Welcome to the Praja's Online Media Center, covering the Citizens campaign for Bengaluru Commuter Rail Service. Thanks to the media, both electronic and paper, there has been good coverage of plans for implementing CRS in Bengaluru.
Through these pages, Praja will make available the latest and pertinent information on CRS for the media personnel as well as for the general public. 3 types of Information will be made available on these pages:
Comments
Hoping to hear some good news
Hoping to hear some good news on CRS in the upcoming union railway budget which is 20 days from now. Also the state budget is around the cornor, So can we try something that really can make some impact on CRS with respect to the state's budget. May be something like serial emails to CM and chief secretary demanding funds for phase 1 of CRS in this budget.
Will this work?
Thank You
Prakash
Todays TOI - namma metro phase-3 about connecting suburbs to CBD
Deepak,
This comment has been moved to this discussion post.
-Syed
That is why it needs a SPV!
Sanjay,
Thre is nothing new in the report. All along SWR has been saying the same thing and it is nobody's case that existing infrastructure is more than enough to start CRS.
Praja's 'Call to Action Report', 2012 RITES reports clearly identifies the additional infrastructure that is needed to start the service immediately. Even in that it has been made amply clear that it takes time to build such things. RITES clearly makes a case for good 2 years to build the initial infrastructure to launch the formal CRS service.
This is nothing new or unique to Namma Railu. For MMTS, Hyderabad also, additional infrastructure had to be built. Lets not get over pessimistic on this.
That precisely is the reason, Praja Report and RITES makes a case for forming a SPV to build the infrastructure needed for CRS and operate ths service.
Report has not stressed on important fact that, it is possible to create additional infrastructure and as such there are no logistic hurdles barring the acquisition of Binny mIll land. Even for that, RITES has outlined an alternative approach which will mitigate the situation to some extent.
The real issue here is the political will. In absence of political will, bureaucratic influence is at play and can go either way. If Namma Metro is supreme, there could be a setback. I certainly hope it is not the case. Officers at IDD, UDD and Chief Secretary's office are wise enough to not succumb to such negative influence.
It is all about political will.
-Syed
Now its Chief Secreatary to take this roject forward
Already Chief Secreatary attended meeting in Aug'2010, he himself had written coupl of letters to DRM / SWR during Dec'2009
Letters written by Tumkur MP & his personnal talk with him over the couple of months & Bangalore North MP letter to CM, now its time for CS to take this project to Cabinet of GOK.
Hindu article with a negative headline
See this news item Seems like the Chief Secreatary wants to read up the RITES report. We should send him links to Praja discussions.
Talks on for rail services from Bangalore to Mandya, Bangarpet
The suburban areas and some important towns around the city is likely to get rail connectivity as a team of state government officials, headed by the chief secretary, met the railway officials to discuss the modalities to start commuter rail services to various proposed destinations from the city early this week.
According to official sources, the railway officials have proposed that the commuter rail services can initially start from Bangalore to Mandya and Bangarpet as these routes already have two railway lines.
According to the estimates submitted by the railway officials, headed by Divisional Railway Manager Anil Kumar Aggarwal, `800 crore would be needed for developing the infrastructure and buying the rakes to start the services to both the towns.
The railways expressed its inability to introduce more trains from the crowded Bangalore City Railway Station and has requested the state government to handover seven acres of Binny Mill land for developing the infrastructure for commuter rail services from the city.
According to the official sources, chief secretary SV Ranganath has tentatively agreed to the suggestions and is likely to convene one more meeting to finalise the modalities.
The service might become a reality in the city in another two years, sources said. The railways is planning to either shift four of its existing maintenance pits to the Binny Mill land to construct four more platforms or develop infrastructure in the Binny Mill land for introducing the service if the agreement materialises.
