tender for the General Consultant contract for Gurugram Metro’s 28.5 km New line.

Bidders:

Aarvee Associates Architects Engineers & Consultants Private Limited
AYESA Ingenieria y Arquitectura, S.A.U
Consulting Engineers Group Ltd. (CEG)
DB Engineering & Consulting GmbH
Egis Rail SA
Nippon Koei India Pvt. Ltd.
SYSTRA MVA Consulting (India) Pvt. Ltd.
TYPSA India Pvt. Ltd.

Note: Some of the bidders may be in joint ventures with other partners.

Scope of Work

The appointed contractor will be providing their assistance to HMRTC regarding the design, supervision, safety, quality control and contract management. The contractor has been expected to stay on board for four years.

Additional Information:

In June 2023, The Indian Government’s Union Cabinet approved the project. The general consultant contract is a second crucial contract for Gurugram Metro. Before this, In July, SYSTRA was declared as the lowest bidder for the Detailed Design Consultant (DDC) contract.

Integration with Metro & RRTS

The new line will connect with Delhi Metro’s Yellow Line and Gurgaon’s Rapid Metro. It is also expected to feature interchanges with the 72 km Delhi–Dharuhera RRTS line at Cyber City and Hero Honda Chowk.

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Chennai Metro’s 1st Driverless Train to Undergo Trials

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Staff Reporter

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10/12/2024

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Chennai (Metro Rail News): A major development has been waiting for Chennai Metro as the CMRL is gearing up to initiate the trials of the first three-coach driverless train in December 2024. After performing all the tests CMRL will deploy these driverless trains on Line-4 which spans from Light House to Poonamallee Bypass through 28 stations (18 elevated & 10 underground) under Phase 2.

The train has been manufactured by Alstom at their manufacturing plant the Sri City, located in Andhra Pradesh. On October 17, the train arrived from Sri City and reached Poonamalle, the depot facility for Phase 2.

Key Features of Driverless Trains:

The train sets manufactured by Alstom are designed with the maximum speed of 90 kmph and will be able to serve driverless operations.

The train-sets will be operated in formations of DMC+TC+DMC

DMC = Driving Motor Car
TC = Trailer Car.

The train will be 67.8 meters long and be capable of accommodating approximately 1000 passengers (crush load conditions).

Chennai Metro Phase 2

Chennai Metro Phase 2 consists of 3 corridors spanning 116.1 km in total. In 2019, the Tamil Nadu Government approved the Chennai Metro Phase 2 at an estimated cost of Rs. 69,180 crore.

Line 3 ( Purple Line )	Madhavaram station– SIPCOT 2 station	45.4 km	Total no. of Stations: 49
Line 4 ( Orange Line )	Light House station – Poonamallee Bus Depot station	26.09 km	Total No. of Stations: 28
Line 5 ( Red Line )	Madhavaram station – Sholinganallur station	44.6 km	Total No. of Stations: 48

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Karnataka Govt Approves Bangalore Metro’s Phase 3A Project

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Staff Reporter

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07/12/2024

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Bangalore (Metro Rail News): Phase 3A of Bangalore Metro (Namma Metro) gained momentum as the Karnataka Government cabinet approved the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of 36.59 Km long Phase 3A project with an estimated cost of Rs.28,405 Crores.

Rina Consulting prepared the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Bangalore Metro Phase 3A. The DPR report proposes a train maintenance and stabling depot at Sarjapur.

Bangalore Metro Phase 3A

The Bangalore Metro Phase 3A project executed by Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) will comprise one new corridor from Sarjapur to Hebbel with 28 stations out of which 17 stations will be elevated and 11 will be underground.

Stations Planned:

Sarjapur
Kada Agrahara Road
Sompura
Dommasandra
Muthanallur Cross
Kodathi Circle
Ambedkar Nagar
Carmelaram
Doddakanalli
Kaikondrahalli
Bellandur Gate
Ibbalur
Agara
Jakkasandra
Koramangala 3rd Block
Koramangala 2nd Block
Dairy Circle
Nimhans
Shantinagara
Town Hall
KR Circle
Basaveshwara Circle
Bengaluru Golf Course
Palace Guttahalli
Mekhri Circle
Veterinary College
Ganga Nagar
Hebbal.

