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Showing posts with label DPR. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DPR. Show all posts

Friday, 5 February 2016

08:08

Patna Metro Rail Project DPR for Clearance from Central Government

Patna Metro Rail Project DPR for Clearance from Central Government

Patna: “Patna, previously known as Pataliputra, has a history that goes back thousands of years. I will not allow metro train to come to Patna until some new technique is used to save the historical value of the ancient city,” Kumar said.

Interestingly, the Nitish government, less than two months ago on December 22, had given his nod to the Patna Metro Rail Project and had asked Maheshwar Hazari, the Urban Development Minister, to send the Detailed Project Report (DPR) to the Central government for its clearance.

The DPR was submitted by the Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) in 2014 with an estimated cost of Rs. 14,000 crore to build the metro transit system.

In other backtracking by the state government, the Chief Minister, nearly six months after barring anyone to contest in Panchayat elections if they did not meet the minimum requirement of having at least one indoor toilet at their home, reversed his decision saying the rule was too tough on poor people who wished to contest in the upcoming Panchayat polls.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the cabinet on Tuesday attended by Kumar and other senior ministers.

“Considering there are many qualified people who happen to be very poor, this requirement is being waived for the March-April Panchayat elections in Bihar, said an official.

As reported, in order to stop human defecation in open fields, the state government had passed an amendment to the Bihar Panchayati Raj Act of 2006 last August preventing anyone from contesting the election if the candidate did not have at least one indoor bathroom in their home by January 1, 2016.

With the January 1 deadline already gone with no substantial improvement in the problem of open defecation, the Chief Minister decided to repeal the amendment.

 Source:Metro Rail News
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Tuesday, 29 December 2015

22:37

Kerala :Light Metro may get a poll push

Kerala:Light Metro may get a poll push

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram have been hoping for a rapid transit system since 2012. First, the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (Natpac) suggested a monorail as a solution, Later, the idea was found to be unworkable due to the high amount quoted by bidders. At this juncture, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) proposed light metro as a possible solution.

However, the project was muddled in controversy as there was not much clarity in the detailed project report (DPR). As 2015 dawns, the UDF government is in a hurry to push the dream project so that it can garner some mileage during the upcoming polls. Thus, the year ends with rekindled hopes for a rapid transit system.

Though there were objections from the state finance department over the appointment of DMRC as general consultant for the project, chief minister Oommen Chandy recently issued a directive to Kerala Rapid Transit Corporation to appoint DMRC as interim consultant. The department had reservations in appointing an agency without inviting a global tender.

The appointment of DMRC as a consultant was discussed several times in the cabinet, but no decision was taken for a long time. Chandy's final step was to appointment the agency as interim consultant, keeping in mind the upcoming assembly elections to silence critics. The BJP and CPM had blamed the government for its laxity in implementing the light metro plan.

The government managed to submit the DPR and the comprehensive mobility plan (CMP) for the two cities, two crucial documents to get the green light from the Union ministry of urban affairs. "The Union government has sought some clarifications on certain aspects like ridership in the CMP. We have sent a detailed clarification. The DPR will be approved only after several levels of scrutiny," said PWD secretary APM Mohammed Hanish.

Though government is in a hurry to push the project, the lack of candour is visible as it has not taken primary measures to implement the project. One of the major issues before the project is widening of roads. It has also failed to ask DMRC to make corrections in the DPR though the finance department had pointed out a number of flaws.

Chugging along
*A monorail was proposed by Natpac for T'puram and Kozhikode in 2012
*After inviting tenders, the project got a single bidder who quoted an exorbitant rate
*DMRC then proposed a light metro in 2014

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Friday, 18 December 2015

08:29

Varanasi Metro DPR to be submitted with UP Govt by year-end

Varanasi Metro DPR to be submitted with UP Govt by year-end

Varanasi: The detailed project report (DPR) of the Varanasi metro is to be submitted with the Uttar Pradesh government by December 2015 end, said Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC). LMRC officials made a presentation on the draft DPR of Varanasi Metro to the Metroman, E. Sreedharan who is also the principal advisor to LMRC.

Sreedharan visited the city on Wednesday to review various undergoing civil works of Lucknow metro project and was satisfied with the progress of the project. He took a review of the physical progress of the project along with the operation and maintenance (O&M) preparedness of the organisation.

The project director of Larsen and Toubro (L&T) – the contractor of the first 8.5 km metro stretch to be completed by December 2016- gave a presentation to Sreedharan and other LMRC officials about the on-going civil construction activities being undertaken on the 8.5 km priority metro corridor from Transport Nagar to Charbagh. Sreedharan stressed the need for completing the civil works in deadline set by the government.

He instructed the system contractor to take up their work further and desired the civil contractors to take measures accordingly. He also gave inputs for speedy preparation of Varanasi metro DPR to the LMRC. The DPR is being prepared by RITES in coordination with LMRC. The regional development authority will be the nodal agency for executing the project.

Likewise, metro projects in other districts of UP are also proposed and work regarding their DPR preparation is in the pipeline. Apart from Lucknow, metro is set to run in Kanpur, Agra and Meerut along with Varanasi.
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Sunday, 25 October 2015

07:47

Railways is on target in terms of fast tracking of its implementation of projects

Railways is on target in terms of fast tracking of its implementation of projects 

New Delhi: Centre today said Railways is on target in terms of fast tracking of its implementation of projects as Detailed Project Reports(DPRs) of 73 doubling projects has been prepared.

”Out of 77 doubling projects sanctioned in this year, Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of 73 doubling projects has been prepared and received in Railway Board,” an official from the Railway Ministry said.
The Ministry of Railways included 77 doubling, 4 new line and 1 gauge conversion project in Railway Budget 2015-16. Looking to push Indian Railways as an engine of growth for the economy, Ministry of Railways has expedited implementation of some key projects announced during this year’s Rail Budget.