A study was conducted by the Rail India Technical and Economic Services (Rites) to explore the possibility of introducing commuter rail services to Mandya, Bangarpet, Kolar, Chikballapur, Doddaballapur, Tumkur and Hosur from the city and in between Yeshwantpur and Yelahanka, Yelahanka and Baiyappanahalli and Yeshwantpur and Baiyappanahalli. The report said that commuter rail service would cost lesser than metro trains as commuter rail service cost `15 to `20 crore for every kilometer.
http://newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/article1418425.ece
I think meeting was held on 7 or 8th Jan with CS of GOK others departments and SWR. Now we do not when this current govt will have its safe exit, so CS of GOK should get the cabinet approved soon and send the proposal to Railway board at the earliest. Hope by this month end CS clears this and takes to Cabinet
Why all Bangalore MP's are keeping quite and blaming center on not sanctioning the projects
@dvsquare - Check Existing One!
Deepak,
Pls check with Sanjeev and IDS for any Printed Posters/Banners available with them.
Check here for the electronic copy @ CRS Posters in English and CRS Posters in Kannada
Lets talk over the phone to discuss this.
-Syed
@Syed, Do we already have
@Syed,
Do we already have some posters to be used in the venue?
Venue: Kantirava stadium (starting point)
Time: 7:05 AM
Prajagalu's in bangalore, what do you feel?
How about this event?
Came accross this news item about "Kanyathon",
"..., a walkathon to highlight the cause of ‘save the girl child’ organised by Bangalore Oniyavara Seva Coota (BOSCO), a non-government organisation (NGO) that rescues and rehabilitates street and working children in Bangalore and IFIM Business School, (The Institute of Finance and International Management, Bangalore), will be held coming Sunday starting from Kanteerava Stadium at 7.05 am..."
News Courtesy - The New Indian Express
Looks like there is no participation fees, but donations are accepted. We all can pool and contribute on behalf of Praja to put up some Namma Railu banners, Posters or run with the banners. Could have punch line - Namma Railu, Assurance of Safe Ride to Our Daughters"
CRS information is available here!
sanchitnis,
Thanks for adding to the list and i agree 100% these are good avenues for CRS awareness. Regarding publicity material, here is the link for all the information that you may want to see, print and distribute.
Pls do go through the posts and material posted there. If there is anything missing or you want brochures/flyers to be made with certain information, Pls drop me an email or PM with your contact information. I will have it done and deliver to you ASAP, IA.
Also if you need help with printing pls get in touch with our NR campaign anchors IDS or Sanjeev. Even you can email me if you need help to promote CRS.
Looking forward to your support and help.
-Syed
Places to advertise
Hi,
The target audience is companies, educational and other organizations near the train stations. If we send material to the volunteers in those organizations, they will arrnage to get it displayed/post on their intranets.
Another target is bus stops near the stations from where we need to catch the potential commuters. For examples, for Belandur station, the nearest bus stop on ORR is Kadabeesanahalli form where people take busses to hebbal etc. We can distribute pamphates before the train timings so that some commuters may try train immediately.
Autos that ply between main roads (e.g ORR) and nearer train stations should be happy to carry to posters as it will get them more business.
Sanjay
PS: I am a daily commmuter from Belandur road to Banaswadi or Bangalore East.
Will write asking for a
Will write asking for a meeting next week.
Status check needed
IDS /Sanjeev,
Could we meet DULT to check on updates - if they have approached Railway board with a proposal ?
Add in Commuter Rail Takers Place..
We should add posters more in railway stations on the CRS map such as Kengeri, Bidadi , Yelahanka, Chikkaballapur etc. also in trains used by daily travellers..
Season ticket holders who travel daily will support to us..
@Bheema Nice one, but
@Bheema
Nice one, but actually that's what SB has suggested initially, and we have many people voted to stand with us.
So, combining both the ideas, we may do this -
divide we people in groups of 4-5 people each and start standing on many junctions, crowded places etc
Weekday -
Outside
(1) EGL campus (2) Manyata tech park (3) ITPL (4) EC (5) Bagmane Tech park (6) A few more places on the ORR ... please add any bigger tech parks if I missed any.
