Pune Metro - lets start tracking it here

 PUNE METRO SAHAKARYA SAMITEE

F-5, 2nd floor, 48/49 Grafikon Paradise, NIBM Road, Kondhwa Khurd, Pune - 411 048

Tel: (020) 2685 4132, Mobile: 093710 05396 Email: vkjrane1930@hotmail.com

PUNE METRO RAIL PLANNING

1.                Adopt BG (5’-6”) with indigenous 12’ wide coaches, instead of SG (4’-8.5”) with 9’-6” narrow width imported coaches

a)                This provides 74% more capacity/coach-100 yrs capacity life, as against 25 yrs for SG

b)                This will save Rs 3000cr in foreign exchange to the country

c)                This will reduce fares to the commuters by 30% & eliminate / reduce viability Gap Funding (VGF) subsidy & reduce heavy taxation on Pune citizens as proposed in DPR 

2.          The 21^st Century, Best in the World Technology, is available on B G, on BART Metro/San-Francisco/USA (2003), for safety & Stability considerations. Technology is independent of gauge  

3.          No need to duplicate elevated metro corridor, between PCMC & PMC. Provide dedicated surface corridor, adjoining to the existing surface line within railway land

4.          This will save Rs 1500cr & provide more capacity for the commuters & will not void the constitution, if constructed by joint venture between Indian Railways & GOM

5.          The DPR of DMRC is defective, deficient, inadequate, inconsistent and devoid of wisdom & commonsense  and is a “Paper Project Report” (PPR) with “copy paste” of “Ludhiana & Faridabad reports” and needs to be completely  reviewed and recast & later proof checked by Ministry of Railways – a supreme technical & legal authority on the subject, under the present constitution.

6.             The Controller & Auditor Generals (CAG) report (Sept 2008) on Delhi Metro Phase – I, EXPLODES THE ARTIFICIALLY INFLATED BALLOON, OF SELF MAGNIFIED IMAGE of DMRC, for its innovative management system, decision making, adoption of international safety standards, international standard of pollution control, bid acceptance systems, and international testing standards etc.  CAG has critically & adversely commented on the above areas & need to be studied to avoid repetition of serious accidents, similar to those occurred on 12^th & 13^th July 2009 & cracks observed in concrete columns, before commissioning the corridor to traffic operations. This will enable adequate steps to be taken, for Pune Metro Rail Planning & Execution, under the supervision of the Ministry of Railways, in the absence of similar competency with Ministry of Urban Development at the center and the States

7.             DMRC Model proposed for implementation of the project should freeze the project cost & take the responsibility of excess costs over the estimate. This should be reviewed by Ministry of Railways. There are other improved models for implementation of such railway projects.

8.             An alternative of fully UG metro rail system for Pune, having large scale economic benefits

              and savings in terms of elimination of land acquisition, cutting of trees, demolition of buildings,    

              diversion of utility services, impact on environment etc. totaling to a saving of more than Rs 3 cr per km and providing long terms benefits of more than 100 yrs to the city of Pune, needs to be incorporated in the DPR.

9.       DMRC has misguided the politicians and the bureaucrats of this country, by ensuring  NON INVOLVEMENT of Indian Railways, and inducting SG in the country against the country’s UNI-GAUGE POLICY of the Central Govt., and under the pressure of the overseas manufactures, suppliers and consultants for their own commercial and financial benefits, at enormous cost to the exchequer and in foreign exchange, against the national interest.  

10.  This subject need a debate involving citizens, the Technical Expert Group of Pune, Indian Railways and the State Govt. & DMRC, on technical, & other issues, in the overall and long term interest, of the present and future citizens, of not only Pune but of the entire nation, with a view to revise, the present policy of SG Metro System in the country.                     

V K J Rane – IRSE (Retd)

Ex-MD/IRCON -