Project Introduction:

The Mumbai metro is a rapid transit system being developed by both the PPP (Public-Private Partnership) and EPC models. Line 1 and Line 2 are being developed with Reliance as the consortium head while Line 3 is going to be developed by an implementation agency called MMRC whose role is similar to the DMRC in the Delhi Metro project.


Phase I

Line # Route Length(Kms) Stations Special Purpose Vehicle
Line 1 Versova - Andheri - Ghatkopar 11.4 12 Mumbai Metro One Pvt. Ltd.
Line 2 Charkop - Bandra - Mankhurd 32 27 Mumbai Metro Transport Pvt. Ltd.
Line 3 SEEPZ - BKC - Colaba 33 25 Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation



http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/3264/mumbaimetrohome.gif
Official Website of Line 1 (http://www.mumbaimetro1.com/HTML/index.html)

Line 1 Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar - 11.4 Kms - Under Construction
http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/2763/latestalgmntmap.jpg

1) GENERAL

o Journey time: 21 minutes
o Frequency: 3.5 minutes, going down to 3 minutes during peak hours
o Fares # (2003-2004 level)
+ Rs. 6 upto 3 Kms.
+ Rs. 8 between 3 Kms.to 8 Kms.
+ Rs. 10 beyond 8 Kms.

# Fares indicated are for 2003-2004 level and shall be revised @ 11% every fourth year (rounded off to the nearest rupee). Fares shall be fixed by Government of Maharashtra, through a notification.

2 ) ALIGNMENT

* The Proposed Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro corridor will be 11.40 Km long double line on elevated viaduct with Standard Gauge (1435 mm)
* The proposed alignment starts at Versova, runs along the JP Road, crosses the SV Road and Western Railway tracks to the North of existing Andheri Suburban Railway Station
* The alignment travels on the MV Road ( Andheri-Kurla Road). It crosses the Western Express Highway (WEH) above the existing flyover and reaches Sakinaka
* From Sakinaka the alignment travels along the Andheri-Ghatkopar link Road upto Asalpha
* After Asalpha, the alignment crosses the Kadam Road and runs through Golibar Road upto LBS Marg after taking almost 90 degrees turn behind the Sarvodaya Hospital
* From the LBS Marg the alignment passes along the Heera Chand Desai Road upto Ghatkopar proposed Metro Station near the Ghatkopar Suburban Railway Station
* The take off point for Car depot is located near proposed DN Nagar Metro Station

3) CIVIL

* Elevated Viaduct with PSC Segmental construction
* Car Depot at DN Nagar
* Ballastless track
* Operational Control Centre (OCC), Metro Head Office and maintenance depots in the Car Depot premises
* There are twelve stations on the route. They are - Versova, D.N. Nagar, Azad Nagar, Andheri, Western Express Highway (WEH), Chakala, Airport Road, Marol Naka, Saki Naka, Subhash Nagar, Asalpha Road, Ghatkopar

4 ) ROLLING STOCK - provided by CSR Nanjing Puzhen Rolling Stock Co. from China

Render:
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/8827/metrodesign.jpg
(http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/8827/metrodesign.jpg)
Actual Train:
http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/2637/12691365383791269136538.jpghttp://img404.imageshack.us/img404/9038/12691364747121269136474.jpg

The first rake arrived at the GTI port in Mumbai in March 2010:
http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/9636/331278d1271486553tmumba.jpg


Line 1 Station Designs:
http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/3965/126201085042am.jpg

WEH Station
http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/1111/wehmetrostation.jpg

Versova Station
http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/6408/stationp.jpg


Line 2 Charkop - Bandra - Mankhurd - 32 Kms - Approved
http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/1632/charkopbandra.jpg

http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/3163/copyof1234ahe2.jpg

Line 3 SEEPZ - BKC - Colaba/Cuffe Parade - 33 Kms - Planning stage
http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/3882/48046592.jpg

Phase 1
http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/5227/mumbaimetrophase1.jpg

Master Plan
http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/2181/mumbaimetro1kh5.jpg

Technical Work on Line1[Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar] had started back in Nov :)

Copyright Vikrameddie
http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/5441/86165113gj7.jpg


http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/8681/60253034mg8.jpg


http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/4853/84577843am8.jpg


http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/1458/95016138hs5.jpg

GE Finance plans to fund Mumbai Metro (http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage.php?autono=276984&leftnm=1&subLeft=0&chkFlg=)

GE Finance, the investment arm of GE, is eyeing to fund the Rs 20,000 crore Mumbai Metro project and the western freeway between Worli and Nariman Point sealink as part of its push on infrastructure investments in India.

Tejpreet Chopra, president and CEO of GE Commercial Finance, said, “We are looking at several projects including the western freeway and the Mumbai Metro projects as part of our investment strategy for the Indian infrastructure sector.”

Chopra added that GE had also lined up aggressive investment plans for roads, airports, ports and real estate sectors.

The pre-qualification round for the Rs 6192 crore second phase of the Mumbai Metro closes on April 2.

The first phase will be developed by the Anil Ambani owned-Reliance Energy at a cost of Rs 3500 crore. The financial closure for the project is yet to be completed.

_______________________
_________________

Yen may add to Metro muscle (http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1082681)

The Japanese may turn out to be one of the biggest investors in the city’s ongoing infrastructure projects. After a series of meetings with state officials on Thursday, the Japanese Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC) is considering to fund a critical part of the Metro Rail project.

Incidentally, the state’s decision to reach out to the bank is significant, considering it had decided against seeking funds from the World Bank, which had laid down some stringent rehabilitation policies.

The JBIC will soon undertake a pilot study to assess the infrastructure projects while the state continues to promote public-private partnership to boost development.

Post-talks, officials with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) said that the state may turn to JBIC for the high viability gap funding (VGF) required for the third Metro Rail corridor between Mahim and Colaba. (VGF is the difference between the estimated project cost and the actual bid cost).

“The third corridor is very capital intensive since most of the rail will run underground — it will need funds to the tune of Rs10,000 crore — and it would require a high VGF, which can come from JBIC,” said PRK Murthy, chief of the transport and communication division of the MMRDA.

The added rail link on the bridge linking Sewree and Nhava — a part of the Rs4,000 crore Mumbai TransHarbour Link — may also get JBIC funding, said an MMRDA official. “The rail link has been part of the Mumbai Metro Master Plan (MMRP), which talks about the metro connectivity from the mainland to the hinterland,” said another official.

The Japanese pilot project will start as soon as the state sends an official signal. An MMRDA official said that it would take at least one year to procure the loan. “The JBIC procedures are equally tough,” he said.

25kV OHE type Traction Electrification

Does this mean the traction is going to be cables dangling
overhead like the Delhi Metro and not the third rail
type as proposed for the Bangalore metro?

What an update! Great work indiansunite! I had no clue the work already started (I live in Canada), but its great that it has, and hopefully it will be well underway by the time I go to Mumbai in the summer. Great work with this update, and I personally dont care if its overhead wiring as long as it gets done :lol:

:cheers:

very nice rendering.

PHASE I

[
Render of Elevated Station[/B]
http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/2953/facilitiesct1.jpg

Official Website (http://www.mumbaimetro1.com/mmportal/HTML/index.html)

Awesome Work Indiansunite.

^^
Just had to copy&paste stuff :)

From south Mumbai to airport, via the Metro (http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=226747)

MUMBAI MAKEOVER: SET TO RUN FROM COLABA TO BANDRA, THIRD CORRIDOR WILL NOW BE EXTENDED TO AIRPORT

Mumbai, March 14: Even as the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) set aside Rs 300 crore for the city’s Metro Rail in its budget for the year 2007-08-including Rs 160 crore as a first contribution to the Rs 650-crore viability gap funding for the first corridor-one more plan has made it to the drawing board. The third corridor of the metro rail, proposed to run from Colaba to Bandra, will later be extended to run to the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport.

“Our consultant, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, is working on the details,” said Metropolitan Commissioner T Chandrashekhar, adding that the detailed project report (DPR) of the third corridor is expected to be ready in a month’s time. “It will be an underground section, and will facilitate travel from south Mumbai straight to the airport.”


A spokesperson for the Mumbai International Airport Ltd said they had actually proposed that the first corridor be linked to the airport-at MIAL’s cost-from the area near the Leela Hotel where the route turns towards the east. “There were no discussions on this, it was a proposal we had made,” the spokesperson said.

However, the DPR for the third corridor will be dispatched to the central government minus plans for the extension to the airport. “We don’t want to delay the procedure, so we will go ahead with the route as planned. The extension will be incorporated later,” said Chandrashekhar.

While tendering has begun for the second route-Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd-the DPR for the third corridor had to be redrawn after concerns over heritage structures made it necessary for a longer underground portion. The route will now run underground till Mahim instead of till Mahalaxmi, elevated till Bandra and then once again underground when the extension to the airport is undertaken.

Meanwhile, officials of Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd-the special purpose vehicle implementing the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar corridor-had a meeting with senior MMRDA officials on Wednesday, mainly to discuss the crucial issue of shifting utilities.

Yeap, nice indeed but just wondering if they have any plans to cater to handicapped passengers? I do not see vertical lift system, nor a dual way escalator. From the look of it, they may have escalators going up but coming down, a handicapped pax may have to use phased staircase.


very nice rendering.

p2p4............................you gotta point there. Bombay has huge handicap population & lets hope Metro planners are looking out for everyones convinience instead of just working class.

Yeap, nice indeed but just wondering if they have any plans to cater to handicapped passengers? I do not see vertical lift system, nor a dual way escalator. From the look of it, they may have escalators going up but coming down, a handicapped pax may have to use phased staircase.

News on Line II
http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/4886/16032007005006yh2.jpg

HT Mum Mar16
_______________________

Hope for 250 Metro-hit shopkeepers (http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&um=1&tab=wn&q=%22mumbai+metro%22&btnG=Search+News)

Two plans considered: redevelopment of market into mall or a slum rehab scheme

Mumbai, March 15: The government may have a solution in sight for the biggest stumbling block along the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar metro rail corridor, the adequate rehabilitation of about 250 shopkeepers along the stretch from Andheri station to Navrang Cinema.

Two proposals have been shortlisted following demands from those affected that they be resettled in the vicinity of SV Road or Andheri station—the redevelopment of a municipal market into a multi-storey shopping center or a slum rehabilitation scheme on a nearby government-owned plot.

“We have sent both these proposals to the government,” said Metropolitan Commissioner Dr T Chandrashekhar, adding that both are under “active consideration”.

While no individual notice has been served for eviction, the area’s shopkeepers—mostly operating electronics, saree and apparel businesses—have been seeking information on the rehabilitation plan following an October 2006 notification issued under the Tramways Act, 1984, a general notification for all those “likely to be affected” by the alignment of the corridor. Not only are the shopkeepers unwilling to move out of the prime locality right outside Andheri railway station, but they are also running legitimate businesses, some for over six decades.

While land acquisition for a 13.8-hectare car depot at Versova is underway, alongside notifications on widening the roads along the congested Andheri stretch, acquisition procedures are yet to commence for this “only major hurdle”.

While the municipal market, a dilapidated structure opposite the railway station, already houses some lease-holders who would have to be rehabilitated as well, the other proposal pertains to an encroached open plot in Andheri, again involving the rehabilitation of the eligible slum-dwellers alongside the commercial complex for the metro rail oustees. “The plot is just 200 metres away from Navrang cinema,” said Chandrashekhar.

Meanwhile, the Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd-the Reliance Energy Ltd-led special purpose vehicle that will construct and operate the city’s first metro rail corridor-have nearly completed a conditional survey of buildings along the entire 11.4 km length of the route.

Mumbai Metro, India (http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/mumbai-metro/)

Overstretched rail and road networks have created an urgent need for a suitable high-capacity transport system within the Indian city of Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay.

The present suburban railway network, which is not designed for mass transit, has to cope with those travelling into the city every day. In the 1950s, Mumbai enjoyed an extensive public transport system, with trams, rail and bus services adequately coping with demand. In recent times, however, commuter transport has become hazardous with severe overcrowding and the greater resort to road use.

Even with the need for a rethink, around 80% of journeys in Mumbai are made using public transport, mainly by train and bus, and the closure of the tramway in the 1960s is now seen as a major planning error.

There are currently 26 cities in India proposing to build high-capacity metro systems, and Mumbai is the latest to reach the construction stage.

THE PROJECT

In June 2006, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh laid the first stone for the first phase of of the Mumbai Metro, which comprises a a three line high-capacity metro system spanning 63km. It is expected to eventually double to more than 145km, with up to nine lines.

The railway system currently provides a north-south route through the city, and the first line of the metro from Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar will provide a new 11km east-west route. The second planned line will be 38km long, and the third 14km.

Major engineering works were to start in October 2006 after the end of the monsoon season, with the aim of opening the first line in 2010, including six months of testing. However, a decision had still to be made in November 2006 as to whether the project was eligible to receive what is known as Viability Gap Funding.

When it opens, the new system will slash journey times on the 11km east-west corridor from 90 minutes to just 21, crossing densely populated areas and major industrial locations.

Reliance Energy (REL), as part of a consortium involving European rail operator Connex, the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority and Hong Kong MRT, won build-own-operate-transfer contract for the first metro route at a fee of Rs23.6bn (US$524m). This will see the consortium manage the first three metro lines for 35 years before transfer to a new operator.