On weekends -
Outside
(1) Forum mall (2) Garduda mall (3) Brigade road MG Road intersection (4) Whiltefield 1-2 big malls (5) Sarjapur-ORR junction (6) Marathahalli junction (7) Mantri mall etc etc.. please add any bigger malls or public places
On any day -
Outside
(1) City railway station (2) YPR (3) KR Puram (4) Lalbagh (5) Vidhan Soudha ... Please add a few more in case I have missed any likewise places here
Also, if we have 2 wheelers, we can forms groups of 4 people on 2 bikes, having namma railu banner and roam around the city for a few hours. Another group can cover some other part of the city and like that.
I am parallely trying to keep namma railu page awake all these days by posting many things on daily basis and LIKE count is increasing. :-)
As Bheema suggested, I am also going to keep 1-2 small postures outside by cubicle in office about CRS, and let passers-by aware about it.
Deepak
I liked it!
Hemant, Bheema,
I liked the idea given in the photo. May be, if we decide to do it this way, we should do it also in front of Vidhan Soudha, MS Building, Large Public Places like Lalbagh, Cubbon Park apart from Railway Stations.
Any big events that is comping up in the City?
Nothing to lose!
Agree, if any future steps, should be plan to maximizing the results. Awareness is one aspect but if we can get across to ruling dispensation, that would certainly bear fruits. Therefore let us look forward to getting an appointment/audience with CM, Dy CM, Transport Minister, Urban Dev Minister, Minister for IDD, Chief Secretary, Urban Dev Secretary, or Principal Secretary (IDD).
Public awareness efforts should go on in whatever manner we can do it.
We are now at like South Africa's position in ongoing T20 Match. We have come this far, there is nothing to lose, but if succeeds, there is everything to gain.
Anybody with political/personal connections to CM, BJP Top Brass?
-Syed
good ideas, keep going...
good ideas, keep going... lets decide which one will have maximum impact & do it.
...but this was supposed to be the press & media thread as we were losing track of the coverage in other threads
Not a question of escape
I am of the view that whatever is done should be with careful deliberation and maximising chance of success, Agreed though that it is impossible to guarantee sucess or avoid hard work.. Have put effort into too many mass campaigns with super disappoi9nting outcomes.,.. even in terms of numbers. We have to gather allies...
BTW, lot of places have rail passenger or rail commuter associations. Anybodyu have contacts fo such associations around. I read that Hosur has one... they were in the news somewhere online.
I am ready to be with you.
Hi Bheema Upadhyaya,
I am ready to support Namma Railu with you.
Also I have an idea to go more public - We can use playcards that says Namma Raily benefits (along with praja link / facebook link) on our bikes or cars, so that public come to know about Namma raily advantages.
Currently, many of bangaloreans don't know about namma raily. Even in my office, I can count the people on my fingures who know about namma raily (that too they came to know, when I informed about this namma raily project).
Please comment.
Thanks & Regards,
Hemanth
I am ready to show this kind
I am ready to show this kind of ad for Namma Railu along with any other willing Praja member for a limited trial period in front of any railway station. For a good cause :)
Hi Syed, I just called one
Hi Syed,
I just called one such agency who does it, they told me -
(1) 2k per day - they will roam around 35-40 kms in a day
(If we hire for a month, it will cost around 50k), which we don't need.
(2) We have to provide them the banner, 16 * 8.
Here are more info - http://bangalore.olx.in/t...
I called up the num given and got the above info.
Deepak
How much that will be?
deepak,
Any idea how much that kind of advertisement will cost per week?
-Syed
No escape here
Sanjay,
The situation you are in is the same situation Namma Railu were when they had responded with the "Call to Action" report on a challenge from IDD Chief then. NR team was then had to make a choice to go forward or say we are done given the very miniscule on-ground support barring 4-5 committed Praja members. Even NR team was counseled to declare the project complete based on completion of the report. But, rightly so, team then decided to go forward and try what ever they can. Result of that sustained efforts from the team has ensure that a govt instituted report has in no uncertain terms has endorsed the point of view put forward by Praja. The journey this far was not a smooth one. At different point of times have faced hurdles and am sure will face many more in coming days and months.
