Hasiru Usiru, along with PRAJA, ITEC (IT Employees Centre) and Concern (IISc), is organizing a public discussion on a Commuter Rail Network for Bangalore (Namma Railu) on 15th July, Sunday, 10.30 AM at SCM Hall, Mission Road. Various student groups, RWAs, Workers Unions and other interested groups/communities in Bangalore are expected to participate in the discussion. There will be a Keynote address and a presentation on Commuter Rail and Panel discussion by Experts and Govt Agencies.
The schedule of the program is given below. An invite is attached.
PROGRAM SCHEDULE
10.30 AM to 10.45 AM – Introduction by Hasiru Usiru
10.45 AM to 11.00 AM – Keynote Address by Prof T G Sitaram, CiSTUP
11.00 AM to 11.15 AM – Presentation on Commuter Rail by PRAJA
11.15 AM to 11.30 AM – Tea Break
11.30 AM to 12.20 PM – Q& A and Open Discussion among participants
12.20 PM to 12.40 PM – Panel discussion with Dr. Sudhira (Urban Transport Researcher, Gubbilabs), Mr. Chopra (an expert on Bangalore Railways) and a Representative from DULT
12.40 PM to 01.00 PM – Planning Next Steps & Conclusion
Request you to please join the discussion, learn about commuter rail network and share your opinions and concerns. Circulate the invite widely so that there can be more participation as well.
Warmly,
Shaheen
PS: For fuller details, check attached invite
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Namma Railu.pdf | 52.87 KB |
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Great!! Cant we have a
Great!! Cant we have a representative from RITES as well? So that he/she can give us the blown up details regarding CRS, since they have done a detailed study.
Invite the media
Is the media also invited?
Hope we have a good number of electronic and print media coming for the meet. This would really help in reaching people all over.
@prakash dh, need everybody's help!
Prakash,
Welcome to Praja. Thanks for your support to CRS. By responding to this call you have said it loud that enough is enough and it is time for getting CRS implementation.
You are part of Praja. Please do pitch in and invite all those whom you can and who should attend this. Individuals like IDS, sanjeev are all doing what they can including running to various Babus, Organizations, MPs/MLAs etc. They need all your help. More the merrier.
Easiest would be to shoot an email to all on our contacts list, publicizing at work place. You may download the attached Program invitation and distribute wherever you can.
Thanks kbsyed!! Sure will
Thanks kbsyed!!
Sure will try and publicise it as much as i can.
Its time Public should raise their voice in different way
Citizens should start raising their voice either thru' email, letters, organising campagins for the Commuter Rail Bangalore, so that GoK and Railway comes forward to start full fledge services.
Look at how Chennai will be using AC EMU Rakes
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/article3629728.ece
testing phone app
Praja, Hasiru Usiru, Concern
Praja, Hasiru Usiru, Concern (students' organization of IISc) and resident welfare associations on Sunday discussed the benefits of commuter rail service. It was felt that local authorities should be part of consultations and form a committee to ensure the project sees the light of the day.
More here
This is only begining, more to be done!
From the available information, the event went very well. It seems there is lot for all of us to do to make CRS a reality.
Publicity campaign needs to be taken to next level. CRS awareness should be carried over to large sections of the city population as well those in suburbs and surrounding towns.
More ideas suggestions are welcome. Do let us know if you have contacts in all these places who can help spread the CRS awareness. MLA, MP, Panchayat/Muncipal Heads, Councilors, Politicians, all will matter and all are needed to push for CRS.
Need contacts in Mandya/Chanapatna/Ramanagaram/Kengeri, Nelamangala/Tumkur, Doddballapur, Chikballapur, Hosur, Malur and Bangarpet.
Do let us know if you can help us on this.
CRS project ignored for long, implement it’
Livid with the traffic miseries in the city, many at the discussion on Sunday, exerted pressure on the government to approve the commuter rail project.
“The CRS can be set up on the existing infrastructure. Besides ignoring, the government has meted out step-motherly treatment to the project. It has to accept the report now and initiate further action,” said Prof Sitaraman, director, CiSTUP.
Commenting on the need to regulate the prices of CRS, Sanjeev, a member of Praj.in said, “Costs have to be low as CRS will also meet the demands of the labour class. Costs for CRS will be supported by governments and it is not a profit initiative. Other methods like building over stations and renting out the property can be considered.” Sudhira, founder, Gubbi Labs, urged people to write to their representatives demanding the implementation of commuter rail project.