INFRASTRUCTURE

The first 11km route of the Mumbai metro will run east-west through the city between Versova and Ghatkoper, with 12 stations, and entirely on an elevated formation. With such freedom and the capacity to handle 60,000 passengers per hour, it will cut journey times through the densely populated areas.

Construction of Line 1 was due to start in late 2006, but financial issues surrounding the granting of Viability Gap Funding were slowing progress in November 2006.

Construction will take four years, and the line will open in 2010. However, the first route is far from the end of the plans. A second phase will aim for two further lines reaching a total of 63km, but the ultimate plan is for a network spanning 146.5km. This could cost Rs195bn, and include 114km of elevated running plus 32.5km of underground operation.

In line with the Railway Ministry's standards, the Mumbai Metro will be built using the standard broad gauge of Indian Railways – 1,676mm gauge – throughout.

The system will have a major effect on the prosperity of Mumbai. Even though major ground works have not commenced yet, there is already speculation that property prices along the metro routes will rise significantly over the coming years.

ROLLING STOCK

Reliance Energy (REL) has begun discussions with major rolling stock builders to provide the new train fleet for Mumbai Metro. Kawasaki (Japan), Alstom (France), Siemens (Germany) and Bombardier are all on the list of potential train builders, having produced vehicles for metro systems around the world.

For passenger comfort, the trains will feature air-conditioning, and the aim is to develop trains capable of carrying up to 1,500 passengers in a four-car unit.

With the input of the Delhi Metro Corporation and Hong Kong MRT, the new trains are likely to follow similar standards to those already in operation in those cities.

SIGNALLING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Mumbai Metro will feature the latest signalling technology, including automatic train protection (ATP) and automated signalling to control the high-volume of train movements on the 11km route.
A four-minute interval service is anticipated on the route.

THE FUTURE

Even though work is only just starting on the first line of the Mumbai Metro, ambitious plans are in place to establish the system into a nine-line network by 2021. Three phases of development are expected, with the first line opening in 2010, further routes in 2016, and completion coming five years later.

india is on its growth and development track, it'll go faster and faster. like what i said before, investing in infrustructre is the key to the country's full developemt. once you get the stuff done, you (both the rich and the poor) will benefit from them (road, subway, etc,) for centuries.

PB/Systra JV to manage Mumbai metro development

A joint venture of Parsons Brinkerhoff (PB) and Systra has been awarded a contract to manage the development of a new 11.5km rail system in Mumbai, India.

The project is being undertaken on behalf of Reliance Energy which was awarded a 35-year concession to construct, operate and maintain the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar (VAG) Metro Rail. The PB-led joint venture will provide project and construction management services as well as engineering services, including civil, structural, systems, trackwork and power supply design.

The route, to include 12 elevated stations, is the first phase of the Mumbai Metro Rail project. The entire system has a planned route of 146kms. It will be made up of nine lines, 32.5kms of which will be underground, with 114kms on elevated rails.

http://www.itsinternational.com/news/article.cfm?recordID=10820

Has the construction started yet? Any photos? What is the latest update from Mumbai?

The new planned Dubai metro stations look a lot better then then once planned for Mumbai metro. What do you guys think?

Mumbai is Mumbai and Dubai is Dubai. Obviously, Mumbai is not sitting on a sea of oil, to generate the kind of money Dubai does to build grandiose stations. Whats important is to bring in a comparison of the new stations with the current ones. Obviously, its way better than the current ones and thats a welcome development. :)

I dont see anything grandoise about the Dubai station. It is more modern and sleek and I am sure Mumbai metro will cost the same as Dubai metro

Mumbai metro:
http://www.mumbaimetro1.com/mmportal/HTML/index.html

Dubai Metro:
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=390090&page=8

I dont see anything grandoise about the Dubai station. It is more modern and sleek and I am sure Mumbai metro will cost the same as Dubai metro

Mumbai metro:
http://www.mumbaimetro1.com/mmportal/HTML/index.html

Dubai Metro:
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=390090&page=8

I looked at them Dubai Metro station photos. IMHO, that station is grandiose. The arc shape roof appears to be made of architectural metal - which is very very expensive. The station has floor lights - which costs almost 4 times as much as regular overhead (ceiling) lights would cost. And there is always concrete under the lights, so you don't save on concrete flooring. The escalator tower is made of glass wall - again very very expensive. The handrails on the station are of top notch quality - they are glass rails with beauty cap - again very expensive. All this together increases aesthetics but increases costs too. There is a saying - 'you get what you pay for'. You just cannot compare Dubai with Mumbai...

Mumbai is Mumbai and Dubai is Dubai. Obviously, Mumbai is not sitting on a sea of oil, to generate the kind of money Dubai does to build grandiose stations. Whats important is to bring in a comparison of the new stations with the current ones. Obviously, its way better than the current ones and thats a welcome development. :)

I dont believe Money ever was and ever will be an obstacle. What India lacked was/is vision to see things ahead and very well qualified civil servants. whoc could direct and execute these projects.

What about Japan, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and a whole bunch of other cities/countries? They did not have oil, did they?

MP

I dont believe Money ever was and ever will be an obstacle. What India lacked was/is vision to see things ahead and very well qualified civil servants. whoc could direct and execute these projects.

What about Japan, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and a whole bunch of other cities/countries? They did not have oil, did they?

MP

Couldn't have put any better myself. What any Indian city or India itself lacks is careful planning. Everything is ad-hoc or patch work. Can we stop giving various excuses and admit that India is anyone's worst nightmare thanks to bad palnning.

What about Japan, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and a whole bunch of other cities/countries? They did not have oil, did they?
I dont believe Money ever was and ever will be an obstacle.
MP

You choice of selection of countries for comparision is pretty amusing. Welcome to reality. For the various metros under construction/proposal, India is barely managing to fillup the viability gap for funding the metro and in some cases awaiting low interest loans from JBIC.



What India lacked was/is vision to see things ahead and very well qualified civil servants. whoc could direct and execute these projects.

MP

We were not talking of whether India needs vision or not. Thats a different issue. The point was does India really need to build the kind of stations Dubai is doing. When we are finding difficult to put the Metro in place first, why complain about not having extravagant stations. I would rather prefer to spend that extra money on extending the metro rather spending on showy stuff. Thats what Delhi metro is doing now. DMRC has decided not to spend money anymore on building expensive stations like Rajiv Chowk/Connaught place and rather use the funds available to extend the metro, which is more the need of the hour.

BTW, we have seen only one model of the Mumbai metro station, and it no way looks tacky or inadequate. :)

When I said Mumbai metro will cost the same as Dubai metro I meant per km cost. I know Dubai metro is LRTS and Mumbai Metro is a MRTS. Knowing our politicians I am sure Mumbai metro railway will be Broad Guage. A metro railway plays a major role in the development of any city. From what I am hearing looking at the development plans of Mumbai city the netas want to promote it has a world class city then please built world class infrastructure. Dont built low grade infrastructure. Good looking stations are very important they are the pride of a modern city. They will attract tourist, attract more travellers, build a reputation etc. Look at Rabale station in Navi Mumbai. The rest of Navi Mumbai stations are huge. We have the money, its not the question of money like my friend said it is vision. If we are spending 20,000 crore rupees on the complete network we might has well built good modern stations. I think Dubai station is one of the best stations I have ever seen. Can someone please post the dubai metro station rendering photos here in this thread.

Mumbai Metro Vs. Dubai Metro

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I dont see anything grandoise about the Dubai station. It is more modern and sleek and I am sure Mumbai metro will cost the same as Dubai metro

Mumbai metro:
http://www.mumbaimetro1.com/mmportal/HTML/index.html

Dubai Metro:
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showth...=390090&page=8

We do have money, there are enough banks ready to provide us loans even after knowing our history. The problem lies with our architects. Every other big project has hafeez contractor's name to it. He cant possibly design the whole of India, from buildings to airport to railway stations and malls.

Most of the malls in india still dont actually have a design as such. The exteriors are just box-shaped with a few escalators thrown inside the mall. You can see the difference between our malls and the malls in south east asia. Even half of the metro stations in delhi dont really look world class. We need to have hire foreign architects, who actually have experience in designing malls and airports and railway stations, and then only our quality can match the world standards. Give hafeez contractor a break, he is good at designing buildings, let him do just that.

Dubai metro stations: Very futuristic - Does Mumbai need this what do you guys think?

http://www.geocities.com/mumbairail/d1.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/mumbairail/d2.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/mumbairail/d3.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/mumbairail/d4.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/mumbairail/d5.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/mumbairail/d6.jpg

^^ Mumbai needs a metro that is better than Dubai's.

We do have money, there are enough banks ready to provide us loans even after knowing our history. The problem lies with our architects. Every other big project has hafeez contractor's name to it. He cant possibly design the whole of India, from buildings to airport to railway stations and malls.

Any idea on how much money Hafeez has made after all these years of getting plum jobs with little or no competition?

But I seriously agree with you and probably said the same thing a while ago. One architect for every highrise, IT ********, shopping mall, and infrastructure project is never a good idea, especially with the last one. Indian airports and train stations need to last for a long time with a lot of capacity so you need architects that are competent and have experience with layouts and traffic flow and all of that.

As long as the mumbai metro is functional as well as good integrated interchanges with commuter lines, future BRTs, it will go ahead a long long way.. Futuristic designs will win them many design related awards but the ultimate goal will be to provide a transport solutions integrating to different mode without any hassles to the commuters..

As long as the mumbai metro is functional as well as good integrated interchanges with commuter lines, future BRTs, it will go ahead a long long way.. Futuristic designs will win them many design related awards but the ultimate goal will be to provide a transport solutions integrating to different mode without any hassles to the commuters..

I agree with that.

The Dubai Metro looks great (very futuristc) but I dont think it would suit Mumbai to have something similair or the same. As long as its functional and practical and made to a high quailty & finish this would be most beneficial for Mumbai.

^^
I am not coming to this link to read what you guys think how station look. You can talk those issues in chai bar. I am and so most of us are interested in only update/progress on Mumbai metro as the tiltle of this thread says.
Anyway here is some news about airport link:

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1088583

Airport now on Metro rail map
Rajshri Mehta
Tuesday, April 03, 2007 00:18 IST

The GVK consortium, which won the rights to modernise Mumbai airport have finally decided to connect the first metro line connecting Versova to Ghatkopar to the international airport at Sahar. Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd (MIAL), the company set up by the consortium is currently working out modalities with regards to revenue sharing agreement, number of trains that will be required to be operated with Mumbai Metro 1, the company set up Reliance Energy that is constructing the metro.

The metro or automated passenger train will run the 1.5 km stretch from the metro station at Leela Hotel to the airport.

Confirming that plans are afoot to construct the connector, the MIAL spokesperson said that the cost of construction for the elevated train will be borne by them. The connector when finally constructed will be a boon to thousands of airline passengers as plans are afoot to have domestic and international airlines take off from Sahar airport itself.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Metro 1 have appointed France based Systra and US-based Parsons Brinckerhoff as engineering and project management consultants for the first metro corridor between Versova to Ghatkopar. With a bid of Rs 142 crore, the consultants will not only finalize the alignment but also design the stations.

Considering the first metro line is being constructed on Build Operate Transfer basis, US based consortium of Louis Berger and Rites have been appointed as independent engineers. For Rs 15 crore, the engineers will act as mediators in case of disputes arising between Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority and Reliance Energy, which won the bid.

[QUOTE]I am not coming to this link to read what you guys think how station look. You can talk those issues in chai bar. I am and so most of us are interested in only update/progress on Mumbai metro as the tiltle of this thread says.QUOTE]

Thats fair enough and a fair point to make...:nuts:

Glad things are moving on the Mumbai Metro front. :banana:

Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has extended
the date for submitting the pre-qualifying bids for the second
corridor of the Mumbai Metro rail project to May 2.

"On request of the applicants, the last date has been deferred to the
same day of next month," G R Madan, Director, MMRDA, said.

http://tinyurl.com/2uv7kq

VIA TOI
http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/623/mummet1vd9.jpg


VIA HT
http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/1614/mummet2gx0.jpg

And BTW PB/SYSTRA would jointly manage the Mumbai Metro. Here's (http://www.pbworld.com/news_events/press_room/press_releases/pdf/mumbai_metro_release.pdf) a press release from PB[Opens with Adobe]

And here's (http://www.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&om=0&z=13&ll=19.107217,72.868538&spn=0.071694,0.11673&t=k&msid=113183586221997086106.00000111c1c87a86ef07d&msa=0) Google Map showing the locations of stations on the VAG line

Metro ride may cost 50% more than bus fares


Mumbai: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which is involved in the execution of the Mumbai Metro project, is banking on the belief that the city’s residents are more “time sensitive” rather than “price-sensitive” to finalise the fare structure.
Speaking informally at a workshop organised by Epicons Friends of Concrete, a senior MMRDA official said a metro ride “should be priced at 50 per cent over BEST bus fares on similar routes”, given the fact that it will cut travelling time and provide AC comfort.
The Mumbai Metro’s first line (Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar) is expected to be ready by 2010. The MMRDA is helping Reliance Energy Limited build it. The fare structure being discussed for the 11.7-km elevated route is Rs 6 (up to 3 km), Rs 8 (3 km-8km) and Rs 10 (over 8 km).
“Citizens in Mumbai will be willing to pay extra for the fast and clean ride. In other cities time is not so valuable and life is slower,” said G R Madan, the MMRDA director who’s overseeing the progress on the Metro.
Citing the example of Kolkata, Madan said when the Calcutta Metro raised its fare by one rupee after six years there was a 30 per cent drop in passenger traffic in the first week.
“The master plan for Mumbai was prepared keeping in mind the fact there was a need to provide additional north-south corridors along the main travel axis of Mumbai. It was also supposed to provide rail based services for areas not served by the suburban railway network,” said Madan.
“Since Mumbai is a closely packed city, it was decided that metro stations should be located within 1.5 to 2 km of a majority of city residents. There would be integrated interchange points with the suburban railway system to enable citizens to change without a problem,” he added.
toireporter@timesgroup.com


[Via TOI:No link]

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/3707/mumbaimetro230407op7.th.jpg (http://img246.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mumbaimetro230407op7.jpg)

i hope the politicians don't play the pro-ppls card and make this fare rise part of their agendas. if the ride is safer and faster and more comfortable, i am sure Mumbaikars will love it, regardlessly of the rise in fares.