“Ministry of Railways included 77 doubling, 4 new line and 1 gauge conversion projects in Railway Budget 2015-16. The projects were included primarily with a viewpoint to create additional carrying capacity. Fast tracking of these projects was need of the hour so as to reap benefits of the projects as soon as possible,” the ministry said in a press release.

The release highlighted a slew of measures taken under the direction of Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu for expeditious execution of these projects. These are:

1) So far the practice was to include a project in Railway Budget and send for ‘In Principle Approval’ (IPA) of NITI Aayog, hold meetings of Extended Board of Railways and finally seek approval of Cabinet (CCEA). Once Cabinet approval is available, Railways used to go for Final Location Survey and subsequent preparation of detailed estimate. An expenditure can be incurred only after detailed estimate or part thereof has been sanctioned. This process used to take 2-3 years, which means tenders can be called roughly after 2 years of inclusion in Railway Budget.

To reduce this time gap of two years, Ministry Railways asked zonal railways to carry out Final Location Survey immediately after inclusion of the work in Railway Budget. After Final Location Survey, the zonal railways were asked to send Detailed Project Report (DPR) to Railway Board with a reasonably firm cost. Out of 77 doubling projects sanctioned in this year, detailed project reports of 73 doubling projects have been prepared and received.

1) Examination and scrutiny of DPR in Railway Ministry has been fast tracked by forming committee of concerned officers for this purpose instead of examination from table to table by individual officer.

2) Request for ‘In Principle Approval’ (IPA) of NITI Aayog is being sent after DPR is examined in Railway Board. As many as 15 IPA have been received from NITI Aayog. Out of these 15 IPAs, 4 projects which cost more than Rs 1000 crore are being sent to CCEA for approval.

3) Zonal Railways have been advised to call tenders immediately after IPA is received. However, a financial commitment can be made only after all requisite approvals are in place.

4) To reduce delays further, Railways are now being advised to invite tenders immediately after a DPR is sent to NITI Aayog for IPA without waiting for approval. This has effectively reduced tender calling period from 2 years after inclusion of a project in Pink Book to 6-9 months. In addition to this, zonal railways have been given more powers to sanction detailed estimates so as to reduce delays in such sanctions.

5) Power for accepting all tenders have now been delegated to zonal railways which results into overcoming delays on this account.

The projects were included primarily with a viewpoint to create additional carrying capacity. Fast tracking of these projects was need of the hour so as to reap benefits of the projects as soon as possible. Under direction of Railways Minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, a number of measures have been undertaken for expeditious execution of these projects.

So far the practice was to include a project in railway budget and send for In Principle Approval (IPA) of NITI Aayog, hold meetings of Extended Board of Railways and finally seek approval of Cabinet (CCEA). Once Cabinet approval is available, Railways used to go for Final Location Survey and subsequent preparation of Detailed Estimate.

An expenditure can be incurred only after Detailed Estimate or part thereof has been sanctioned. This process used to take 2-3 years, which means tenders can be called roughly after 2 years of inclusion in Railway Budget. To reduce this time gap of two years, the Railways Ministry asked zonal railways to carry out Final Location Survey immediately after inclusion of the work in Railway Budget.

After Final Location Survey, the zonal railways were asked to send Detailed Project Report (DPR) to Railway Board with a reasonably firm cost. Examination and scrutiny of DPR in Railway Ministry has been fast tracked by forming committee of officers concerned for this purpose instead of examination from table to table by individual officer.

Request for In Principle Approval (IPA) of NITI Aayog is being sent after DPR is examined in Railway Board. As many as 15 IPA have been received from NITI Aayog. Out of these 15 IPAs, 4 projects which cost more than Rs 1000 crore are being sent to CCEA for approval. Zonal Railways have been advised to call tenders immediately after IPA is received. However, a financial commitment can be made only after all requisite approvals are in place.

To obviate delays further, Railways are now being advised to invite tenders immediately after a DPR is sent to NITI Aayog for IPA without waiting for approval. This has effectively reduced tender calling period from 2 years after inclusion of a project in Pink Book to 6-9 months. In addition to this, zonal railways have been given more powers to sanction detailed estimates so as to reduce delays in such sanctions. Power for accepting all tenders have now been delegated to zonal railways which results into overcoming delays on this account.
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Friday, 23 October 2015

16:27

Ministry of Railways included 77 doubling, 4 new line and 1 gauge conversion project in Railway Budget 2015-16.



Ministry of Railways included 77 doubling, 4 new line and 1 gauge conversion project in Railway Budget 2015-16.  

Railways Fast Tracks Implementation of Projects

The projects were included primarily with a viewpoint to create additional carrying capacity.  Fast tracking of these projects was need of the hour so as to reap benefits of the projects as soon as possible. Under direction of Minister of Railways Shri. Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, a number of measures have been under taken for expeditious execution of these projects:

(i) So far the practice was to include a project in railway budget and send for ‘In Principle Approval’ (IPA) of NITI Aayog, hold meetings of Extended Board of Railways and finally seek approval of Cabinet (CCEA).  Once Cabinet approval is available, Railways used to go for Final Location Survey and subsequent preparation of Detailed Estimate.  An expenditure can be incurred only after Detailed Estimate or part thereof has been sanctioned.  This process used to take 2-3 years, which means tenders can be called roughly after 2 years of inclusion in Railway Budget. 

(ii)To reduce this time gap of two years, Ministry Railways asked zonal railways to carry out Final Location Survey immediately after inclusion of the work in Railway Budget. After Final Location Survey, the zonal railways were asked to send Detailed Project Report (DPR) to Railway Board with a reasonably firm cost.  Out of 77 doubling projects sanctioned in this year, detailed project reports of 73 doubling projects has been prepared and received in Railway Board.

(iii)Examination and scrutiny of DPR in Railway Ministry has been fast tracked by forming committee of concerned officers for this purpose instead of examination from table to table by individual officer.   