The total length of the new metro will be 36.59 km out of which 22.14 km will be elevated while the remaining 14.45 km will be underground. The line will run underground between Veterinary College and Koramangala 3rd Block.

The line will connect the Carmeleram, Agara, Koramangala, Dairy Circle, Central College and Armane Nagar.

The 5 stations of this New corridor will provide interchange connectivity at:

Ibbalur (Blue Line)
Agara (Blue Line),
Circle (Pink Line),
KR Circle (Purple Line),
Hebbal (Blue Line & Orange Line)

Future Prospects:

The Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Bangalore Metro Phase 3A will now be submitted to the Union Government for review and approval by its various departments and the cabinet. Furthermore, BMRCL has been planning to appoint Detailed Design Consultants (DDCs) for Phase 3A.

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Central Govt Approves Delhi Metro Red Line Extension From Rithala to Kundli

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Staff Reporter

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07/12/2024

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Central govt approves Delhi metro red line extension — Delhi Metro Phase IV /Representational Image

Delhi (Metro Rail News): Delhi Metro Phase 4 advances as India’s Central Government’s Cabinet approved the Red Line extension from Rithala to Nathupur (Kundli) spanning 26.463 km at an estimated cost of Rs. 6,230 crore on 7 December. Currently, the 34.69 Km of the Red line between Rithala and Shaheed Sthal New Bus Adda is operational.

About the Red Line Extension From Rithala to Nathupur

Out of 26.463 km of the Red Line extension, 23.73 km of the line will lie in Delhi out of which the 22.75 km will be elevated with 19 stations in total. The remaining 2.73 km will lie in Haryana with 2 stations. This extension will establish metro connectivity between north-west Delhi and Haryana.

Additionally, DMRC has been planning to build a train maintenance depot between Sanoth and Bhorgarh village.

Stations planned on this extension:

Rohini Sector 25
Rohini Sector 26
Rohini Sector 31
Rohini Sector 32
Rohini Sector 36
Barwala
Rohini Sector 35
Rohini Sector 34
Bawana Industrial Area – 1 Sector 3,4
Bawana Industrial Area – 1 Sector 1,2
Bawana JJ Colony
Sanoth
New Sanoth
Depot Station
Bhorgarh village
Anaj Mandi Narela
Narela DDA Sports Complex
Narela
Narela Sector 5
Kundli
Nathupur

In 2019, Egis Rail SA – Egis India Consulting Engineers JV was awarded the contract of Detailed Design Consultants (DDC) under package DCDD-03. With this, the CEG Test House and Research Centre conducted the geotechnical investigations for this new corridor.

Additional Information:

With this approval, a total of 112.42 km of metro routes across 6 lines have been approved under Delhi Metro’s Phase 4. Furthermore, The Rithala – Narela – Nathupur (Kundli) Corridor will connect the Haryana – Delhi – Uttar Pradesh making the Red Line of Delhi Metro to become the first metro line to connect 3 different administrative regions.

Currently, DMRC operates its trains on a total of 12 metro lines which feature 392 km of network with 288 stations. Delhi Metro stands as the largest Metro network in India.

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Indian Railways to Deploy ITMS System Across All Railway Zones

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Staff Reporter

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06/12/2024

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(Metro Rail News): Indian Railways infrastructure is set for another transformation as the Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently announced the implementation of an Integrated Track Monitoring System (ITMS) across all railway zones.

The integration of the Integrated Track Monitoring System (ITMS) into Indian Railways will be a crucial step toward the modernisation of the Indian railways infrastructure ensuring safe operations.

https://twitter.com/AshwiniVaishnaw/status/1864626208459378865

Aim Behind This Initiative:

Through advanced and modernised technology Ashwini Vaishnaw has been aiming to enhance the safety and efficiency of the Indian railways network promoting track inspection and maintenance.

The Integrated Track Monitoring System (ITMS) will provide Real-Time Data which will improve the working conditions and safety of the trackmen, making their job more efficient.

About Integrated Track Monitoring System (ITMS)

The Integrated Track Monitoring System (ITMS) is designed to monitor and record the different parameters in real-time while the train is running at a speed between 20 km/h and 200 km/h. Equipped with sensors, the system collects data on various track conditions including alignment, surface quality and structural integrity.

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