A WHOLE NEW WORLD

Mumbai Metro unveils its plans: to be cheaper and better than Hong Kong and Delhi Just how different can your experience on the Mumbai metro rail be from the ordinary local-train grind? HT brings you the first glimpse of the whole new world."Our aim is not to make a luxurious metro rail like in London. Rather, we want a cost-effective and passenger-friendly system" — K.P. Maheshwari, director, Mumbai Metro


COME SEPTEMBER and the work for the 11.3-km elevated rail route connecting Versova to Ghatkopar will commence in full swing. And when its ready (sometime in 2009), the makers of the first corridor of the Mumbai Metro say that it will be better than the metro lines in Hong Kong and Delhi.

“We are sure Mumbai Metro will be better than the rest because we are using tried and tested technologies. Our aim is not to make a luxurious metro rail like in London. Rather, we want a cost-effective and passenger-friendly system,” said K.P. Maheshwari, director, Mumbai Metro One. Mumbai Metro One is the special purpose vehicle (SPV) formed between Reliance EnergyVeolia Transport and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

“We are learning from the mistakes others have made,” said Maheshwari explaining that the Mumbai Metro will have conveniently located escalators on stations. This, he explained, was after learning from the Bangkok Metro, which makes commuting difficult for the physically challenged because of the location of the escalators.

According to Maheshwari, other critical aspects such as appointment of civil contractors and decision on coaches etc will be taken before work begins in September. MVA, an international consultancy firm, has been appointed to chart out a traffic management plan to be implemented during the construction period. The aim is to ensure that vehicles and pedestrians are not inconvenienced during the period of construction.

An environment impact assessment will be conducted to ensure that levels of sound, the process of dumping debris, etc are eco-friendly, said G.R. Madan, director, Mass Rapid Transit System.

When ready, the 11.3 km stretch will cut travel time between Andheri to Ghatkopar to just 20 minutes from the current 90 minutes during peak hours. The Metro is expected to carry traffic equivalent to seven bus lanes and 24 lanes of private vehicles.

http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/3166/mumbaimetro250407it2.jpg

Hurdles Ahead


The entire stretch will be developed along the median of an existing road.

Will pass through Andheri Chakala Road and Saki Naka — some of the most crowded corridors of Mumbai.

Three-level stations will have to be built in the middle of the road. Roads like JP Road and the stretch between Saki Naka and Asalpha are hardly 18 metres wide, making it tough to build a station in between.

The elevated metro rail corridor would cross the existing Andheri flyover 7m above it and 21m from the ground.

Rehabilitation of project-affected victims.

Would also cross the congested western rail corridor near Andheri station.



Full Article
http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/1743/25042007002004pp4.th.jpg (http://img398.imageshack.us/my.php?image=25042007002004pp4.jpg)

[via HT:No Link]

Metro builders draw up a greenprint for construction

Mumbai: Covered sites, minimum air and sound pollution, landscaping—these are just some of the green measures the builders of the first line of the Mumbai Metro, from Versova to Ghatkopar, are trying to incorporate during the construction and operating of the line.

“A number of environmentfriendly measures are under discussion for the first line including the main administrative building, a green building with environment safeguards,’’ said Mumbai Metro One director Krishna Prakash Maheshwari.

Mumbai Metro One Private Limited is a special purpose vehicle created to implement the 11.4 km long line that will connect Versova, Andheri and Ghatkopar at a cost of Rs 2,356 crore. It is a joint venture company formed by Reliance Energy Limited, Veolia Transport, France and MMRDA.

“We will also be going in for an environment ratings system overseen by the Confederation of Indian Industry-Leads India,’’ Maheshwari said adding that Leads is one of the leading environmental rating institutions in the world. “Their standards will be adhered to during the building of the metro rail.’’

Technologies certified to be safe will be used during construction and the sites will be covered in such a way that there is no dust fallout, something lacking in most construction sites in the city, he said. Mumbai Metro One will also take measures to ensure that air and sound pollution is minimised during construction through use of modern methods. “To ensure there is no sound pollution, the driving of piles on the road will be done with a special screw down method which does not generate much sound unlike the regular pile driving machines used at construction sites,’’ said S C Gupta, head of civil construction for the metro.

“We have also worked out a quick debris disposal system so that it is not left lying at the site,’’ Maheshwari said. The Metro will also use energy efficient lighting systems to ensure they conserve power. “The ventilation and air conditioning systems will also be energy efficient,’’ said Gupta.

“When we begin work on the depot sites at D N Nagar and Wadala, we will conserve the topsoil and also do landscaping on the route,” Maheshwari added.
toireporter@timesgroup.com

http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/6046/mumbaimetro250407bws6.th.jpg (http://img258.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mumbaimetro250407bws6.jpg)


[Via TOI:No Link]

A WHOLE NEW WORLD

Mumbai Metro unveils its plans: to be cheaper and better than Hong Kong and Delhi Just how different can your experience on the Mumbai metro rail be from the ordinary local-train grind? HT brings you the first glimpse of the whole new world."Our aim is not to make a luxurious metro rail like in London. Rather, we want a cost-effective and passenger-friendly system" — K.P. Maheshwari, director, Mumbai Metro


Full Article
http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/1743/25042007002004pp4.th.jpg (http://img398.imageshack.us/my.php?image=25042007002004pp4.jpg)

[via HT:No Link]
A "makes you feel good" article. Not sure how/what parameters are used to rate London as luxurious and the mumbai one as not. Many of the features described are common.

Ive travelled on the tube and theres definetely nothing luxorious about it.

yeah. i thought the london reference was pretty odd. being the oldest metro in the world it does have lots of very seedy stations and rolling stock

Ive travelled on the tube and theres definetely nothing luxorious about it.

I am guessing that the director of Mumbai metro who made the statement would have seen/experienced the relatively new stations on the jubilee line such as Canary Wharf, Canada Water, Southark etc and found it luxurious, and is oblivious of the fact that there are stations on the Metropolitan/Northern/Picadilly lines that are over 100 years old where even installing an escalator/lift is out of question:lol:

Ive travelled on the tube and theres definetely nothing luxorious about it.

Nowhere I found London tube to be any sort of luxury except for the Westminster where they have security doors at the platforms.

Maybe luxury in the sense regard to the amount of underground work that has been carried out.

To relocate Metro Rail oustees, MMRDA has 6-month deadline (http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=233799)

Mumbai Makeover: Toughest problem is Andheri shopkeepers, but a proposed mall with an FSI of 4 could be solution

Kavitha Iyer

Mumbai, April 27: SIX months, starting March. That’s how much time the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has to sort out the contentious issue of rehabilitating commercial and residential structures affected by the Mumbai Metro project.

“The MMRDA is seized of the issue and we are working closely with them,” said K P Maheshwari, director, Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd, confirming that the concession agreement between the consortium and the government stated that all encroaching structures along the corridor of the city’s first metro rail corridor would be removed by the MMRDA within six months.

Metropolitan Commissioner Dr T Chandrashekhar says over 80 per cent of the corridor has already been cleared. “Some difficult areas remain, like the shopowners at Andheri station,” he said.

Also, at Ghatkopar station, where the metro rail will meet the suburban railway for optimum connectivity, about 70 “dense” structures right outside the railway station will have to go. Two multi-storey buildings next to Sarvodaya Hospital at Ghatkopar will be affected too. “The residents have been asked to be relocated in the vicinity, we are looking into that,” Chandrashekhar said. The hospital itself is partly affected and has agreed to give up some area.

With Mumbai Metro One officials pursuing an “aggressive” rollout time of three years on the insistence of the government—the concession agreement, however, maintains the construction period as five years—the most serious issue that remains is the relocation of the 270 Andheri shopkeepers, who have resolutely refused to accept a rehabilitation plan that’s not as per their demands. “We’ve been here 60 years,” says Naveen Kothari of P Valchand Jewellers, one of the affected shopkeepers, whose family has run the enterprise for several generations. Needless to add, it’s a prime location and business is good.”Broadening the road to 120 feet is fine but we demand that our shops be shifted to the edge of that road.”

Mukesh Ganeshmal of Vardhaman Jewellers, also the secretary of the Andheri Shopkeepers and Residents Welfare Association, admits that road widening is inevitable, but says any relocation in a radius of 1.5 km from their current shops will be acceptable. “The MMRDA has orally agreed to give us all space in the mall to be constructed nearby,” he said.

For this most contentious patch, the MMRDA has proposed two alternative plans to the state government—a commercial complex to house all of them in a plot located close to Navrang Cinema or a redevelopment of the civic market building opposite the railway station. “The government has in principle given its nod to the special FSI of 4 for the market redevelopment proposal,” said Chandrashekhar. “Since we need to rehabilitate a large number of project affected people as well as the licencees in the existing BMC market, we are positive that this will be a workable solution.”

Metro rail work after monsoon (http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:EwZDmMbNjfYJ:www.asianage.com/presentation/leftnavigation/metros/mumbai/metro-rail-work-after-monsoon-.aspx+the+asian+age+mumbai+metro+monsoon&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us)

http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/8778/mumuh8.jpg
ON TRACK: Director of Mumbai Metro One private Ltd K.P. Maheshwari briefing the media on the Metro Rail Project on Tuesday. Looking on is the business development officer of Mumbai Metro One Ashish Verma.


Mumbai, April 24: The construction work on the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar metro rail, which is part of Phase I of the three phases planned for metro rail in Mumbai, will start only after the monsoon this year. Presently, evaluation for signaling, power supply and telecommunications is under progress while a master project implementation schedule has been developed along with preliminary designs for stations and track work. Preparations are also on for tender documents for various systems.

Till date the work that has been completed by the Mumbai Metro One Private Limited are of topographical survey, underground utility mapping, condition survey of adjoining buildings and geo-technical investigations.

Speaking on the problems faced while executing the work, Mr Krishna Prasad Maheshwari, director, Mumbai Metro One Private Limited said, "In no other city, the traffic burden is such as it is here in Mumbai."

According to the director, the frequency of metro rails will be in every three minutes during the peak hours, whereas during the non-peak hours the frequency will reduce to three and a half minutes.

"There will be 12 elevated stations and all the stations will be in the middle of the road," said Mr Maheshwari. The drivers will be hired only six months before the completion of metro rail and these drivers will be trained on train simulators rather then training them on the train itself.

The coaches which will be fire retardant will have a carrying capacity of 375 commuters in each of the coaches and the metro rail will carry the same amount of traffic as seven lanes of bus traffic or 24 lanes of private motor cars on either way.

Presently, the costs of magnetic tickets or tokens and smart cards that will be used in issuing tickets are costing Rs 6 each excluding the metro rail fare. "Thus, we are looking out for options to reduce the cost," said Mr Maheshwari. He even promised that the Mumbai’s metro rail will be better then that of Hong Kong or Singapore.

As per the plans, two trains will never collide as there will be Automatic Train Protection System (ATP) and the only part that the driver will take care of will be opening and closing the doors as Automatic Train Control system (ATC) will be used so that the driver has the least pressure.

Braking new ground: Metro trains will recover energy (http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=233872)

In times of an acute crisis, a smart idea for conserving power on mass rapid transport


Mumbai, April 28: Every time your motorman hits the brakes, he returns to the power grid some 35 to 40 per cent of the power the vehicle used while accelerating. And that energy he returns to the system then powers another train speeding elsewhere along the route.

In a year of intense loadshedding, that might sound somewhat revolutionary for suburban commuters, but regenerative braking will finally come to Mumbai’s public transport when the Mumbai Metro One starts operations in three or four years from now. Used commonly in top-of-the-line rolling stock on metro rail systems, regenerative brakes will be one of the key energy-efficient features to be deployed along the 11-km Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar route.

“At any time, there would be 13 to 14 trains on the line, some decelerating and others accelerating,” explains K P Maheshwari, director, Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd, the special purpose vehicle company formed to build and operate the city’s first metro corridor. “Regenerative brakes supply some of the power needed to run trains from the power generated by decelerating.”

Regenerative braking is a mechanism that converts some kinetic energy in a vehicle that’s decelerating into electrical energy. This electrical energy can then either be stored in batteries or used to operate other accelerating vehicles running on the same electricity supply system. From Bangkok to Singapore and parts of the Delhi Metro, regenerative brakes are used to conserve energy in an otherwise power-intensive transport system.