There is no escape from hard work required on ground. Without the leg work and pressure tactics, NR will not see the day. Weak response not necessarily means we can retreat from the position we are in. Response will only grow when people see action on ground. Today it could be just you, me, Sathya, dvsquare, sanjeev, srinidhi, bheema, naveen, murali, and few others. But I am confident once there are signs of action, more will join. Fear of no response need not be a factor for back seat. Lets do what we handful can.
-Syed
Another idea - about displaying namma railu on advertize vehicle
I am thinking about this - Have you people seen those vehicles going all around the city, having just the advertiser board on it.
Like Tata photon or some new shoppers stop or some other store, their illuminated display board is being carried by this vehicle through some areas of the city.
We can think about doing something similar, we can have our banner on that vehicle and we also get on board that vehicle, and make people aware about this mode of transport. Before getting support, I feel we need to get lot of people aware of it. Then only, we should go about asking for support.
What's say?
Deepak
How to execute this?
We need a team, a good plan and lot of leg work. What I have right now is a lack of confidence in being able to execute this to satisfaction. If we do not get enough response, then it becomes a negative. Can we poll the group that came to the seminar at the SCM few months back... the HU folks and ITES folks and so on?
Resources and methodology!
Sanjay,
Agree, just by asking/requesting/pleading to the members will not generate letters. Even in close circles even after repeated email requests we hardly see any response.
You are bang on effort to write and post the letter. For result oriented campaign, we must go house to house, office to office, individual to individual. Effort on people who are willing to sign should be minimum - Just place their signature on pre-printed lettter. Nothing else. Rest to be taken care of by the campaigners.
Costs to cover the printing of letters, Envelopes, Stamps and mailing could be covered through donations. I don't think money will be an issue if we have a dedicated team who can execute this campaign. As in past, NR team can contribute among themselves to fund this campaign.
Captive audience found in Fairs, Melas, Festivals will be perfect targets to get signatures in bulk. Train trips could also be looked into specially on YPR-Hosur-Ypr route, Ramangaram/Madya route, Tumkur routes etc.
What is needed is team, plan and a schedule. IA, rest will be taken care of.
-Syed
Letter scheme
Let's think a bit more about this hard copy mailing plan. Before getting into some thoughts on that, I would like to state something. Namma Railu is important. After a real hard push with help of DULT and CiSTUP and others, Sanjeev and Sathya (mainly) have gotten the idea to this stage. We now need ALL of us to help push this train forward (apologies for the mixed metaphors).
On the letter mailing scheme, some thoughts.
1. For the idea to be effective, we need volume. More the letters, larger the impact.
2. For people to send the letters, it has to be easy. If you tell people to go to a post office, get stamps or a post card and send, that may kill the idea in today's age. I am not sure how to cross that barrier? Once the plan gets a buzz (some publicity), people may be more inclined to follow through, feeling excited to be part of the "campaign". How do you get publicity and to that critical mass?
3. Even a letter or post card should be short and sweet. I suggest that we (Praja) send one letter to all the targets. The rest can be post cards with a pithy message to make it easier to write and send.
4. We need to recruit partners to get that intial wave going. Intially, it could even involve giving people post cards in return for a donation tocover the cost of the post card if they decide to sign!
I have been spreading through
I have been spreading through FB page of namma railu, trying to get more and more people come on board liking our page. I will continue doing so as and when I get some data/photo myself or some blog/comment on Praja.
Then, I would suggest, lets do a "on street event in support of CRS" as originally started by SB.
80% of people have replied to the poll, who can join on a weekend. 80% of 90 is 72 people. Lets say 50% of those who voted in favour of attending event, thta is also a good 36 people. Taking even conservative figure of 25-30 will be good enough to show our presence at various points in city. Its better to have some press/tv9 etc know of it beforehand to give some space on media about this event. This will make our event more visible.