(iv)Request for ‘In Principle Approval’ (IPA) of NITI Aayog is being sent after DPR is examined in Railway Board.  As many as 15 IPA have been received from NITI Aayog.  Out of these 15 IPAs, 4 projects which cost more than Rs.1000 cr. are being sent to CCEA for approval. 

(v)Zonal Railways have been advised to call tenders immediately after IPA is received.  However, a financial commitment can be made only after all requisite approvals are in place. 

(vi)To obviate delays further, Railways are now being advised to invite tenders immediately after a DPR is sent to NITI Aayog for IPA without waiting for approval.

(vii) This has effectively reduced tender calling period from 2 years after inclusion of a project in Pink Book to 6-9 months. 

(viii) In addition to this, zonal railways have been given more powers to sanction detailed estimates so as to reduce delays in such sanctions.

(ix)Power for accepting all tenders have now been delegated to zonal railways which results into overcoming delays on this account.

 Source:PIBNEWS.
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Wednesday, 21 October 2015

08:30

Changing Processes to speed up Project Execution becomes Imminent for Railways

Changing Processes to speed up Project Execution becomes Imminent for Railways

New Delhi: Facing flak for the lack of capital expenditure and delays in implementation of major projects, the rail ministry has swung into action. It is tweaking the established process for project approvals to cut down delays. It is also drawing up mega spending plans to free up over-burdened lines.

The earlier time-consuming model involved inclusion of projects in the rail budget, seeking in-principle approval of NITI Aayog, clearance from the extended railway board, approval of the Union Cabinet, preparation followed by sanction of final location surveys and detailed estimates by the zonal railways and finally invitation of tenders.

“The entire process from conceiving a project to floating tenders used to take two-and-a-half years. But now, a Committee of Executive Directors is selecting projects that are sent to the NITI Aayog for in-principle approval,” said a senior rail ministry official.

Another official explained the new approach has not dropped any stage of clearance, but has merely changed the traditional sequential process of seeking approvals, under which project files used to move from one table to another, into a parallel one. “Zonal railways are being asked to carry out final location survey immediately after inclusion of the work in the budget. After that, zonal railways will send the detailed project report (DPR) to the railway board with a reasonably firm cost.”

After examination of the DPRs in the railway board, the ministry sends request to NITI Aayog for in-principle approval. The ministry has advised zonal railways to call tenders immediately after the Aayog’s approval. “This has effectively reduced tender calling period from two years after inclusion of a project in the Pink Book to six to nine months,” the second official said.

Rail minister Suresh Prabhu had included 77 doubling projects, four new lines and one gauge conversion project in this year’s budget to create additional carrying capacity and de-congest existing lines. The 77 doubling projects would require Rs 90,000 crore of investments and provide relief of 9,000 km. Of these 77 projects, DPRs of 69 have been prepared and received in the Railway Board.

Officials said the in-principle approval for 15 of these projects have been received from NITI Aayog. Of these, four projects costing around Rs 1,000 crore each are currently being sent to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs for approval. In addition, through a notification issued last month, the ministry has given zonal railways more powers to sanction detailed estimates in order to reduce delays. Also, the zonal arms of railways have been granted the power for accepting all tenders.

“In many of the 28 projects on saturated corridors, we have given the directive to the zonal railways to invite tenders as a special case in anticipation of sanction. This is a departure from the normal process because business-as-usual approach would not have worked. We hope that in another months’ time, we will be able to break the ground at the project sites,” the first official quoted above said.

The railways ministry has a target for capital expenditure of Rs 1 lakh crore for the current financial year. Civil works (doubling, gauge conversion and new lines) alone would account for 43 per cent of this investment. Officials said the ministry had already spent around Rs 35,000 crore in the first half of FY16, a marginal growth over the capex undertaken in the corresponding period in FY15.

Riding on the back of the reformed project execution process, the rail ministry is targeting to commission projects at an average rate of 6.85 km a day in the current financial year, a 26 per cent jump over the last year’s rate of 5.4 km a day.

Between April and September this year, railways commissioned projects of 673 km against 600 km in the same period last year.
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Thursday, 8 October 2015

05:03

Railways goes for drastic cut in Tender processing time

Railways goes for drastic cut in Tender processing time

New Delhi: Faced with a huge backlog of pending projects, railways has accelerated project execution by cutting down tender processing time from 2-3 years to 6-9 months with focus on faster completion of works which are commercially viable and can reap huge benefits for the cash-strapped transporter.

With the fast-track mechanism in place, tendering process for 14 doubling projects worth Rs.13,260 crore out of 77 worth Rs.96,000 crore announced in the rail budget 2015-16 has already started.

According to earlier practice, it used to take 2-3 years after tenders were called for a particular project announced in rail budget. The tardy process has resulted in backlog of around 300 projects costing around Rs 3.5 lakh crore over the years.

Earlier, after a project was included in the budget, it was sent to Planning Commission (now NITI Aayog) for ‘in-principle’ approval. Then it used to go to the extended railway board and finally to cabinet committee on economic affairs (CCEA). Once CCEA approved it, railways would go for the final location survey and subsequently prepare detailed estimates. Expenditure could be incurred only after detailed estimates or part of it had been sanctioned.

“This process takes 2-3 years which means tender can be called roughly two years after a project is included in the budget,” an official said. To cut down the time gap of two years, railways has asked zonal railways to carry out final location survey immediately after work is included in the budget. Zones have been directed to send detailed project report (DPR) to railway board with a reasonably firm cost. After examining DPR, the board sends it to NITI Aayog for ‘in-principle’ approval. CCEA would consider the projects after Aayog’s nod.

“Zones can call tenders soon after Aayog’s approval. However, the financial commitment can be made only after all approvals are in place,” said an official, adding that zones are empowered to sanction detailed estimates and can accept all tenders.

A senior official said, “With new mechanism in place, out of 77 projects, DPRs of 67 has been prepared and received by the board. Around 14 has received Aayog’s nod and they have been sent to CCEA for final approval.”