Since regenerative braking is effective only at higher speeds, the Indian Railways have used the technology in their WAP 5 class of electric locomotives designed to haul 26-coach passenger trains at 160 km an hour. These locomotives are used in premier trains like the Rajdhani Express . The Research Design and Standards Organisation of the Ministry of Railways has also been testing dual voltage systems for energy efficient trains with regenerative braking for improving Mumbai’s suburban railway.

Meanwhile, to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the Rs 2,356-crore metro rail project, the Reliance Energy-led consortium is also planning UPS backup at all 12 stations, industrial-size diesel generator sets and a state-of the-art SCADA system.

Also, Metropolitan Commissioner Dr T Chandrashekhar said the utilities mapping had been completed and shifting would be undertaken immediately, so that construction of the metro rail viaduct can begin post-monsoon. “Shifting of electric poles is beginning soon,” Chandrashekhar said.

The Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd has shared the mapping of utility lines-sewers, water mains, telecom cables, fibre optics, gas lines, etc-below the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar route with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. “Our mapping is comprehensive and so impressive that the civic agencies have asked us to proceed with the shifting,” said Maheshwari.

^^ All local emus have regenerative braking, and they are not top the line :tongue2:

Cross posting from Jai's post in the Mumbai Updates thread -

MMRDA has a plan to speed up Metro


“ We have no desire to go around with a begging bowl anymore, not even to foreign banks.” - T Chandra Shekhar, Metropolitan commissioner

DNA Epaper 29 APR
Smita Deshmukh
Mumbai

Forget the official 2021 deadline. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Develop ment Authority (MMRDA) wants to make all nine corridors of the Rs19,500 crore Metro Rail functional in just over five years.

To make this grand plan possible, the MMRDA will be attempting to self-finance the crucial build-operate transfer (BoT) project.

A new notification, already approved by the state government, would allow the MMRDA to amend the Development Control (DC) rules and increase the Floor Space Index (FSI) in the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) from 2 to 4.

This would allow the MMRDA to sell off the remaining 70 acres of land in the area, where 70-metre-high buildings could be erected after the Airports Authority of India revised its height restrictions. Officials say the move could fetch a whopping Rs25,000 crore – more than enough to make the MMRDA self-sufficient to build the Metro Rail. Forget the 2021 deadline. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) wants to have all nine corridors of the Rs19,500 crore Metro Rail functional in just over five years. To make it possible, the MMRDA would be attempting to self-finance the crucial built-operate-transfer (BoT) project.

“Projects like the Metro require massive capital. Moreover, the BoT process quite taxing. So, it is in our best interest to tap the potential of BKC to its fullest and speed up the project,” said Metropolitan Commissioner T Chandrashekhar.

The MMRDA is also looking at other avenues to raise funds. FSI incentive, along with commercial exploitation of land, at the proposed InterState Bus Terminal in Wadala is expected to rake in around Rs2,500 crore.

Also, the MMRDA’s appointment as special planning authority for the proposed growth centres in Bhiwandi and Kalyan will fetch more funds.

Sources said the MMRDA pushed its case for more developable area in the BKC with the state following the approval of FSI 4 for the Dharavi redevelopment project. Another cue was taken from their next-door neighbours — the joint venture of Reliance and Maker Group, who were allowed to increase the height of their buildings from 30 to 70 metre by the AAI.

“We have no desire to go around with a begging bowl anymore, not even to foreign banks which take a long time to process loans and place stringent measures. We can undertake the Metro project on our own and finish it in record time,” said Chandrashekhar.



http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/1141/300420070010041om6.th.jpg (http://img262.imageshack.us/my.php?image=300420070010041om6.jpg) http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/1525/300420070050071np5.th.jpg (http://img262.imageshack.us/my.php?image=300420070050071np5.jpg)

wait wut are they planning to do with the already running trains?

hows crowd gonna be? like is it gonna be like another rush hour train

Only those on next metro will access platform

Mumbai: When the Mumbai Metro begins plying through the suburbs around the year 2010 or so, it will not employ traffic helpers to help people into trains like for the Tokyo Metro. It will instead resort to regulating the flow of passengers onto the platform and educate people through large electronic screens.
According to Surjit Madan, vice president of Rolling Stock for Mumbai Metro I, “Having traffic helpers, like some metros abroad, might not be acceptable culturally as people in India do not like people guiding or touching them.’’Instead, Madan said, “We plan to regulate the entry of commuters to the platform in such a manner that only those who are travelling immediately can take the train.’’
Mumbai Metro I is the special purpose vehicle that is building the first line of the Mumbai Metro, which will run from Versova to Ghatkopar. Reliance Energy Limited has the majority share holding, while the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) also holds a stake. The 11km-long line is expected to cost over Rs 2,000 crore.
“The stations,’’ said Madan, “will have a ground level and a Level 2. People will be allowed onto the ground level, but only those boarding trains will be permitted to go to Level 2. This will limit the people on the platform and prevent unnecessary crowding on the platform. This will also prevent trains being delayed due to overcrowding and the doors being unable to close.’’
Madan admitted that some metros abroad, including the Tokyo Metro, have traffic helpers who help people into the trains so that they are not caught in the crush as the doors close. The situation can lead to serious tragedies as aldo train delays.
“We will have a monitoring screen on the train so that the driver will be able to see the crowd on the platform before the train rolls into the station. In case of overcrowding, he can keep the train at the station a little longer till the doors close,’’ said Madan.
In addition to this, said Madan, “There will also be large screens at the metro stations which will educate commuters on how to enter and alight. These screens will also run programmes on what to do during an emergency. This will ensure that the message gets through.’’
Transport consultant Beena Balakrishnan said that Mumbai residents do not need traffic assistants. “The people who will travel on the metro, which will be air-conditioned, will be capable of learning through the public media how to get in and alight,’’ she saidd.
Metro rail officials had pointed out that at the initial stages in Japan several assistants were employed to help people into the metro trains as there were huge crowds during peak hours.
Madan, who has visited Japan and several other countries recently to study the metro systems in operation there, explained that the Japanese metro stations have changed and now have only one person who helps people to get in and alight and also does other work at the station.
“The role of the traffic helper has diminished with time,’’ he said.
ashley.dmello@timesgroup.com

[via TOI:No link]

Metro: Shopkeepers seek timely rehabilitation

Forty Andheri shopkeepers who face displacement due to proposed metro plan meet local MLA


Mumbai, May 10: Faced with certain displacement due to the to-be-constructed Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar line of the Metro Rail, about 40 shopkeepers in the Andheri (West) area on Thursday held a meeting with local Member of the Legislative Assembly Baldev Khosa, seeking timely rehabilitation.

Giving their assent to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority’s proposal to demolish an existing civic market building near Andheri station, currently in a dilapidated state, and replace it with a multi-storey mall, shopkeepers under the guidance of the Andheri Residents and Shopkeepers Welfare Association sought assurances that they would not be evicted before rehabilitation. “The metro is going to be constructed, it’s not for us get into a controversy on whether it’s good or bad,” said joint secretary of the welfare association, Inder Pal Sabharwal. “All we can say is that this is better than moving to Mankhurd.”

The MMRDA has sought a special FSI of 4 for the redevelopment of the Andheri civic market, which has been granted by the state government’s Urban Development department. That means the market, currently occupying over 1,00,000 sq feet of retail space, can house four times as much shopping area.Sabharwal, owner of a cycle shop his family has run for 58 years now, added, “It will be difficult to give up shops we have had for decades. It will take time to get our business back on track in a different set-up. But this is still a positive initiative we are taking with the MMRDA.”

About 270 shopkeepers along JP Road and SV Road in Andheri (West) are affected by the project. For residential project affected people, approximately about 500 in number, the MMRDA has proposed relocation in readily available flats in nearby Oshiwara. As many of the residential oustees live in ground-plus-one storey chawl buildings, MMRDA officials said they expect little or no resistance from them.

Source (http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=235837)

Metro line 2 bid opening delays further

MMRDA had earlier set April 2, ’07 for the bid opening which was extended to May 3, ’07 and now further to May 21, 2007 “ We extended the bid opening date fol- lowing the request from the bidders’ side. ... the time provided to them by MMRDA to submit the pre-qualification documents was not adequate.” G R Madan, director


The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has further extended the bidding date for the second corridor of Metro rail project to May 21,2007.

This is not the first time that the extension of bid opening day has delayed any project.

Though the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) formally got a go ahead for the project from the state government in February 2007, but as usual the delay factor in the MMRDA project has already started coming up.

So far, in the second corridor, that is the Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd Link, the bid opening date has been extended twice in the last two months. Initially, the date set for the bid opening was April 2, 2007 which was then extended to May 3, 2007 and now further to May 21, 2007.

But the MMRDA officials claim the curtailing few weeks from the five-year project would not create any difference at all to the project.

Says G R Madan, director, Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS), “We extended the bid opening date following the request from the bidders’ side.

The bidders and applicants felt that the time provided to them by MMRDA to submit the prequalification documents was not adequate. Following their request, we had to extend the bid opening date, besides even we needed time to clarify the queries raised by the applicants through the state government.” He further adds, “The project will not get affected by any chance even if we curtail a few weeks from it. We can anyways adjust this few weeks delay in the further five years project.

For now, the May 21 deadline is the bid opening date.” But the fact is that every MMRDA project has to go through such hurdles which then results in the delay of the project.

http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/4376/10052007301013004dy6.jpg

[VIA-DNA West Coast]
______________________

Line2 Map (http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/3163/copyof1234ahe2.jpg)

Line 2 map from MMRDA's site (http://www.mmrdamumbai.org/)

Line1 Line2
http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/5447/mumbaimetroline2mapeg0.jpg

______
Wanna build line2? The qualification documents can be downloaded here (http://www.mmrdamumbai.org/docs/RFQcharkop-bandra-mankhurd%2026-04-07.doc)

Metro will not be driverless


Mumbai: When the Metro starts running on the 11-km Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar route a few years from now, it will not be driverless.
Mumbai Metro One chief executive officer K P Maheshwari said driverless trains might be brought in later. “There will not be any driverless train to start with,’’ he said.
Mumbai Metro One is the special-purpose vehicle constructing the first line of Mumbai Metro from Versova to Ghatkopar. Reliance Energy Ltd has a majority stake with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority also holding a large chunk of the shares.
The driverless trains, discussed for Mumbai Metro, are there in some western countries and are part of an automated system in which the human element is kept to a minimum.
Drivers are not needed on these trains and are kept only to carry out inspection and to instill confidence in passengers.
Maheshwari said inducting driverless trains would mean additional costs. “The system is more expensive and, in spite of having driverless trains, Mumbai Metro would anyway have to recruit 150 drivers. So, we have decided against having them at the initial stage,’’ he said.
But Mumbai Metro is not against the concept either. “We have adopted an open system so that driverless trains can be inducted at a later stage if necessary,’’ he said.
Mumbai Metro One is involved in getting utilities like telecommunication, power, water and gas sorted out and routing these supplies into one large duct under the line that Mumbai Metro trains will traverse. The problem of rehabilitating shopkeepers and residences at Andheri station is also being looked into with the shopkeepers being accommodated in a shopping mall. The actual work on Mumbai Metro is expected to begin after the monsoon.
toireporter@timesgroup.com


[Via:TOI]

Line 2 is huge!

The original Line 2 was even longer as it stretched all the way to Colaba. I hope that the stations at Andheri and Bandra are integrated with existing WR stations to ensure smooth passenger transition.

PM with a model of an elevated station during the Bhoomi Poojan ceremony back in June06

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/4306/mumbaimetrostationte2.jpg

News regarding Line3 which would run from Bandra down south to Colaba.
__________________

You can go underground
Just take the Metro from Colaba to Mahim

Line1+Line2 intersection@DN Nagar station
http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/6567/21052007006010002ow5.jpg



FANCY ZIPPING from Colaba to Mahim in an underground train? Well, that may no longer be a pipe dream.

A 19-km underground metro railway line from Colaba to Mahim is feasible - according to a recent survey by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).

The survey, conducted at the behest of the state government, has found that it is possible to extend the underground section of the Colaba-Bandra Metro route till the end of Mahim instead of Mahalaxmi, as was earlier planned. "Once the line ends at the fag end of Mahim, there will be an elevated extension which will be connected to the Bandra Metro station in the Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd route," said G.R. Madan, director, Mass Rapid Transport System.

On the flip side, an underground rail route would cost almost thrice as much as an elevated route, per kilometre, he said. This would take the total cost of the Colaba-Bandra Metro third route to a whopping Rs 10,000 crore. The DMRC is expected to submit its report on the Metro route by June.

Interestingly, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has changed the pattern of bidding for the 31.87-km Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd elevated rail corridor. Submission of the pre-qualification bids has also been postponed from May 21 to May 31.

The second major change is in the shareholding pattern of bidders in a consortium. In the second Metro project, only members with 26 per cent equity holding will be considered while scrutinising the bidders' experience.