“Other schemes to encourage the use of CRS are increased parking charges and congestion tax within the city. Also, differential tax systems for firms which will set up offices outside the reach of public transport options will be included. This system is being implemented in Poland,” Sudhira added.
http://newindianexpress.com/cities/bangalore/article568189.ece
Railways open for discussions
Hinting an approval to the implementation of CRS, Sudhanshu Mani, DRM of South Western Railway, Bangalore, said the railway was open to discussions on the report before finalising it.
“RITES, the engineering consultancy company, is working on the changes suggested for the report, and will submit it to the Department of Urban Land Transport (DULT). Following that, a discussion will be held, and the proposal will be forwarded to the state government and railway board,” Mani said. Commenting on the delay before the project gained momentum, Mani said it was due to the lack of a framework for working conditions. “However, we can now take it forward,” he added. The railway will have to accommodate stations and commuter hubs, besides shifting the maintenance division to Byappanahalli. He said the railway was capable of managing the CRS on its own. Commenting on the capacity addition required to run CRS, Mani said only Phase 2 and 3 would require land acquisition, and Phase 1 could be operated on existing rakes. “We can run upto 40 services with four new rakes. Land acquisition can be discussed as and when Phase 2 and 3 are ready,” he said. The DULT has returned the report complied by the RITES and has directed to re-work on sections related to investment and purchase of rakes.
http://newindianexpress.com/cities/bangalore/article568190.ece
Good to see that things are positive from DRM / SWR. Its time for GoK should be more aggressive on getting this project approved.
CRS, the missing link in city’s transport system
The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) is enthusiastic about the implementation of the proposed Commuter Rail Service (CRS) in the city. Speaking to Express, Managing Director of BMRCL N Sivasailam said, “CRS will be the missing link in the city’s transport system. It is a suburban railway and is one step higher than the Metro in terms of reach.”
“The CRS will not become a threat to BMRCL. It meets the demands of different sections. Metro is specifically for city-based travelling, while CRS would help in connecting better to the cities around Bangalore. The suburbs will be serviced with the CRS, which is essential,” Sivasailam added.
He said CRS was not just for commuters, but also for transportation of goods from nearby cities to Bangalore. “Bangalore needs a constant supply of goods from the hinterland and CRS can contribute to this service,” he remarked.
Replying to a question on how the Metro could interact with the CRS to provide seamless transportation options, Sivasailam said it was imperative to implement linking of various transport options in the planning stage itself. “Everything has to be planned and linked. Nothing can be achieved by working alone,” he noted.
Sivasailam commented on the insistence of citizens that CRS must be linked to the centre areas of the city.
“Some debate is required on this matter. Only because the project has worked in one city, it does not prove it will work even in Bangalore. There must be a proper linkage,” he opined.
Experts, however, are of a different opinion and Prof Sitaraman, director, CiSTUP, said that it was necessary for CRS to operate through the centre areas in the city, as it would be able to link many travelling points. It is crucial, he added.
http://newindianexpress.com/cities/bangalore/article568188.ece
Why is that BMRC chief is always in the process of pulling down this project. Let BMRC concentrate on opening other three segments and he should inform public about cost of delay for every day how its hurting public investment from BMRC. He has more time to fight with SWR, BBMP & journelist instead of delivering the services.
What happened to MG road station, still its under construction to provide entry from other side & at from BMRC Baiyyapanhalli station, still its not connected with SWR station, same thing at Yesvantpur station even after 9 months opening.
Its high time that CM, Transport minister instruct BMRC to concentrate on its METRO work and deliver the results
After Decade, a step towards Commuter Rail from DNA
Namma railu Engine for progress. : Muralidhar Rao & Pranav Jha
Frame work in Place : Phase one can begin in year with 40 services if GOK agrees on RITES report and sends the proposal to Railway Board DRM / SWR
http://epaper.dnaindia.com/story.aspx?id=7050&boxid=31072902&ed_date=2012-07-16&ed_code=860009&ed_page=4
no coverage in Kannada press
The real users/beneficiaries for the commuter rail stay in the small towns and villages on Blr suburbs..hence to reach them its mandatory that we talk their language..Kannada..