The projects fast-tracked by railways included works related to providing connectivity to coal and iron mines in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha and busy passenger lines.
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Wednesday, 9 September 2015

07:24

French firm Systra-led Consortium roped in for Ahmedabad Metro project

French firm Systra-led Consortium roped in for Ahmedabad Metro project

The metro train project is being executed by Metro-Link Express for Gandhinagar & Ahmedabad Co. Ltd. The decision was taken in the Project Committee meeting of the company held on 31st August in New Delhi and LoA was issued to the consortium on 4th September, the company said in a statement on Monday.

Ahmedabad: French mass transit and rail engineering company Systra SA-led consortium has been roped in as the general engineering consultant (GEC) for the first phase of the Ahmedabad metro rail project.

The metro train project is being executed by Metro-Link Express for Gandhinagar & Ahmedabad (MEGA) Co. Ltd, a 50:50 special purpose vehicle formed by Govt. of India and Govt. of Gujarat.

The project has faced many delays in the past due to several reasons including alleged financial irregularities by some company officials. A detailed project report (DPR) prepared by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation in 2004 had projected that the metro rail would be ready by 2010 to commute over 6lakh passengers daily.

The total cost of the project is estimated to be about Rs.9,000 crore. Daily ridership on the Ahmedabad metro rail network in 2021 is expected to be 460,000 passengers and the average trip length is expected to be 6.68 km at that time.

This decision was taken in the Project Committee meeting of the company held on 31st August in New Delhi and LoA was issued to the consortium on 4th September, the company said in a statement on Monday.

The consortium also includes RITES Ltd from India, Oriental Consultants Global Co. Ltd from Japan and AECOM Asia Co. Ltd from Hong Kong as members.
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Tuesday, 8 September 2015

09:29

CIDCO zeroes in on RITES Ltd for Navi Mumbai Metro DPR

CIDCO zeroes in on RITES Ltd for Navi Mumbai Metro DPR

Mumbai: The RITES Limited is likely to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) for Phases II (MIDC Taloja-Kalamboli-Khandeshwar) and III (Taloja MIDC-Pendhar) Interlink of the Navi Mumbai Metro as well as connectivity to the Navi Mumbai International Airport.

CIDCO hopes to initiate the tendering process for Phase-II by next year. The development agency is in advanced talks with RITES Limited over preparation of DPR for both projects. Once the formalities are worked out, RITES will be awarded the job of preparing the DPR after a formal approval by the CIDCO board.

Though the DMRC too had prepared a project report for Phase-II, CIDCO has certain issues with the present alignment of the Metro as per the DPR prepared by DMRC and wants it to be re-validated by RITES.

“There is a problem with the alignment of Phase-II, especially at Jawahar Industrial estate, as there is lack of space adjoining the alignment, while additional land has to be acquired for an alignment on Line-3 near Taloja MIDC. Considering these issues, we wanted a revalidation of the DPR and also a look at various options such as going underground at these locations. Therefore, we have approached RITES,” said a CIDCO official.

“The DPR will help us in deciding on whether to go over ground or underground or change the route slightly. We are working out the modalities of the scope and also the financial aspects of the DPR with RITES. Once that is worked out, we will put it before the board for it to be approved,” the CIDCO official added.

RITES has assured that the DPR would be ready in about four months once they are awarded the task and CIDCO officials hope to start the tendering process once the DPR is ready. “One of the issues to be examined is of going underground or above ground at certain sections. The expenditure for going above ground is around Rs 300 crore per kilometre, while an underground line costs about Rs 600 crore per kilometre,” said a CIDCO official. “The DPR will also study the pattern of passengers and the internal rate of return.”

Meanwhile, Phase-I of the Navi Mumbai Metro may be operational only by the middle of 2017.

The Navi Mumbai Metro is a rapid transit system under construction in the Indian city of Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra. The planning and construction of the Navi Mumbai Metro is being overseen by the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO). The system is planned to consist of three rail lines covering a total distance of 106.4 kilometres (66.1 mi). The foundation stone for the project was laid on 1 May 2011; following construction delays, the metro’s first line is projected to open in 2017. The metro’s technological infrastructure and rolling stock are being provided by Ansaldo STS, Tata Projects and CSR Zhuzhou

The Navi Mumbai Metro project received formal approval on 29 April 2010, and a public hearing on 21 May 2010 reported no major objections to the plan. CIDCO was named as the implementing agency of the Belapur–Pendhar–Kalamboli–Khandeshwar line, under the Indian Tramway Act 1886, by the Government of Maharashtra on 30 September 2010. The metro’s foundation stone was laid on 1 May 2011 by Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, and general foundation work on the system’s first phase commenced in October 2011. In March 2012, CIDCO released the metro’s complete master plan, including a proposed connection to the Mumbai Metro.

In February 2013, thousands of villagers in the Navi Mumbai area protested against CIDCO’s inaction on local housing developments and its failure to provide restitution for locals affected by infrastructure projects. The protesters pledged to “shut down the CIDCO head office and all development projects in the region. These will include the metro project and any progress on the airport project”.

Network

The Navi Mumbai Metro is planned to consist of five lines, totaling 106.4 kilometres (66.1 mi) in length. As of 2015, Line 1 of the metro is under construction, with operation projected to commence in 2017.

The 23.40-kilometre (14.54 mi) Line 1 consists of 20 stations. The proposed route will link Belapur, Kharghar, Taloje, MIDC, Kalamboli and the Khandeshwar railway station, terminating at the proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport. Line 1 is expected to be completed by 2017.


Funding

All the phases of Line 1 will be constructed and funded by CIDCO. Lines 2 and 3 will be funded by the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority respectively. The total cost of Line 1 is estimated to be ₹4068 crore (US$610 million).