[Via HT: Mum]
http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/7893/21052007006010an9.th.jpg (http://img508.imageshack.us/my.php?image=21052007006010an9.jpg)

PM with a model of an elevated station during the Bhoomi Poojan ceremony back in June06

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/4306/mumbaimetrostationte2.jpg

Seems to be the same design as featured on the MM website:
http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/2953/facilitiesct1.jpg

some of the renderings confuse me, they look already built

they have morphed the designs on the existing overhead tracks of the Delhi Metro.

oh ok

i kept thinking that construction has been going on for a while

BMC gets Metro dig-up plea


Mumbai Metro One Private Limited has sought permission from the civic administration to shift underground utilities that come in the way of alignment of a bridge on which tracks will be laid from Ghatkopar to Versova, a distance of 11 km.
The Metro rail authorities want to carry out the shifting of two major utilities—water and sewer lines from the Western Express Highway to the Saki Naka junction (Andheri East) during the four months of monsoon, as it would help them stick to the tight schedule. Construction of columns for the bridge requires the laying of a foundation and it is for this purpose that the utilities need to be shifted.
The BMC does not grant permission for digging during monsoon given the traffic mess it creates on Mumbai’s roads. For the last two years it has stopped allowing the same unless it’s an emergency such as a cable fault or pipe burst. This year the time was extended for utilities such as water supply.
“Considering that the Bombay high court has pulled up the BMC on several occasions for potholes, granting permission for such a huge project will be inviting disaster,’’ said an official.
N V Merani, former public works secretary and chairman of the panel that advised the BMC on how to construct quality roads, said it was not advisable to carry out the work during the rainy season.
“Sometimes water from the storm-water drains move to the sewers and provide additional holding capacity. Though they are meant to be separate in many places, such connections have been provided particularly in areas prone to flooding,’’ he said.
The rail authorities have assured the BMC that they will not dig up the roads but use micro-tunnelling technology. They will lay pipes underground through a vertical shaft and then close the old ones. Connection will be then provided through the new pipes.
According to the plan, pits are to be dug at eight points along the route measuring 5.5 m x 4.5 m, which will not disrupt the surface traffic. Civic sources said the BMC had used micro-tunnelling for sewer projects earlier as well .“The fact that pits need to be created means there will be some amount of digging. Besides, the size of the pit indicates the amount of space it will take up. One also needs to set up a monitoring unit to ensure that the pipes are laid properly. There will be need for space to keep the machinery too,’’ said an official.
Merani said work on the vertical shafts must be done carefully. “It is advisable to wait for the rains and then take up the work. If, however, there is an urgency, the plan must be reviewed by an expert and the precautions suggested by the expert must be strictly followed.’’


‘We will ensure no pit blocks a bus stop or is dug in front of a building’



The section of Andheri-Kurla Road from the Western Express Highway to the Saki Naka junction is 4.5 km-long but work will be carried out on a 1.7-km stretch at three intervals. It is almost 1.5 km from the highway crossing and 500 m short of the Saki Naka junction. We have taken up this section as it is the widest stretch at 150 ft. In the other sections from Versova to the highway and from Saki Naka to Ghatkopar, the road is narrow and there are several constraints, which could lead to traffic problems. No work will be done on days when there is heavy rainfall. But it does not rain heavily on all days.
We need to dig around 30 pits to shift the sewer and water lines. Micro-tunnelling will be used to lay the sewer lines and HDD technology for the water lines. We mapped all the utilities and appointed an international traffic consultant, which has studied the traffic flow for five months.
Better signs, traffic lights, proper barricading and regulation of traffic will ensure that it will take the same time, if not less, to cover the stretch. We will take up only one lane and the pits will be dug and barricaded with concrete so that there is no disruption of traffic. We have planned it meticulously so that no pit is dug in front of a building or obstructs a bus stop.
We should be allowed to do the shifting, otherwise it will set back the civic work by 5-6 months and we will run into another monsoon. The work is not an emergency but a necessity. It’s of strategic interest to the city that the work gets off on time."
- K P Maheshwari, director, Mumbai Metro
One Private Limited

[via TOI]

Damn... I was hoping that construction would have started on this by the time I got to Mumbai in July, but I think its very doubtful now.

Oh well, I hope I am in for a very pleasant surprise when I get back to Mumbai...from what I have seen in the forums, I think I am.

Damn... I was hoping that construction would have started on this by the time I got to Mumbai in July, but I think its very doubtful now.

Oh well, I hope I am in for a very pleasant surprise when I get back to Mumbai...from what I have seen in the forums, I think I am.

Let me share my experience of Mumbai, having recently returned from US after living there for 6 1/2 years.

South Mumbai really took me by surprise, it really looks like a true metropolitan city; and this a pretty big area and the heart of the city that we are talking about. Visit each of the following places (not all are in South Mumbai) and I can guarantee that you will be surprised, especially if you have lived in Mumbai before:

Marine Drive (renovated)
Fort (British era heritage buildings, Stock Exchange)
Worli (Race course, Atria Mall, Nehru planetorium)
Bandra (Bandra-Worli sealink, Joggers Park, Bandra Kurla Complex)
Eastern & Western express-highways (under construction)
Mumbai-Pune expressway
Hiranandani, Powai
Mulund (Nirmal Lifestyles Mall, R-Mall)
Malad (Inorbit Mall, Hypercity Mall)

For commuting, travel by road on eastern and western express-highways, and it will be a pleasure, especially at night. Avoid local train.

My favourites are: beautiful Marine Drive, the spectacular view of Bandra-Worli sealink from bandstand, 4-5 lanes of vehicles traveling at high speeds on eastern and western express-highways (in each direction), and the large population of young and confident middle class (including beautiful girls) in Malls and nice residential areas like Hiranandani (I live here).

At the same time, Mumbai is clearly a work in progress. Quite a few suburbs can leave you pretty depressed, when one considers the sheer amount of work to be done. At such moments, I take realistic hope in the fact that several ambitious infrastructure projects hold a promise that Mumbai can be transformed into a world class city by 2020.

Thanks Amit for that, it was interesting.

I agree that much of Mumbai projects are cleary work in progress. There will be big changes earlier by 2010. Completion of the BWSL, East & West Highways, residential towers, townships and of course the airport would be much improved (hopefully).

Wow, your city is doing greats proyects. The design of the stations look very nice. I also like the way how your goverment is investing in massive transportation.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/Economy/Infrastructure/City_may_bloom_along_Metro/articleshow/2098242.cms


City may bloom along Metro
ABHIRAM GHADYALPATIL

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ TUESDAY, JUNE 05, 2007 01:38:22 AM]

MUMBAI: Why just the metro, let’s get Manhattan here. Mumbai may soon get a new rail corridor to take the load off its overburdened transport system, but the city’s planners have a vision that’s “high” and “world-class”.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) wants to bring a slice of New York, London and Singapore into Mumbai by allowing swanky, high-rise residential buildings and shopping malls to come up alongside the Metro corridor.

But while the city’s transportation systems may be spared some creak and congestion, its shoulders may well droop. FSI (floor space index, which determines how much area can be developed) will have to be raised in proportion, and realty players will see their money machines roll.

The Metro project being a high-end initiative, the residential and social infrastructure in its vicinity must also be of global standards, says the MMRDA.

The planning authority has formed a special purpose vehicle (SPV), together with a consortium led by the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, for making Mumbai Metro a reality.

More construction, more FSI

A proposal to increase the FSI from the existing 1.5 to 3 has been cleared by the MMRDA board. “A final decision would require change in the Development Control Rules, which the state government is empowered to do. We have submitted the proposal to the state,” MMRDA commissioner T Chandrasekhar told ET.

Twist those rules

The means are just as important to the MMRDA as the end. It wants development rules to be changed even in areas where it has no operational jurisdiction. Incidentally, the MMRDA governs the business district of the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), while the rest of the city is run by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Last month, ET had reported that the MMRDA has decided to raise FSI for the commercial properties in the BKC. The MMRDA resolution specifically looks at the areas along Mumbai’s central business district of BKC. The proposal to raise FSI for residential properties is clubbed with this resolution, which is awaiting government approval.

Congestion? Everyone has it

The MMRDA says, metro or suburban rail networks the world over are surrounded by “very congested” localities, which have come up using a higher FSI. “The research groups appointed by the MMRDA have also told us that a higher FSI along the Metro rail corridor is a globally accepted norm,” an MMRDA official said.

The resolution states that a higher FSI is “necessary” to ensure “proportionate” growth in the city’s residential and social infrastructure and to complement the higher FSI for commercial properties. “The social infrastructure includes malls, multiplexes, hospitals, hotels, virtually everything that caters to the business and professional community,” added the official.

The project

The Rs 19,525-crore Mumbai Metro rail project is being implemented in three phases over a period of 15 years. In total, eight corridors measuring a length of 146.5 km would be developed to run the metro. The first phase of the project, spanning three corridors, is targeted to be completed by 2011.

The MMRDA proposal is significant in that at least four of the total eight metro corridors are connected to the central business district. Particularly strategic, in terms of prime real estate value, are the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar corridor, the Bandra-Charkop track, Bandra-Kurla-Mankhurd track in the first phase, and BKC-Kanjur Marg via airport corridor in phase III.

Metro to have people pushers

MMRDA will post men at stations to push people on board, as trains won’t start until doors close

Five brawny men will be posted at every platform on each Metro station to push people on board. MMRDA has decided to hire ‘pushers’ to push commuters inside its Metro rail.

Explaining the logic, G R Madan, director, Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS), said, “Initially, people might not understand that without closing the door, the metro won’t move.”

He added, “Too many people trying to board can delay the train, so these men will push everybody inside.” Around five men will stand at each platform at every station. There will also be men to guide people with the ticketing and inquiries.

As per the Mumbai Metro guidelines, every company that runs a metro line will have to ensure private security at stations. In addition, there will be space reserved for a future ‘Mumbai Metro Police’ at every station, if the need arises.


Disaster

However, V K Rane, former managing director of IRCON, railway construction company, called this move a ‘disaster’.

“Imagine the levels of overcrowding if such measures are required from day one. Also, what would happen after 10 years?” he asked.

“Mumbai Metro should have been made on broad gauge rather than standard gauge, as it can carry 490 people as opposed to standard gauge’s 375,” he added.
Source (http://www.mid-day.com/news/city/2007/june/158960.htm)

Tokyo:
http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/5765/22866056lg9.jpg

____________
another map of Line 2 [via Mumbai mirror]
http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/4554/colaba20charkop20metro2mm4.jpg

I wish Canadian cities had subway ext like that

BTW, what ever happened to SkyBus? Never did really figure how it was any different from monorail.

Metro to have people pushers

MMRDA will post men at stations to push people on board, as trains won’t start until doors close


Source (http://www.mid-day.com/news/city/2007/june/158960.htm)

However, V K Rane, former managing director of IRCON, railway construction company, called this move a ‘disaster’.

“Imagine the levels of overcrowding if such measures are required from day one. Also, what would happen after 10 years?” he asked.

“Mumbai Metro should have been made on broad gauge rather than standard gauge, as it can carry 490 people as opposed to standard gauge’s 375,” he added.



Railway guys seem to be the most pigheaded people around. They just refuse to acknowledge any other solution to India's urban transportation other than their own. Apparently if its not broad gauge, its sacrilage.

BTW, what ever happened to SkyBus? Never did really figure how it was any different from monorail.

Konkan railways had a test track in Goa but due to a freak accident in which the skybus went over the assigned speed,it hit a pole and one guy died. So after that the project I guess was scrapped.


________________________
more news on Line2

Ambani brothers in race for Rs7,000 cr elevated rail project (http://www.livemint.com/2007/06/12003226/Ambani-brothers-in-race-for-Rs.html)

Separate entities from Anil, Mukesh groups will face off against five other consortia for mega undertaking


Mumbai: The feuding Ambani brothers—Mukesh and Anil—have entered the race to build a Rs7,000 crore, 32km-long, fully elevated second corridor of Mumbai metro rail project, connecting the western and eastern suburbs of Mumbai.
Younger brother Anil Ambani’s Reliance Energy Ltd is already building a separate first corridor spanning 11kms that will run east-west through the Mumbai city between Anderi-Versova-Ghatkopar through a special purpose vehicle in which French firm Veolia Transport and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) are partners.
For the second corridor, linking Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd, Mukesh Ambani is bidding in a consortium consisting of Europe’s largest engineering firm Siemens AG and domestic construction major Gammon India Ltd.
Anil’s Reliance Energy has also submitted a pre-qualification bid in partership with Canadian firm SNC Levalin, said a Maharashtra government official, who did not want to be named.
Both brothers are also pitted against the likes of rail equipment giant Bombardier Transportation, Malaysian infrastructure firm YTL Corp. Berhad, French transport and energy infrastructure major Alstom, Japan’s Mitsubishi Corp., Spanish rail rolling stock supplier CAF and General Electric Corp.
MMRDA, a body set up by the Maharashtra government for planning, coordination and implementation of development activities in the Mumbai metropolitan region, received requests for qualification from seven consortia for building the second line when the global tender closed on Monday.

Bombardier Transportation and YTL Malaysia have teamed up with Hyderabad-based GVK Industries Ltd to bid for the project that will ease Mumbai’s traffic congestion and reduce air pollution.
French firm Alstom has submitted a pre-qualification bid along with the Essar Group and Lanco Infratech Ltd.
Japanese firm Mitsubishi has put in a bid in partnership with Tata Power Ltd.
Domestic engineering and construction major Larsen& Toubro Ltd has formed a consortium with Spanish rolling stock supplier CAF and GE to bid for the project.
Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Ltd has also bid for the project along with local firms Punj Lloyd Ltd and Soma Enterprises.