And then lets go for this letter on paper campaign and deliever a truck full of petition letters to CM house/office and other MLA/MPs from rural and urban bangalore.
Deepak
Not a bad idea!
Sanjay,
You are absolutely right. Unless truck full of petitions doesn't delivered on CM's office doors, NR will remain halted and parked at DULT station for ever.
The chain letter mailing is a good idea and we should definitely give an attempt. Already we have about 15 people responded to our original call. Those 15 could talk to 5 each, will easily translate to 75 at least.
Another avenue would be making use of events like Marathons, Marches, Melas and even protests that keep happening in the city. Not to underscore the efforts, time and energy required to undertake such exercises. Certainly Sanjeev and IDS alone can't be expected to do every thing. Each one of us should extend the support they need.
We may need a broader paper campaign
Can we get a substantial letter mailing campaign started. I am thinking of the old chain letter mailing scheme, except here, one person recruits, say five people and sends a letter to the CM , Railway Mantri and his/her MLA in the process? There shou;d be a landing page here where they can click to say the letter was sent. All these e-petitions and emails have their limits. I know this is a slightly crazy sounding thought for these times, but once this gets criticla mass and some publicity, things can avalanche.
Only a van full of letters going to the CMs office will get these guys to pay attention. At least, it is one way to. What do people feel? Worth the effort? We could even ask the chsin letter people to send one letter to a 'praja" address and then picture all the letters in a truck or something as added proof in a press release.
Can we swing this?
Commuter rail system may emerge the cheapest
As the number of people preferring to commute to Bangalore for work from the outlying towns is expected to increase in the coming years, the proposed commuter rail system (CRS) — connecting important towns — is likely to emerge as one of the important and cheaper modes of transport.
With a reliable railway network in place (about 400 km) connecting Bangalore with Kengeri, Bidadi, Yelahanka, Ramanagaram, Chennapatna, Tumkur, Doddaballapur, Whitefield, Chikkaballapur and Nelamangala, it requires minimum investment to make a functional and efficient CRS.
Being proposed as a complimentary system to the existing network of public transport, the CRS is ideally suited for satellite towns situated at a distance between 30 and 100 km from Bangalore, which can be covered within one-and-a-half hours.
Not only this, in the case of a breakdown of the public transport system that was witnessed when the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) workers went on strike, the CRS could emerge as the bulwark of transport system between the metropolis and the far-flung satellite towns, transporting large number of people.
To be implemented in stages, the CRS is expected to bring down the traffic problem in the city, as the authorities expect people to start using it once an efficient, reliable and a cost-effective system is put in place besides reducing pressure on the BMTC.
Final draft ready
Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES) prepared a draft note on the commuter rail system some time ago.
However, sources in the Directorate of Urban Land Transport said that RITES has submitted the final draft, providing phase-wise plans for implementation.
“The plan has to be presented before the government for its approval and it has to be discussed with all the stakeholders,” the sources added.
Meanwhile, Divisional Railway Manager of South Western Railway A.K. Agarwal said that the South Western Railway is keen on implementing the project provided the State government shared a part of the project cost.
“We are ready for discussion and there has been no communication after the revised (RITES) report was submitted,” he said.
Incidentally, the State government has committed itself to funding the rolling stocks (coaches)
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/commuter-rail-system-may-emerge-the-cheapest/article3933804.ece
Its again GoK is sitting on this project for last 3 months without any much progress
Email to Rajeev Chadrashekar sent on Feb 3, 2011
As part of Email campaign for Namma Railu, I had personally sent an email requesting his help in pushing CRS both with the GOK and GOI. Though I didn't get any acknowledgement or response from him or his office.