Construction

The 23.40-kilometre (14.54 mi) Line 1 consists of 20 stations. The proposed route will link Belapur, Kharghar, Taloje, MIDC, Kalamboli and the Khandeshwar railway station, terminating at the proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport. Line 1 is expected to be completed by 2017. Line 1 is planned to be developed in 3 phases:

Rolling Stock

In 2014, the Chinese company CSR Zhuzhou signed a contract with CIDCO to supply rolling stock for the first phase of the metro’s Line 1. The contract is worth 300 million yuan, including maintenance. The three-car trainsets would be 64.6 metres (212 ft) long and 3.1 metres (10 ft) wide, with a passenger capacity of around 1,100 and a maximum speed of approximately 80 kilometres per hour (50 mph). The trains would feature stainless steel bodies, air-conditioning and LED lighting.

Infrastructure

An international consortium of companies including Ansaldo STS, Tata Projects and CSR Zhuzhou will provide the electrical and mechanical systems for the first phase of Line 1. Ansaldo will conduct systems integration and supply train control systems, telecoms, fare collection systems and equipment storage. The metro’s standard gauge network would be electrified at 25 kV AC, with power provided via an overhead catenary.
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Wednesday, 2 September 2015

07:54

Both financial and technology-related aspects are crucial in the revision of the DPR of the project.-Chandigarh Metro

Technical & Financial aspects of Chandigarh Metro DPR to be revised

Chandigarh (CDG): The financial and technical aspects of the detailed project report (DPR) of the Chandigarh Metro project prepared in 2012 will be the only key subjects to be revised in a detailed manner.

The administration has sent the report to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for its detailed revision. It will then be sent to the cabinet for its nod.

The DPR of any project of the size of Metro should not be older than six months. If it is so, it needs revision before going for the cabinet’s approval, sources said, implying the changes are not only crucial but also mandatory to start the project with fresh calculations.

UT finance secretary Sarvjit Singh says, “Both financial and technology-related aspects are crucial in the revision of the DPR of the project. Since the current DPR is of 2012, there may be changes as far as financial aspects are concerned. As new technologies are being introduced, this aspect will also be looked into. We are hoping the revision will be done as soon as possible to start the next round of exercises.”

Sources say traffic congestion, population and vehicle pressure among others are the other core issues but were covered in the current DPR on an yearly basis by keeping the future growth in the mind. “So, there is no need to touch these areas much as projections of such details are already mentioned,” they add.

Background:

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) submitted the detailed project report of the Chandigarh Metro Project to Punjab Governor and UT administrator Shivraj Patil on 16 August 2012.

On 9 July 2015, in the presence of Kaptan Singh Solanki, who is the Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh as well as the Governor of Haryana, the MoU was signed by the Additional Chief Secretary, Haryana Town and Country Planning Department, P Raghavendra Rao, the Secretary, Town and Planning, Punjab, A Venu Prasad, and the UT Adviser, Vijay Kumar Dev. As part of the MoU, the three parties also named the special purpose vehicle (SPV) to execute the project as the Greater Chandigarh Transport Corporation (GCTC) for the development of comprehensive integrated multi-modal urban and sub-urban commuter system for the region. The initial equity of the GCTC shall be Rs 100 crore, which will be contributed equally — 25 per cent each — by the Union Ministry of Urban Development, the UT Administration, Haryana and Punjab.

In the first phase, a 37.573 km metro rail network will be built of which 23.468 km will be elevated and 14.105 km underground Corridor. It will run from north to south. It will start near Capitol Complex and will go up to Mohali. Corridor II, also known as East West Corridor, will start from Sector 21, Panchkula and reach up to Mullanpur.

The proposed routes for the various corridors of the metro network are as follows:

Corridor 1: Khuda Lahora to IT Park via Punjab University, PGI, Government College, General Hospital, Sector 17- Interchange, Sector 8, Sector 7, Sector 26, Grain Market, Transport Nagar, Chandigarh Railway Station, Manimajra, covering a distance of approximately 16.00 km.

Corridor II: Sectt. Sector 1 Chandigarh to Bus terminal Sector 104 S.A.S Nagar, Mohali, via Rock Garden, Sector 9, Sector 17 interchange, Sector 17 ISBT, Sector 22-Aroma Hotel Sector 34, Bus Terminal Sector 43, Sector 52, Mohali Sector 62, Sector 60, Sector 72, Sector 71, Sector 75, Sector 76, Sector 77, Sector 78, Sector 87, Sector 97, Sector 106, Sector 105 covering a distance of 22 km.

Corridor III : Timber Market Chowk Sector 26 to Sector 38 and Dadu Majra along Purv Marg and Vikas Marg covering a distance of approximately 14.6 km.
Corridor – IV: Housing Board Chowk to Sector 21 Panchkula, via Panchkula Sector 17,16,15,14, & 21 covering a distance of 5 km
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Thursday, 27 August 2015

08:48

Charge passenger fares correctly, reduce OPEX for IR’s Survival; Borrowings from LIC or World Bank do not help much: says E.Sreedharan

Charge passenger fares correctly, reduce OPEX for IR’s Survival; Borrowings from LIC or World Bank do not help much: says E.Sreedharan

E.Sreedharan is definitely not impressed with the pace of reforms in IR. He feels reforms in IR is not as fast as it should have been, and the Govt is not taking corrective actions in time, instead approaching different ways to fix the issues which will not help IR. He says Madhavrao Scindia’s “computerisation of reservations” is one of the best reforms in the history on IR which has visible impact on the citizens of this country, passengers are actually benefited with drastic reduction in waiting time and longer queues are cut down at Railway Stations due to Computerisation. He suggests that the current dispensation shun non-core activities and charge passenger services “correctly” atleast from now; since it’s a question of survival; argues Sreedharan

He shows no signs of slowing down at 83 and thinks that Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu could do well to increase his pace of work and take some unpopular measures. While the Indian Railways has been working on a high speed train for quite some time now, Sreedharan may just beat them to have the first train to run at 350 kmph in his home state Kerala by 2020. He tells Bhavna Vij-Aurora that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the 550 km line between Thiruvananthpuram and Kannur will be ready by March 2016.