MMRDA will assess and evaluate the request for qualification submitted by the seven consortia, assign marks and pre-qualify a maximum of five consortia that will be asked to submit the commercial bids. MMRDA has the option of taking up a minority equity stake in the metro venture being developed on a build, own, operate and transfer basis through public-private partnership, the official said.
The second corridor, with 27 stations en route, can carry 60,000 passengers per hour, cutting journey time substantially through the densely populated areas.
The successful bidder will enter into an agreement with MMRDA to operate the facility for 35 years. The construction of the second corridor is likely to be completed by 2011.
Traffic forecast studies have predicted that by 2011, about 12.75 lakh passengers will use the line daily. By 2021, the passenger numbers will rise to 18.77 lakh and by 2031, it will increase to 22.16 lakh.

Mumbai to be first ‘green metropolis’
(http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1103195)


Though not mandatory for an MRTS project, the Mumbai Metro One will invest in a detailed study to understand the impact of the project.

Mumbai Metro One is geared with a vision is to make the city’s first metro a ‘Green Metro’. To see that the project develops as per the best environment-friendly global practices, the company formed jointly by Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Energy and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has recently undertaken many initiatives.

Though not mandatory for an mass rapid transport system (MRTS) project, the company has decided to invest in a detailed environmental study to understand the impact of the project during construction and in operational stages, and to adopt measures to make it an environment-friendly metro. The company has hired an experienced and specialist agency to undertake this study.

“As a part of this study, certain environmental parameters like air quality, water quality and noise levels will be monitored and captured at certain key locations like Sarvoday Hospital along the corridor,” said K P Maheshwari, director, Mumbai Metro One Private Limited.

While finalising the design and specifications, construction methodology and construction equipment adequate measures and precautions would be taken to mitigate and minimize the impact on the environment during construction and operation.

“The company is also preparing an environment management plan, which will be embedded in the project itself in order to assess environmental benefits of the project due to reduced vehicular emissions on the route and reduction in the traffic noise levels,” Maheshwari added.

This study is being done based on the guidelines followed by international agencies like the World Bank and other international associations of financial institutions and bodies. This activity was started in May 2007 and will continue till September-end.

UD ministry to provide Rs500 CR for metro (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Rs_500_cr_for_Mumbai_Metro_/articleshow/2124284.cms)

Urban development ministry has decided to provide viability gap funding of around Rs 500 crore for the first corridor of the Anil Ambani group-led Mumbai Metro rail project of Rs 2,356 crore. This will be the first Metro project in country to be executed under public-private partnership.

The project hit a stumbling block after finance ministry refused to pay 20% of the cost through viability gap funding (VGF) on the ground that the consortium led by Anil Ambani group’s Reliance Energy had applied for VGF after completing the bidding process.

Viability gap funding means a one-time or deferred grant for infrastructure projects that may have long gestation periods and limited financial returns, so that their viability may be improved through government support.

Urban development secretary M Ramachandran said, "The ministry has given in-principle approval to provide funds through VGF for the project. The proposal will soon be sent to Expenditure Finance Committee and then to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs for final approval."

By 2021, easy ride to suburbs

Transport plan seeks to bridge gap between city, far-flung places


HOW WILL you commute to work in a decade from now? If Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority's (MMRDA) Rs 1.86 lakh crore ($27.57 billion) transport plan is any indication, by 2021 you will just ride the Metro or drive across one of the freeways connecting the city to the extended suburbs.

It will be easier and faster to commute to and fro, not only the city and the rest of the metropolitan region but also within extended suburbs.

For instance, you could ride from Mankhurd to Vashi and Dahisar to Virar on a Metro and take a freeway from Ghatkopar to Koparkhairane creek in Navi Mumbai (see graphic).

In final stages of deliberation, the plan drafted by MMRDA-appointed LEA International Ltd will determine the look of the metropolitan region, the world's second largest urban agglomerate after Tokyo.s

"We have been discussing the plan with stakeholders like MSRDC, CIDCO and municipal corporations. A part of the overall business plan, it's aimed at meeting future requirements of the city," said Joint Commissioner of MMRDA Milind Mhaiskar.

The future transportation strategy was worked out graphing alternate growth (population-em ployment trends in the city and the metropolitan region) models, with a projected population of 30 million in the entire region in mind.

Secretary (Special Projects) Sanjay Ubale said the plan was submitted to the government recently and is likely to be finalised in three months.

"For the first time we are planning for entire MMR (Mumbai Metropolitan Region) instead of piecemeal projects. Soon, far-flung regions like Mira-Bhayander or Bhiwandi and Navi Mumbai will be known as Mumbai," said Ubale.

The plan is the outcome of an expansive transport study (Comprehensive Transport study) that took off in 2005.

Narinder Nayar, a member of the Empowered Committee for Mumbai makeover, however, sounded a word of caution. "It is a very ambitious project but holistic planning for the city is essential. The key lies in implementation and so far the track record of the government in implementing projects is not great," said Nayar.


http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/1188/17062007003006ic7.jpg

They forgot to connect Charkop to Bandra by the metro

[via HT]

What about connecting Thane to Mulund with the metro ?? These are two important area's around Mumbai. Connecting them would make the plan complete.

I suppose the Worli Nariman point sealink is completely in the sea and not partly over land as shown in the photo.
Is the metro planned from charpok to Versova or they just forgot to draw in this picture ??

What about connecting Thane to Mulund with the metro ?? These are two important area's around Mumbai. Connecting them would make the plan complete.

I suppose the Worli Nariman point sealink is completely in the sea and not partly over land as shown in the photo.

yea,the graphic designer screwed up.

Is the metro planned from charpok to Versova or they just forgot to draw in this picture ??

The HT graphic designer forgot to connect Charkop to Bandra. This section is part of line 2 which goes on to Mankhurd. The bids for this line were sent in to MMRDA this june 11.
[Check the map@ post#70]

Idiot's guide to the Metro project[Line1] - ignore the dates announced

NKMrEBniRKI

he ray akka mum bai -- elder sister mum bai


With 15 million people, Bombay is the biggest, fastest, richest city in India, a city simultaneously experiencing boom and civic emergency; an island-state of hope in a very old country. Because of the reach of the Bollywood movies, Bombay is also a mass dream for the peoples of India. Everything – sex, death, trade, religion – is lived out on the sidewalk. It is a maximum city, maximum in its exigencies, maximum in its heart ....

... India frustrates description because everything said about it is true and false simultaneously. Yes, it could soon have the world's largest middle class. But it now has the world's largest underclass. And so with Bombay: Everything is expanding exponentially: the call centers, the global reach of its film industry, its status as the financial gateway to India, as well as the slums, the numbers of destitute, the degradation of its infrastructure. The city's planners have set their eyes on Shanghai as a model for Bombay. The government has approved a McKinsey-drafted document titled "Vision Mumbai," aiming to turn Bombay into "a world-class city by 2013." As the architect Charles Correa noted of the plan, "There's very little vision. They're more like hallucinations."

Bombay needs to upgrade dramatically essential civic services: roads, sewers, transport, health, security. But, as one planner said, "The nicer we make the city, the more the number of people that will come to live there." Most migrants to Bombay now come from the impoverished North Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Bombay's problems cannot be solved without solving Bihar's problems. And that means that agriculture has to become viable again for the small farmer. Abolishing trade-distorting subsidies in the US and the EU would go a long way toward making, say, Indian cotton competitive with US cotton. Bombay is at the mercy of national and international factors beyond its control. Its fate will be decided not just locally, but – given India's overcentralized decision-making – in New Delhi and in the course of arcane, secretive trade negotiations in Washington and Geneva.

Indian governments could take some immediate steps. There’s no reason Bombay should be the capital of Maharashtra state. Shifting the state government to Navi Mumbai across the harbor, as originally intended, would free large amounts of space in the congested office district of Nariman Point. Beyond that, legislation should establish a strong executive authority for the city, with real decision-making power. The office of the mayor is currently no more than a figurehead; the city is run at the whim of the chief minister, and the state's interests are not necessarily those of the city. Smart and brave architects and planners attempt to work with the state government. The city, which contributes 37 percent of all taxes paid in India, gets only a small fraction back from the central government in the form of subsidies.

There is also no reason Bombay should have a naval base, which currently occupies a large part of the island city. It could be relocated further down the coast. Efficient utilization of the eastern docklands area could also alleviate the pressure for land; instead of schools, parks, public spaces, the city gets luxury housing and shopping malls. In the city’s center, 600 acres desperately needed for public use have instead been given to developers – a bad augury for the city.

So why do people still live in Bombay? "Bombay is a bird of gold," a Muslim man in the Jogeshwari slum, whose brother was shot dead by the police in the riots and who lives in a shack without running water or a toilet, told me. A Golden Songbird, it flies quick and sly, and you must work hard to catch it, but once it’s in your hand, a fabulous fortune awaits for you. This is but one reason why anyone might still want to come here, leaving the pleasant trees and open spaces of the village, braving the crime and the bad air and water. It’s a place where your caste doesn't matter, where a woman can dine alone at a restaurant without harassment, and where you can marry the person of your choice.For the young person in an Indian village, the call of Bombay isn't just about money. It's also about freedom.

Full article here (http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=20070615&fname=suketu&sid=1)

^^
That should have probably gone in the Mumbai update thread,but nevermind.

__________________
anyways more news regarding line2 and more importantly line1 -


Eight in race, developer by December 2007 (http://www.projectsmonitor.com/detailnews.asp?newsid=13928&secid=80)

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority is confident of finalising the private sector developer for Line 2 of the Mumbai metro rail project by December 2007.
The Rs 6,192-crore project very recently attained a major milestone with MMRDA pre-qualifying eight consortia from over 25 aspirants. Discussing the future course of action, a senior MMRDA official said that Rites, the consultant representing MMRDA, will inspect the eligibility documents submitted by the pre-qualified consortia and will shortlist the best six out of the eight contenders. The next stage will be that of inviting technical and financial bids, culminating in the final selection of the private sector developer consortium. The entire process will be completed by end-2007, by current thinking.

Although the approved cost of Line 2 is Rs 6,192 crore, it is bound to undergo a revision once the technical and financial parameters of the project are frozen, MMRDA officials explained. MMRDA is optimistic of the Centre sharing 30 per cent of the project cost under the Union government's viability gap funding mechanism. The private sector consortium will form a 74:26 joint venture with MMRDA and implement the project on BOT basis for 35 years, including five years of construction time. The mode of implementation will be same as Line 1.

Meanwhile, Line 1 has made good pre-project progress with shortlisting of contractors and suppliers for most key packages already done. Construction activity on Line 1 is likely to begin by October 2007.

Looks like the Thane metro system will be clubbed along with Mumbai metro-


For Thane civic body, Metro is too big a pie (httphttp://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=243838)

Centre wants project linked to Mumbai Metro, so TMC wants MMRDA to take it up

The proposed Rs 851 crore Thane Metro project seems to have been stuck in another jam. For the Centre has now sent back the detailed project report (DPR), prepared by the Thane Municipal Corporation after seven years of planning, for it to be integrated with the Mumbai Metro.

As a part of the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS), funding for the project was sought under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). And that seems to be reason for the Centre's move.

According to K D Lala, city engineer, Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), “As the funding for the MRTS in Thane was sought under JNNURM, the Centre wants the ongoing Mumbai metro project to be integrated with the Thane system for better connectivity within the region and also to ensure wider usage of the investment.”

Naturally, the TMC has now washed its hands off the project. For its commissioner, Nandkumar Jantre, the Centre's move comes as a breather.

Under JNNURM, the Centre bears 35 per cent of the cost of a project while the state has to bear 15 per cent. The concerned municipal corporation contributes the remaining 50 per cent. And that for TMC was the worry.

“Thane Metro is too big a pie for us. Therefore, it has to be incorporated with the Mumbai Metro, which makes sense too,” said Jantre. “It is desirable the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) design the linking of the two metros for balanced growth in the Mumbai metropolitan region.”

Asked about the TMC's next move to speed up the project, Jantre said they were too tied up with “internal infrastructure” like road networks, etc. “We wish the MMRDA takes over the project.”

If the plan goes through, Mulund and Borivali will serve as gates to Thane district via the metro. “The linking of the two metros will be like a ring rail,” added Lala. “From Anand Nagar in Mulund, the Metro will enter Gaymukh in Thane and go up to Borivali, as proposed in a consultant's transport study on the metropolitan region.”

The Thane Metro was planned along a ring rail corridor in standard gauge over a distance of 21 km comprising 11 stations—Thane, Naupada, Hospital Road, Cadbury, Golden Eyes, Manpada, Kolshet, Azad Nagar, Balkum, Creek View and Chendani.

Planning for the ring rail corridor has been going on since 2002. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) and the TMC general body approved the DPR after which it was sent to the Centre for funding under JNNURM.

______________

And it looks like Phase I for Mumbai metro comprising of 3 lines -1> Versova-Andheri-Ghatkoper, 2>Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd and 3>Nariman point-Bandra would be completed by 2012 according to this (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/More_FSI_only_for_office_spaces_at_Bandra-Kurla/articleshow/2162972.cms) article

"The Metro rail project has a long timeline. The first of three phases is slated for completion by 2012."

Looks like the Thane metro system will be clubbed along with Mumbai metro-


For Thane civic body, Metro is too big a pie (httphttp://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=243838)

Centre wants project linked to Mumbai Metro, so TMC wants MMRDA to take it up



______________

And it looks like Phase I for Mumbai metro comprising of 3 lines -1> Versova-Andheri-Ghatkoper, 2>Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd and 3>Nariman point-Bandra would be completed by 2012 according to this (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/More_FSI_only_for_office_spaces_at_Bandra-Kurla/articleshow/2162972.cms) article


Fair enough, for a second, when you said "clubbed" I thought that both were completely gone. How you scared me!