Kannada papers need to be doing what the ENglish ones are doing today..driving the value message to them!
Sanjeev in The Hindu..
Photo Courtesy - The Hindu
There are railway tracks, laid by the Indian railways, lying under-used across the city, as valuable infrastructure that is potentially helpful for a large population, said Sanjeev Dyamannavar from the Research, Analysis & Advocacy Group of Praja, a social media organisation working on urban issues, speaking at a public discussion in the city on Sunday.
It would also be people friendly, as it would cover the industrial areas of Dodballapur, Chikballapur, Bangarpet, Nidavanda and Bidadi, benefiting the labourers there, he said. “Educational institutes scattered around the city and hospitals are also expected to be connected.”
“In Bangalore, we are moving more vehicles rather than people”, he said. According to his argument, CRS offers a four times longer network at one fifth of the cost of the Metro railway. “CRS connects the Bangalore city suburbs in all directions within 70 to 100 km radius and covers about 405 km at the cost of Rs. 8.000 crore whereas the Metro railway covers just 115 kilometres at the cost of Rs. 38,000 crore,” he added.
more here - The Hindu
Prajavani has reported the meeting in detail
Planned Commuter Rail services :Usefull to Commuters
http://prajavani.net/include/story.php?news=87397§ion=5&menuid=10
If some one can post the image on Praja will be good.
I also read this in news
I also read this in news papers. its really nice that print media is helping to reach the deaf govt. think e-media should also cover this to have more impact. Hope Mr.Shettar will take a call on this and approves the same at the earliest...
Meeting Minutes and acknowledgements!
On behalf of Praja, a big thanks to Hasiru Usiru, Concern, IT/ITes and others for organizing this meet.
Here is summary of the proceedings this meeting, as told be our committed CRS campaigner Sanjeev.
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Attendees -Prof Sitaram (CiSTUP), Dr Sudhira (Gubbylabs), Mr. Chopra (Activist) along with HU and IT/ITeS crowd attended this meet. From Praja Pranav, Ravi, Sanjay, Srinidhi and myself (Sanjeev) attended this meet. Over all about 50/60 people had gathered there. Media was represented from DNA, DH, Hindu, Indian Express.
HU kicked of the meeting with issues in Public Transport and how this CRS will be able to over come.
Pranav aka SB, gave intro for Prof. Sitharam of CiSTUP. Prof provided a glance of Urban transport. He also explained how road widening is helping in moving Vehicles and not people. He stressed on Moving people then moving Vehicles in Urban Area.Stressed on Inter-modal connectivity, how CRS will be able to cover larger area.He tried to bring in where METRO, Mono & CRS play their role and still compliment each other. He dispelled the misgivings about competition among these PT systems.
Ravi from Praja gave an intro on Commuter Rail and followed by myself (Sanjeev) doling out the details on how things are moving now and where it stands now.
Dr. Sudhira from Gubbilab, gave some inputs on Urban transport and how CRS was tried to put down by previous IDD chief. He has extended his support for CRS.
Then we had brief from Mr. Chopra on his observation on RITES report and his findings on how CRS can be started soon.
Then there was a open discussion and Q&A session.Many Questions were raised on the CRS like Capacity, Budget, Traffic Projections etc. Also asked about CRS impact on job loss as seen with Metro implementation. Questions about decreasing the accidents via CRS. Important question among these was 'How is the land requirement will be met'.Also questions were raised how B'lore south can be connected by CRS thru Ring rail.
Over all its was a good meet. Later media people called in to get some updates on CRS for the reporting in their dailies and weeklies.
TOI covering CRS event - please post comments there
TOI also covered about CRS here -
http://timesofindia.india...
Please go to this page and post your comments here. More comments on this article page will make editors help to cover this CRS initiative more frequently.
Deepak
Already we gave represntation to DRM in June.
In fact we had asked SWR to extend the services of Bangarpet - Bangalore MEMU train towards Kengeri with additional 2 MEMU Rakes, but SWR is not taking interest.
So we gave representation to DRM / SWR Bangalore, but he did't take much interest on this. Last year June meeting in DULT, we had strongly asked Mr Praveen Kumar Pandey to extend the MEMU Train towards Kengeri with additional rake, but looks like GoK is afraid of BMRC on this.
Even our MP's are least bothered to demand the Railway Board to extend.