“The reforms in IR are not going as fast as it should,” he said.  He headed a one-man committee recently, to look into the issue of delegating tendering and commercial powers to general managers.

Sreedharan argued for increasing the fare if necessary. “Suresh Prabhu has started well but pace has to be much much faster. Investment is required in Railways but don’t look to borrowings only, look within, reduce expenditure, increase revenue…Why are we so shy of increasing passenger fares?” he told.

“I would suggest charge services correctly; increase fares if necessary; reduce operational costs,” he said adding that costs can come down by 30-35%.

Sreedharan said, “I have suggested all this to the minister.”

He blamed the transporter for sitting on the report of the Anil Kakodkar-headed Safety Committee. “The last Safety Committee I was a member, we had recommended measures and process. None were unpopular suggestions but there’s been no implementation of the recommendations,” he said.

The Metroman argued that railways should withdraw from the non-core activities which have impact on its finances. He questioned why the transporter is running a college for mechanical engineers for railways when there are hundreds of colleges educating mechanical engineers.

“It was an old system started during the British when there were no mechanical engineering colleges, it should stop now,” he said. Sreedharan added, “Also, don’t run schools. Education is a state subject and is being offered by all states.”

Arguing that productivity needs to be increased, he said, “The most important is to change the work culture like several PSUs have shown…turn around the way IR works.”

“Indian Railways are behind by 20-25 years to the rest of the world. Railways is an excellent government department…..but change work culture, instill a love for the organization in the people……privatization can’t be the answer to everything,” he said.

Sreedharan says Railways is over staffed and some tough decisions needed to be taken. “Take unions into confidence, it’s a question of survival. We can’t depend on World Bank all the time. Passenger services should be profitable, charge it correctly.”

The advantage of increasing passenger fare is that it doesn’t lead to inflation while an increase in freight fares will immediately increase prices, argued the former DMRC chief. He also said that the current alignment of Kashmir rail link will not work. “The alignment will not work, my report said so. If Kashmir has to continue to be a part of India, the line has to open…why not implement it properly? Take criticism and make changes,” Sreedharan said.

Here are some of the excerpts of the conversation with E.Sreedharan:

Q: What do you think of the railways’ performance under the NDA regime?
A: There were high expectations from the new government. Railways do not seem to be taking off. The steps that were needed have not been taken.

Q: Can you name some?
A: Railways cannot survive on borrowings. That is the tendency right now. Borrow from LIC. Borrow from World Bank. They have to return this money. The railways should mobilise resources and generate income. Passenger fares have to be increased and operating expenses reduced. Expenses can be brought down by as much as 35%.

Q: How can it reduce operation costs?
A: Why should the railways be running an engineering institute like the one in Jamalpur? There are IITs and other institutes doing that job. Similarly, they should not be running schools either. Most importantly, the work culture in railways must change to improve productivity.

Q: What do you think is preventing railways from doing unpopular things like increasing fares?
A: The political will to change is required. Nothing big has been done in railways since Madhavrao Scindia’s computerisation of reservations. That was the last big thing in railways, the last big idea.

Q: What do you think of Suresh Prabhu’s efforts at garnering resources and funds?
A: He has started well but the pace has to increase. Borrowings are okay for the short term but there has to be a proper strategy to pay them back. The system cannot survive on that. Unpopular measures have to be taken. Fares need to be increased. Staff strength needs to be reduced. Railways are over-staffed. These are unpopular measures but it is a question of survival of the system. They cannot depend uponWorld Bank all the time for money. Passenger service has to be profitable. They cannot subsidise anymore.

Q: Do you think enough safety measures are in place?
A: Money is definitely needed to make railways safer. But there are reports of various committees, the last one being the Kakodkar committeeof which I was a member. We gave concrete suggestions about improving safety measures and also doing away with all railway crossings where accidents happen frequently. It again comes down to work culture. Overbridges have to be made to eliminate railway crossings and permissions and approvals are needed from the railways, and they take months and years to come.

Q: What is the status of the high-speed train project in Kerala?
A: It is being executed by DMRC and a feasibility report is ready. A DPR is being prepared with the help of Korean and Japanese experts. It will be ready in March 2016. The distance of 550 km, between Thiruvananthpuram and Kannur, will be covered in two-and-half hours.

Q: How do you think the Delhi Metro is doing now?
A: Expanding the metro network is good but the government has to take steps to stop proliferation of private vehicles. I don’t understand why the government is not taking any initiative. It should improve public transport and allow private operators to run bus services. There should be low floor, narrow, fuel efficient buses running on Indian roads, especially in the NCR. The government should allow private parties to ply buses, give them incentives and make it profitable for them. As incentives, the government can do away with registration tax and road tax which together account for 25% of the cost. Public transport scenario can change in one year in the Capital.
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08:42

Vijayawada Metro project to cost Rs.6,823 crore

Vijayawada Metro project to cost Rs.6,823 crore

Vijayawada: The first phase of Vijayawada Metro Rail project is estimated to cost Rs. 6,823 crore and the total length covered by the two corridors will be 26.03 km and the cost per km works out to Rs.209 crore, according to the Detailed Project Report (DPR).

While Corridor 1 between Pandit Nehru Bus Terminal and Penamaluru covers a distance of 12.76 km, Corridor 2 (Pandit Nehru Bus Terminal-Nidamanuru) covers 13.27 km. The Corridor 1 is planned to be linked to the capital city of Amaravathi and Corridor 2 would be connected to Gannavaram airport.

The Detailed Project Report mentioned the cost of the ticket to be Rs. 10 between 0-5 km, Rs.20 between 5-10 km and Rs.30 for 10 km above.

As much as 31.039 hectares of land would be required for the project – 29.444 hectares of private land and 1.595 hectares of government land.