Speaking of Thane and Mumbai, I will be there in three days! :banana:

Looking forward to your photos Nigel Effect.

Metro rail travel in Mumbai to cost only Rs 6: Ambani (http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1109194&pageid=2)

Anil Ambani-led consortium, which is developing the ambitious metro rail project in the metropolis, has some some good news for Mumbaikars on Tuesday.

Burdened as they are with high transportation costs and uncomfortable public transport facilities, news from Ambani that the cost of metro rail travel between the suburbs of Versova and Ghatkopar will be as low as Rs 6 should indeed be a welcome news for Mumbai commuters.

"The principal basis of us winning the metro project was that the tariffs that the customers will have to pay to ride on the metro are fixed. There will be no escalation over a particular period of time, which starts at Rs 6, then goes to Rs 8 and finally to Rs 10 over many many years" Reliance Energy Chairman Anil Ambani told shareholders today on the occasion of the company's annual general meeting here.

"The government has fixed the tariff and we were asked to bid on that basis," he said, adding the price has been fixed immaterial of the number of people "we are able to carry."

A consortium led by the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) has been awarded the metro rail project. The 35-year public-private-partnership (PPP) based on a build, own and operate and transfer (BOOT) model, involves the development and operation of a fully elevated metro rail along the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar corridor in Mumbai.

The cost of the project is approximately Rs 2,500 crore, of which Rs 650 crore would be provided by the state government under the Viability Gap Funding scheme.

The metro rail will cover a distance of about 12 kms, reducing the travel time from the current 90 minutes to less than 22 minutes.

"As per the concession agreement, we are expected to complete the project in five years time or by FY 12, but given our track-record in managing complex, large-scale projects, we are hopeful of finishing well before that time," Ambani said.

"We have also bid for Line 2 of Mumbai Metro comprising a 32-km elevated track between Mankhurd and Charkop via Bandra in the suburbs at an investment outlay of around Rs 6,500 crore," he said.

The Anil-led Group is also pursuing a series of other opportunities in the mass rapid transit system (MRTS) sector in India.

"Our company-led consortium has been pre-qualified to participate in the bidding process for the Delhi Airport Express Link and the Hyderabad Metro Project," Ambani said.

^^

Good news for the commuters.

Metro will roll out with checks in place (http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1109299)

It is better safe than be sorry. The agencies, executing Mumbai metro rail project, have designed the new metro coaches with every possible technology to avoid events like 7/11 blasts. Mumbai Metro One Pvt. Ltd (MMOPL), the company which is specially assigned to execute the first line (Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar) of first Phase, said the coaches of the metro train were designed keeping in mind the safety and security of the public.

All coaches would have CCTV and surveillance cameras installed in it in order to monitor and detect any suspicious object or person in the compartment. CCTV cameras would be installed on platforms in every station and also on the entrance of all stations. This will be monitored directly at the Operational Control Centre (OCC)

The company is making an intensive study on security systems in metro rails across the globe. It is also in process of negotiating with other metro rail operators across the globe to consult them in setting up security system in Mumbai metro rail project, said the spokesperson MMOPL.

The company is trying to execute the concept of highest safety integrity level in the metro.

The traffic plan is again ready
(http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=12637513&postcount=33)

Traffic management plan ready for Metro (http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=246163)

With construction of the city’s first metro rail corridor set to begin at the end of the monsoon, officials are currently discussing a traffic management plan to ensure that motorists along the 11.4-km Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar route are not inconvenienced by the digging work and slurry discharge.

MVA, an American consultancy firm contracted by special purpose vehicle Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd, has completed the traffic management plan, said officials of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). In congested areas like the Andheri station, where construction will be a huge challenge, the plan entails deploying a squad of traffic wardens to help ease movement of vehicles. A detailed plan for diversions and barricading is also ready. Even slurry from digging is to be disposed off in fully-covered containers, with almost no sign of the activity on the part of the carriageway open for traffic.

Planners at the MMRDA, the traffic police and other city organisations are currently discussing the plan. “Once their suggestions are incorporated in the plan, it will be finalised,” said a spokesperson for the MMRDA. “The idea is that motorists should not be inconvenienced at all.”

Meanwhile, financial bids for the supply of rolling stock have been invited. Among the shortlisted companies are Bombardier (Germany), Kawasaki (Japan), Alstom (France) and Siemens (Germany).

Bombardier is canadian lol not germany

State seeks central aid for third phase of Metro

The Maharashtra government has sought central assistance for Phase III of the metro project. Although Phase I & II of Mumbai Metro are to be done on a public-private-partnership (PPP) model, the Maharashtra government wants Phase III to be implemented on the Delhi Metro model with substantial central assistance.
Sources in the Union urban development ministry said the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the nodal agency handling the metro project, has asked the Centre for financial assistance for the project on the lines of the Delhi Metro’s funding model.
MMRDA, according to sources, has also sought the Centre’s help in seeking soft loans from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC). Under the funding pattern for Delhi Metro, about 28% was contributed by the Delhi government and Central government as equity towards DMRC, about 64% came from the Japan Bank for International Co-operation as a soft loan, and the corporation itself raised 3%. Another 4% was again from the two governments as interest-free subordinate loan.
Phase III will link Colaba, Mahim and Bandra. As against phase I and II, most of the 19.95-km stretch will be underground with around 17.73 km of the route passing through tunnels. According to sources, the finance ministry has also given in-principle approval to Phase II of the Metro project. The 31.87-km corridor will take the Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd route and MMRDA is inviting global bids for it.
Phase I of Mumbai Metro, a 11.02-km corridor passing through Versova, Andheri and Ghatkopar, is being implemented by Anil Ambani’s Reliance Energy-led consortium. It is the first MRTS project in India being implemented on the public-private-partnership format.

[TOI]

Bombardier is canadian lol not germany


Bombardier may be a canadian corporation, but Bombardier Transportation division(which supplies rolling stock) is based in Germany with headquarters in Berlin.

Companies origin or headquarters matters little in this globalized economy. Manufacturer's source components from many countries it is hard to reference the company with a nation.

Mumbai Metro's website (http://www.mumbaimetro1.com/mmportal/HTML/index.html) now features a project update (http://www.mumbaimetro1.com/mmportal/HTML/project_update.html) page.

Earlier- (from ariesg18's (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/member.php?u=57876) blog (http://doesmumbaimatter.blogspot.com/2007/03/mumbai-metro-website-now-up.html))
http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/298/mumbaimetrowebsiteupdatzk0.jpg


now
http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/8367/mumbaimetrowebsiteupdathg0.jpg



Project Update

The Mumbai Metro One project has been on a rapid pace. Here’s a quick update on what is being done on the project.

Key Milestones:


Mumbai Metro One Private Limited, a Special Purpose Vehicle to construct the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar corridor was incorporated on December 22, 2006
The Engineering and Project Management Consultants, a consortium of Parsons Brinkerhoff (USA) and Systra SA (France) joined the team on February 14, 2007
The Corporate office for MMOPL was inaugurated on February 27, 2007
Signing of the Concession Agreement and Shareholders agreement took place on March 7, 2007
MMOPL and Government of Maharashtra entered the State Support Agreement on April 20, 2007



We are working “round-the-clock” to complete the much awaited Metro Rail Project at the earliest. As part of the planning process, in order to ensure seamless execution of the project, various investigations, surveys and studies have been undertaken.

Completed:

Topographic survey
Geo-technical survey
Condition survey of adjoining structures
Logistic survey
Station survey
Utility survey
Soil Investigations
Mock-up trials for girder movement
Mock-up trials for traffic management
Conceptual designs for the viaduct and all 12 stations
Traffic management during construction


Currently underway:


Station access management study
Feasibility for LEED certification for the Project
Environment impact assessment


At present we are undertaking the extensive tendering phase of the project.

Tender Documents:


Pre-qualification process completed for civil works and all Rail systems
Tender documents issued for Rolling Stock, Civil Works (stations & viaduct), Signaling Systems and Track work

2 new minor updates to Mumbai metro's website include a media coverage page (http://www.mumbaimetro1.com/mmportal/HTML/inthenews.html) and pics from the signing of the concession agreement (http://www.mumbaimetro1.com/mmportal/HTML/photogallery.html) that took place in march.

An interview with KP Maheshwari,the director of Mumbai Metro One


Metro Rail Dialogue (http://www.mumbaimirror.com/net/mmpaper.aspx?page=knowmumbai&section=aboutmumbai&subpage=article&sectid=11&contentid=20070724205844703f38c41b4#)

Residents of the city are anxiously awaiting the completion of the Mumbai Metro rail network for a hassle free commuting within city limits. Director of Mumbai Metro Project, Krishna Prakash Maheshwari responds to queries on the status of the project and what it entails


Are there any delays in the project deadlines?

There have been no delays till now{cough} and we do not foresee any delay in completing the project well within MMRDA’s deadlines. Our project team has completed most of the surveys and various on-ground trials have been completed. We have already issued tender documents for Rolling Stock (Rail Coaches), Civil Construction, signaling and track work to pre-qualified bidders.


When is the project work likely to start on the ground now since only a few studies remain to be done?

We are looking forward to begin the civil construction in October after the monsoon and once the land / Right Of Way is handed over to us including the depot land.

Is the process of obtaining government and environmental clearances taking place side by side? Is the project facing any hurdles in this regard?


We are going to construct the elevated metro rail system on a route, which is predefined by the government and have already been given necessary permissions. While, environment clearance is not necessary for MRTS projects, we are working towards creating the most environment friendly metro rail system in the country. We do not see any delay on this account. We are also getting done a detailed Environment Impact Analysis through reputed consultants.


Since a significant portion of the project is over ground in populated areas, will people be displaced and rehabilitated by the project?

Our train will ply on elevated route along the median of the road and most of the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar route has a wide road. However, there are some areas where MMRDA is in the process of relocations and rehabilitation of some commercial establishments, which is also part of road widening project being undertaken by MUIP project.

MMRDA is the authorised government agency coordinating the relief and rehabilitation work and our work will commence in October 2007 after the monsoon when they give us clear ‘Right of Way’ on the route.

Have there been any fundamental changes in the plans of the project now since soil and topographical analysis have been done?


Our plans have been formulated in synchronisation with the findings of the various surveys and studies conducted in order to avoid any obstacles once the work begins.

What exactly do you mean by the following - geotechnical survey and Feasibility for LEED certification?


Geo-technical survey: A major factor causing project delays and cost overruns, which is frequently identified during final project reviews, is unforeseen ground conditions. Solution to this problem is a thorough geo-technical survey which requires accurate ground condition data and a thorough understanding of the potential soil, rock and groundwater interactions. Soil analysis has already been carried out for line1 of the Mumbai Metro project to investigate terrain conditions along the route.

Feasibility for LEED certification: LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) is one of the leading environment rating institutions in the world. It certifies buildings and structures for their energy and environmental designs and accentuates on the use of environment friendly material at the time of construction, environment friendly design of the structure and conservation of natural resources. Mumbai Metro One Private Limited is planning to go for an environment rating system which is being monitored in the country by Confederation of Indian Industry and LEED India.

As the first step, MMOPL has already conducted a preliminary study to determine and document the project’s viability for this certification for its administrative building and station buildings. The results for the same have been positive and encouraging.


What help is Connex and Hong Kong MTR Corporation providing? (financial or technical?)

Veolia transport (erstwhile Connex) is our operator for the project and holds five per cent equity stake in the SPV created to build the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar corridor. They are also our O&M partners and will run the operations for five years after completion of the project. Currently we are in discussions with them for inputs on all operational aspects – designs, station rooms, facilities at the depots, etc.

Hong Kong MTR Corporation was our technical advisor at the bidding stage. Post that, we have appointed Parsons Brinkerhoff, USA & Systra SA France as our Engineering & Project Management Consultant.


Now since Delhi Metro Corp has been appointed as an advisor to the project do you see it playing a major role in the Mumbai Metro project?

DMRC is a consultant to MMRDA on the overall planning for the Mumbai Metro project. They prepared the master plan for Mumbai Metro, wherein they recommended extending Andheri-Ghatkopar section to Versova as part of the master plan and identified as priority corridor for implementation.

However, they are not consultants to MMOPL for line1 of the Mumbai Metro project and have no direct role to play in the building of the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar corridor.

Are those trains shown the actual one's to be used by Mumbai Metro..

I doubt that. That's most likely a picture from somewhere else shown to depict how a metro(in general) would look like.

Good news is that they have come up with a relatively concrete date of beginning construction

Lets hope for the best

Are those trains shown the actual one's to be used by Mumbai Metro..

they look like the los angeles metro coaches to me since i live close to LA.

when will the constrction of mumbai metro commences?

Here's a cool map I ripped from Marathon Group's website. Click for bigger picture:
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/8950/image6bk6.jpg (http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/3065/blankmaphz6.jpg)

Nice find Jai. What's this Ring Rail project in Navi Mumbai?. Is it just an extension of the local train network or something on the lines of a new metro. Any idea?

Whatz that tube between colaba and mankhurd (passing thro navi mumbai)

Are those trains shown the actual one's to be used by Mumbai Metro.

I doubt that too as its more of a artists impression.