I am going to follow up with him and apprise him about the latest development on CRS. If anybody is interested in sending him an email or phone call, here is his contact information:
Email - rajeev.c@sansad.nic.in
Bangalore Address
Jupiter Innovision Centre, 54, Richmond Road, Bangalore - 560025
Telephone : {080} 22862000, 22863600
New Delhi Address
211, North Avenue, New Delhi - 110001
Telephone : 23094044, 23094042, Mobile: 9868181964
Thanks Rajeev Chandrashekar
Praja RAAG Namma Railu team appreciates the question asked by Rajeev Chandrashekar in the parliment. Its important for our MP's/MLA's to raise the question representing the region. Appreciate him taking the interest in Commuter Rail. Hope he can help some more in pushing GoK to act.
It is interesting how the MoR response talks about the 2009 RITES report & not the 2012. Shows GoK have been sitting on the 2012 report. There is only so much we can blame the railways.
Response and follow up?
Sanjeev,
It would be interesting to know the response and follow up from Rajeev Chandrashekhar in response to Ministry of Railways reply.
It is well known that ABIDe under his chairmanship did nothing about commuter rail. It didn't even figured in their scheme of things.
http://abidebengaluru.in/...
-Syed
Commuter rail hits dead end : Rajeev Chandrasekhar
The commuter rail project in Bengaluru may never take off, going by the response of the authorities concerned. The Union government, in 2009, had requested the South Western Railway (SWR) to introduce trains on nine local corridors for a commuter rail. But, SWR has failed to introduce the trains citing infrastructure woes.
In a letter to the Ministry of Railways, Parliament member Rajeev Chandrasekhar had sought answers to a few questions submitted by him on the commuter rail system in Bengaluru. He had asked the railway ministry if the government has received any proposal to introduce a Commuter Rail System in Bengaluru to ease transportation within the city and surrounding towns. He had also sought to know by when government proposed to complete this project.
Replying to Mr Chandrasekhar’s queries on September 7, Minister of State for Railways Bharatsinh Solanki stated: “The government has received a proposal to introduce Commuter Rail System in Bengaluru. M/s Rail India Technical and Economics Services (RITES) had submitted a report on commuter trains in Bengaluru in 2009. Based on the report, the State government requested South Western Railway to operate trains in nine corridors. South Western Railway (SWR) has introduced two commuter special trains in 2010.
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/bengaluru/commuter-rail-hits-dead-end-749
We should Thank Rajeev Chandrashekhar for raising issue at Center in written.
Now its time for GoK to push the project with RITES 2012 Report which is accepted by SWR & GOK in all, all MP's from Bangalore should join hands in getting this project.
Good to see that Urban Development Minister Suresh kumar :
“We have already written to the Union government before the railway budget this year to begin the services next year,” urban development minister S. Suresh Kumar said. “Bangalore is in dire need for such a rail service.”
Bangalore looks at BRT, local trains to ease congestion
Bangalore’s planners are looking at low-cost public transport to solve the city’s traffic problems
http://www.livemint.com/2012/08/23225758/Bangalore-looks-at-BRT-local.html
Thanks Srinidhi
Finally GoK has realised Commuter Rail has to happen for Traffic Solution and for near by Suburbs.
MP's from Bangalore need to keep pressure on GoI & Railway Board for approval
VK talks of SPV for CRS
Todays Vijaya Karnataka paper carries a article on CRS on its second page and it talk of what RITES has suggested on the SPV..which is ideally the way forward..
It says Urban Development chief secretary will be the chairman..K-RIDE (Karnataka Railway Infrastructure Development) member will be on board and so will SWR regional director and other railway person, one person from BMTC & BMRCL will be part of it!
http://www.scribd.com/doc/103659972
Finally Vijay Karnataka Kannada paper covered CRS
Its time for GoK to accept the report and send the proposal to Railway Board with commitment of Binny Mill Land and Funds 50% sharing.
Can you post the summary of the article?
Can you pls post the summary of the CRS article in Vijaya Karnataka?
Vijaya Karnata Dated 08-Aug-2013 Page 2
Spruced up the landing page for Press Media!
I have spruced up the landing page for Media Center. Hope you all will like it.
-Syed