It stated that 11.34 hectares would be required for construction of Metro Rail Depot.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) team predicted that the traffic demand could be 2.91 lakh trips in 2019-2020 and was expected to increase to 9.99 lakh trips by 2051-52.
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Tuesday, 28 July 2015

18:35

Andra Pradesh Metro Rail Detail Project Report Submitted

The Detailed Project Report for Metro Rail for the city being prepared the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is almost ready. The report is now given final vetting by the DMRC.

After a final look by Advisor to the Andhra Pradesh Government E. Sreedharan, it will be submitted to the State government, probably in the next couple of weeks, say sources. Work on preparation of DPRs and the related surveys began in the second week of January.

Metro Rail is proposed on three corridors totalling 42 km. The longest corridor, proposed from Madhurawada to Gajuwaka, runs 31.2 km. Though initially the corridor was proposed from Madhurawada to NAD, the Gajuwaka stretch was included later, adding another 8.2 km.

The other corridors are from Gurudwara junction to One Town (5.5 km) and Tatichetlapalem to Park Hotel via University Road (7 km).

The DPRs include details of properties to be affected and widening of roads, if required, say sources. The cost per km of Metro Rail is estimated at Rs.206 crore, the sources add.

 Source :The Hindu
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Tuesday, 21 July 2015

07:52

Chinese Metro Rail team visits Vijayawada, inspects Andhra NCR

Chinese Metro Rail team visits Vijayawada, inspects Andhra NCR

Delegation meets VMC chief; promises to complete Metro project provided VMC gives necessary support

Vijayawada: A Chinese delegation representing China Railway 23rd Bureau Group Company Limited Overseas Metro Rail Project headed by its Deputy General Manager Lee Ming visited different locations in Vijayawada and Tullur across the Krishna river on Sunday.

The delegation was in the city on the invitation of the state government to scout the region for investing in the proposed metro rail project in Vijayawada and the New Capital Region (NCR) named as “Amaravathi” by the State Government recently, in a phased manner and also for high speed Metro rail connectivity between Gannavaram Airport and the NCR.

Lee Ming and others explained their company’s track record to Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) commissioner G Veerapandian  and showed the brochures and photographs of various projects they had executed in different companies. The company representatives expressed willingness to partner in Vijayawada Metro Rail project. Already the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has submitted a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the metro rail project and the government’s decision as to whom to award the contract of executing the project is awaited.

The delegation visited old bus stand area, Besant Road, Museum Road, Eluru Road, Penamaluru, Gannavaram Airport and Tullur. DMCR Project Director G.P.Ranga Rao, VMC city planner S Chakrapani, executive engineers Bhaskar, Dhanunjay and others were present.

Detailed Project Report

A Detailed Project Report (DPR) on the first phase of the Vijayawada Metro Rail project, estimated to cost Rs. 6,823 crore, has already been submitted to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Principal Advisor and Advisor to A.P. Government on Metro rail projects, E. Sreedharan.

According to the report, Corridor-1 will be linked to the capital city of Amaravati, and Corridor II will be connected to the Gannavaram airport. While, Corridor 1, between Pandit Nehru Bus Terminal and Penamaluru, covers a distance of 12.76 km, Corridor II (Pandit Nehru Bus Terminal to Nidamanuru) covers 13.27 km.

During their visit, the delegation inspected the proposed Metro line track and station points in the city. The delegation also called on Vijayawada Municipal Corporation Commissioner G. Veerapandian. Mr.Ming said the company would complete the Metro rail project in 18 months, if the Corporation provided the necessary assistance. During the meeting, the delegation also discussed the DPR.
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Friday, 17 July 2015

23:11

Indian Rail Port Company Limited launched as a New PSU under Ministry of Shipping

Indian Rail Port Company Limited launched as a New PSU under Ministry of Shipping

New Delhi: The Shipping Ministry has taken up an initiative to have a company that would work on last-mile connectivity projects between Indian ports.

Rajive Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Shipping, said a company called Indian Rail Port Company has been registered and the Ministry is in the process to select the first Managing Director.

The company would take up last-mile connectivity projects first for the major ports, and eventually for the non-major ports. It will construct, operate and maintain rail and road infrastructure to facilitate connectivity for transportation of goods from ports in India.

Kumar said the first tranche would be contributed by the major ports and the initial equity is about INR 100 crore. Shipping Secretary is the Chairman of the company that would be head-quartered in Mumbai.

He said that “We have identified 30 projects, and three detailed project reports (DPR) are ready. We hope to start the tendering process by October and the balance DPR would follow.”

Indian Rail Port Company Limited is envisaged to boast the most modern, production-optimising rail logistics information system in the world and co-ordinates train trips and track occupation, supports train loading processes in the Indian Ports and ensures the transparent exchange of data between all parties involved. All railway undertakings operating under the Company will be able to rely on automated communication via a data interface.

The share of cargo moved by rail in the Indian Ports will continue to grow in the coming years. As a flagship project for the railway as a mode of transport in the Shipping business, Indian Rail Ports Company Ltd will pave the way for more efficient port railway operations, thus securing the long-term future of the business in the Indian Ports with an efficient and transparent port railway information system.
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Tuesday, 30 June 2015

16:45

Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority signs MOU with DMRC for Jewar Metro

Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority signs MOU with DMRC for Jewar Metro

Greater Noida: The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation on Monday, for a feasibility study to be carried out followed by a detailed project report (DPR), for the proposed track between Greater Noida and Jewar.

The 38km Metro route will be a link between Knowledge Park II in Greater Noida and Jewar, which falls in the YEIDA area. The civil aviation ministry had last week cleared the proposal for a second international airport in the NCR, likely to be built in Jewar.

According to officials, the techno-economic feasibility report (TEFR) should roughly take three months to prepare. “The report will include details about the proposed Metro route alignment, the current status of the route, number of stations required and the estimated cost of putting the track in place,” G P Singh, finance controller YEIDA, said.
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Tuesday, 2 June 2015

08:05

Dedicated fast-track suburban rail service is a crying need for Bangalore

Dedicated fast-track suburban rail service is a crying need for Bangalore

Bangalore (SBC): A dedicated commuter rail service is Bengaluru’s crying need. But as lakhs of suburban commuters struggle in infrequent long-distance trains and makes packed far beyond its capacity, the long-distance Kochuveli Express chugged into KR Puram railway station at 5.55 pm. Awaiting its arrival, casual workers, IT employees, and students in their teeming hundreds had grabbed every inch on the platform, gearing up for their next battle task: To gain a foothold on a train hardly equipped for suburban commute.

But the daily travellers, shuttling between home and work in gruelling two-three hour rail trips, had no choice. For, the State, the Centre and the Railways had kept them waiting for years on the promise of an efficient yet economical suburban commuter rail network for the City.

Despite its proven potential to benefit a million travellers, the project lies trapped in a labyrinthine web of assurances, feasibility reports, and expert studies.

DPR in the works

Here’s another proof of the project’s painfully slow progress even at the drawing stage: Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) was tasked with preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) on the suburban network in September 2013. But only now has it submitted its report to the Department of Urban Land Transport (DULT). The report that cost Rs eight crore to prepare, has taken over 18 months and is still a work in progress. The DPR could take many more weeks before it gets into the public domain. Praja RAAG, a citizen’s collective spearheading a campaign for years to kickstart the project, finds this perplexing. The report, as Praja’s Sathya Sankaran points out, should not dwell on unimportant details. Instead, it ought to go beyond the feasibility report to discuss issues such as commercial model, funding and the Special Project Vehicle (SPV) created to take it forward.

Why not a priority?

In their desperate rush to latch on to any train that helps their suburban commute, lakhs of passengers wonder why the project is not a priority for the government. “A Commuter Rail Service (CRS) should be the fulcrum on which Bengaluru’s mass transport needs should rest on.

“A network of suburban rails can connect the City with surrounding towns that are employment generators, helping people reach Bengaluru quickly, maybe in an hour,” Sankaran explains.

Decongesting the City and its traffic-clogged arterial roads is one definite advantage. For Bengalureans trapped in high-rental living spaces, the CRS could also be the best bet to find a spacious yet affordable house in the suburbs. Says Sankaran,“Trains have right of way. Office-goers can plan their travel since CRS trains can become predictable in their schedules.”

Poor frequency

That predictability is what sales officer, Babu D S, seeks when he commutes daily from Kolar to Baiyappanahalli and back on work. “We have to mostly rely on long-distance trains, and a few passenger trains that don’t even have toilets. The poor frequency means the rush is unbearable, even to alight and board,” he says.

Long distance trains, with their majority of coaches reserved, are ill-equipped to handle the rush of short-distance travelers. Besides, the coaches have doors too narrow for quick alighting and boarding of high-volume passengers.

But for Babu, the immediate priority should be to increase the frequency of trains. “If they cannot add new trains, let them at least increase the number of coaches in the existing trains.” This view is echoed by Vishwanath Pakala, a Whitefield resident with a Biotech job on MG Road, who commutes between Baiyappanahalli and Whitefield. He complains, “Between 3 pm and 6 pm, there are no trains at all on this route.”

Feasibility report

Three years before the DPR, in June 2012, RITES had prepared a feasibility report taking into account these concerns. The project was to be implemented in three phases, with the first focusing on sections where the suburban demand is high.

All remaining sections were to be taken up in the second phase. Additional halts on the CRS network and increasing EMU rake lengths from nine to 15 cars were part of the third and final phase. Three years ago, a portion of the first phase, termed Phase-1A was to be taken up for ‘immediate implementation.’ Electrification of a few identified stretches, automatic signaling and upgrading facility at terminals and rolling stock were identified as focus areas.

Under Phase 1A, the Bengaluru-Mysuru, Bengaluru-Bangarpet and Bengaluru-Tumakuru sectors were identified as corridors for suburban upgrade. To improve the Bengaluru-Mysuru and Bengaluru-Bangarpet sectors, the feasibility report had recommended procurement of five MEMU rakes at a cost of Rs 105 crore.

Upgrading lines

Also on the CRS agenda was upgrading the Bengaluru City to Bengaluru Cantonment track to a twin single line system and introduce automatic signaling on the Cantonment-Baiyappanahalli line. Four pit lines were to be developed at the Baiyappanahalli station and two at Yeshwantpur station.
But three years after these calculations, the DPR ought to consider the substantial rise in passenger volumes. The estimated cost for Phase 1A, Rs 173 crore, and Rs 8,759 crore for the entire project, is also bound to increase correspondingly.

Yet, even the escalated cost would eventually prove small change in terms of the huge benefits from an efficient CRS system. It would surely be so for someone like Sudhakar Y, who spends four hours travelling from KGF to his Bagmane Tech Park office near Baiyappanahalli and back.

Sudhakar’s travel schedule has remained unchanged over the last eight years. “I take the Swarna Passenger at 6.30 am from Marikuppam, KGF to reach KR Puram around 8.30 am. On my return, I take the same train at 6.30 pm. There are no trains on this route from 3.40 pm to 6 pm.” His travel could have been much faster had the CRS taken shape.

Collective push required

The project deserves a mighty push from all stakeholders concerned, the State, the Centre, the Railways and Commuters Associations. Despite forming a Bangalore Suburban Rail Corporation Ltd (BSRCL) to implement the project and committing to bear half the project cost, the State government has failed to sustain the pressure.

Nor have the Centre and Railway ministry taken note of the urgency. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had indeed written to Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu in February, seeking the project’s inclusion in the railway budget. But the only forward movement since then has been the DPR.

Can Bengaluru, with its humungous inflow of office-goers, students and jobseekers, manage any longer without a suburban rail service? The feasibility report had estimated the CRS demand as 3.2 lakh trips in June 2012. It was projected to rise to 13.5 lakh trips in 2021 and 20.3 lakh trips in 2031.

Every hassled suburban traveler fervently harbours a hope now: They should not be eventually forced to settle for a diluted project, too late in the day and too little for comfort.
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