Nice find Jai. What's this Ring Rail project in Navi Mumbai?. Is it just an extension of the local train network or something on the lines of a new metro. Any idea?
I believe it is an extension of the local train network.

Hi,

I only see one rendering of Mumbai metro station. What about the other stations? Does anyone have photos of other station's renderings?

Check out Bangalore metro stations very modern and futuristic. Mumbai should have stations better than Bangalore and Dubai.

Mumbairail

I emailed mumbai metro one last week regarding other station renderings other than the one posted on their website but no reply back from them yet. Does anyone know who is designing the mumbai metro stations maybe I can get some station renderings from their websites

I emailed mumbai metro one last week regarding other station renderings other than the one posted on their website but no reply back from them yet. Does anyone know who is designing the mumbai metro stations maybe I can get some station renderings from their websites

Don't lose hope. Nothing comes so easily. It maybe just that things are still in design stage.

Mumbairail - If you e-mailed them at the address provided at their website then don't expect a reply back. I've emailed them a couple of times but the mail bounces back with another mail saying that they would reply back ASAP but in the end there is no reply. From somewhere I managed to get the ids of two guys working on the project but they also don't care to respond - but AFAIK their id is functional. So send a mail to them and see what happens


satish.kulkarni@relianceada.com
chandrashekhar.mehta@relianceada.com

___________

Now Reliance industries headed by Mukesh Ambani wants to link Mumbai to its Navi Mumbai SEZ. RIL was also short listed for Line2 of the Mumbai metro project. The line would run parallel to the bridge shown above in the render posted by Jai.


RIL plans Sewri-Navi Mumbai SEZ metro link for Rs 10k crore (http://www.financialexpress.com/news/RIL-plans-SewriNavi-Mumbai-SEZ-metro-link-for-Rs-10k-crore/210647/)

Petroleum major Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has drawn up ambitious plans to build an over 40-km metro rail line linking Sewri in south Mumbai with its Navi Mumbai SEZ, at an initial investment of Rs 10,000 crore, according to a senior company official.

The project will be implemented on a private-public partnership basis, and is likely to get the go ahead from the railway ministry.

“The metro railway is mainly to link Mumbai with the Navi Mumbai Special Economic Zone, connecting National Highway 17,” the official said. The entire project is expected to take four years to complete. The selection of a bidder, or a consortium of bidders, will be carried out through international competitive bidding.

The proposed metro railway is planned in parallel with the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link bridge, an eight-lane (two-way, four-lane) highway connecting Sewri with Nhava in Navi Mumbai across the harbour. The metro rail line between Sewri and Nhava will be near the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust in Navi Mumbai. This link will come up at the northern end of the navigational channel of Mumbai Harbour.

Sources said that the benefits of the metro project would include a connection between the two major ports, the Bombay Port Trust and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, as well as provide extension of the Central and Western Railway connections to the mainland. Along with this, RIL also plans to set up SEZs comprising three zones, viz., the Dronagiri, Kalamboli and Ulwe areas located in Navi Mumbai.

Simultaneously, RIL would also be developing the Rewas port, the largest in the country, close to the Navi Mumbai Special Economic Zone from where the company is planning to start a seaborne transportation system connecting with Mumbai. According to a source close to the development, “We are in talks with various water transportation companies as well as government bodies to start an integrated transport system between Navi Mumbai and Mumbai.”

_____________
State looks to Japanese bank for 2nd, 3rd corridors (http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=251488)


Foreign aid is vital considering Viability Gap Funding, a component of cost provided to make investment viable for pvt sector


At Rs 5,600 crore and Rs 12,000 crore respectively, the second and third corridors of Mumbai’s Metro Rail project will be among the biggest projects being lined up for possible financial assistance from the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation.

While the city’s metro rail systems are to be built through public-private partnerships, the state government will consider seeking foreign aid for the Viability Gap Funding, a component of the cost provided by the government as a capital grant, to make the investment financially viable for the private sector player.


“It is the third route for which the Viability Gap Funding could be a very large sum,” said Metropolitan Commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad, pointing out that the second and third corridors of the Metro Rail will together cost nearly Rs 18,000 crore to build. “For the first route, the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar corridor, we have sought assistance for the VGF under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission and there is every chance we may get it.”

The estimated cost of the third corridor is approximately Rs 12,000 crore. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has sent the Detailed Project Report of both, the first and second corridors to New Delhi, seeking assistance through Viability Gap Funding from the Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India. “This is an early request for funds by the state government, for the exact figures of project cost and VGF are not yet known,” said G R Madan, the MMRDA’s director for Mass Rapid Transport Systems. “It is a proactive step, running parallel while procedures to approve the project designs continue on the other hand.”

After all, the state government has yet to approve the design for the third corridor—it has asked the MMRDA to submit an alternative design. While the earlier project report had envisaged an underground rail from Colaba to Mahalaxmi (to skirt the problem of large-scale demolitions including some heritage structures) followed by an elevated rail till Bandra, consultant Delhi Metro Rail Corporation is now adding final touches to a second draft Detailed Project Report. This will run underground all the way from Colaba to Mahim. “The longer underground system will cost about Rs 3,000 crore more,” said Gaikwad, “but the Cabinet will assess both options”.

Meanwhile, clarifications from interested bidders who submitted their Expressions of Interest for the Rs 5,600-crore Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd corridor were received on August 8. The perusal of these documents has begun and those shortlisted will be invited in October to submit financial bids.

____________

And here is a map I made showing the routes of the 3 lines along with place names.

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/2898/mumbaimetromk0.jpg



Also, Mumbai Metro One(company formed to build Line1) is attending a pan Asia rail meet in Singapore (http://www.infrasite.nl/news/news_article.php?ID_nieuwsberichten=7706&language=en). MM1 would give a presentation on the development and financing of the system.

Apart from the metro business, details of India's high speed passenger corridors would also be discussed.

Deleted..

Indiansunite - Whats AFAIK? Do they have a website? What is there website address and email address?

AFAIK= AS FAR AS I KNOW:-)

@Mumbairail - If you're planning to mail MM1 then mail them at the ids provided in my above post.

@Cncity- I posted that.

Thanks Euromast
Thanks Indiansuinte for the id

http://www.mid-day.com/news/city/2007/august/162593.htm


MMRDA ineffective in procuring Metro rail...
By: Shashank Rao
August 18, 2007
--------------------------------------------------------------------------The Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) has been ineffective in procuring the 13-hectare land at D N Nagar for the Metro rail project, scheduled to start in September.

The said plot is to be used as a parking depot with three to five car-sheds for the four-coach trains in the Rs 2,356 crore, Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar corridor.

Unkept promise

At a recent meeting with Mumbai Metro One, the company undertaking Metro rail, MMRDA said that it would be difficult to allot the plot before the due date as per the contract.

Ratnakar Gaikwad, chairman, MMRDA, confirmed the delay, “It would be difficult for us to procure the D N Nagar plot before September and have informed them (Metro One) about this.”

This land is an important component for the project to start on time and the company is already planning to commence work by September end.

“We will receive the tenders by August end and expect work to commence within a month. Any delay beyond the contract date would surely delay the project and our plans,” K P Maheshwari, Director, Metro One said.

Work in advance

MMRDA has also asked to expedite the Metro rail project by more than a year. “We have appealed to the company to expedite the work by a year to compensate the time loss,” added Gaikwad.

Even Metro One agreed that they would have to expedite the project if it has to be completed before the 2011 deadline.

Some days ago, the CM of MH - Deshmukh said that he wanted ALL 9 corridors constructed by 2012 instead of the 2019 deadline suggested by DMRC.

Deshmukh wants Metro to run by 2012

Mumbai will soon have a unified transport authority if state chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has his way. The chief minister also wants the timeline for the Metro rail project to be advanced.

http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/9104/pc0031300hi7.jpg


Mr Deshmukh told a meeting of MMRDA and the Vision Mumbai Task Force to ensure that the Metro project gets completed by 2012, and not by 2019-20 as scheduled earlier, sources in Mantralay said. The Rs 19,525-crore project proposes to build nine Metro rail corridors in three phases.

The chief minister’s insistence on early completion of the project is quite surprising, given that the first phase — three corridors spanning 68.62 km — itself would take another four years to be completed as per the original timeline. In all, the nine corridors will 147 km. A special purpose vehicle between MMRDA and Mumbai Metro-one, a Reliance Energy-led consortium, is building the first 11-km corridor connecting Versova, Andheri and Ghatkopar. It has a 2009 deadline.

Officials who attended the meeting said the chief minister was keen on putting all Mumbai makeover projects on fast track. “Most of the projects have missed deadlines and some are yet to take off,” an official told ET.

Routes

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/7828/mumbaimetromasterplanqz1.jpg

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/2181/mumbaimetro1kh5.jpg

Some days ago, the CM of MH - Deshmukh said that he wanted ALL 9 corridors constructed by 2012 instead of the 2019 deadline suggested by DMRC.

2012 is a very ambitious deadline.. instead unrealistic

What happened to the MIAL proposal of connecting CSIA to metro? Has it been approved and finalized?

:bash: Another Promise by the Government, but will it ever materialize. Story as appearing in the TOI - Mumbai Edition

Quote:

MUMBAI: The much talked about monorail may make its debut in the city a few years from now. It will initially cover two routes—from Malabar Hill to Wadala, and from Chembur to Mahul.

According to state government officials, preliminary studies for the monorail have already begun and the two routes are under active discussion. The other routes will come up later as the project gathers steam. The route from Malabar Hill to Wadala will be a 12-kilometre stretch and cover Jacob Circle (Saat Rasta), Arthur Road jail, Ambedkar Road and Wadala. The second route will begin at Chembur and end at Mahul near Trombay, a distance of 7 km. The cost of building the monorail is estimated at Rs 50 crore per km.

Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) joint commissioner Milind Mhaiskar said with the studies currently in progress, a decision on the issue would be taken soon.

The monorail project has been talked about in planning circles for several years. Initially, the state government had appointed a committee to conduct a feasibility study on the project, but the study was confined to Mumbai city.

However, the plan has since been altered to include the entire Mumbai Metropolitan region comprising townships such as Bhiwandi, Thane and Kalyan as well as Alibag.

The monorail was also considered for connecting the two airports at Santacruz and Sahar. However, planners now see a bigger role for it—connecting a number of smaller cities with each other as well as with Mumbai. Feasibility studies will also be carried out for the MMR region.

Planners say that at Rs 50 crore per km, the monorail will cost less than one-third of the metro project. The construction will also be faster—a monorail normally takes two years to be set up as against the three to four years that a metro light rail project takes.

MMRDA planners say it will supplement the rail and bus networks in the city, besides being used to cover areas that may not be served effectively by the metro. The monorail is capable of carrying about 15,000 passengers per hour in either direction.

The metro network, along with the monorail, will weave an effective transport web across the city and suburbs. The first metro link will be from Versova to Ghatkopar, the second will connect Charkop with Bandra and Mankhurd, and the third will be between Colaba and Mahim.

Yeah I doubt this monorail dream too...

News regarding Line2 (Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd)


Mukesh and Anil Ambani face off over Metro rail bid in their third encounter after split

Three Face-offs over multi crore projects in the last 26 months.



The latest battleground for India's richest brothers is the bid to build the second Metro rail project in Mumbai, which will have 27 stations costing nearly Rs 6,192 crore.

With 250 cars added to the city every day, the Metro link will help ease traffic congestion.

While five other companies are also bidding for the elevated rail corridor from Charkop to Mankhurd via Bandra - the 31.87km journey will take just 45 minutes when completed - eyes will be on Mukesh and Anil Ambani.

Airports, power and gas have been at the centre of their fights. Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group alleges that Mukesh's group is violating a non-compete clause, which prevents them from competing in the existing line of businesses.

Among those competing for the latest Metro project are Anil's Reliance Energy, Mukesh's Reliance Industries, GVK, Larsen & Toubro and IL&FS.

"Seven out of eight consortia have been shortlisted in pre-qualification. The bidders would be given 45 days to submit their technical and financial bids," Milind Mhaiskar, joint metropolitan commissioner of the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority, told HT. The first 11.7-km Metro line between Versova and Ghatkopar is being developed by Reliance Energy .

The pre-qualification round is the first major step in the bidding process. Each consortium is evaluated on its financial net-worth and the value of projects they have completed so far.

The project will be developed through public-private partnership on a Build-Own-Operate Transfer basis and is expected to roll out by end-2011.


http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/6796/08092007001050kh6.th.jpg (http://img510.imageshack.us/my.php?image=08092007001050kh6.jpg)

[QUOTE=indiansunite;15244983]News regarding Line2 (Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd)


Mukesh and Anil Ambani face off over Metro rail bid in their third encounter after split

Three Face-offs over multi crore projects in the last 26 months.



32 Kms in 45 min!! Is'nt that really slow for a metro??:ohno:

[QUOTE=indiansunite;15244983]News regarding Line2 (Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd)


Mukesh and Anil Ambani face off over Metro rail bid in their third encounter after split

Three Face-offs over multi crore projects in the last 26 months.



32 Kms in 45 min!! Is'nt that really slow for a metro??:ohno:

Considering it has 27 stations in between... No. Although it won't stop at every station.

A typical metro with stations spaced at about a km travels at an average speed of 30-35 kmph.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Mumbai/Saki_Naka_bottleneck_for_Metro_team/articleshow/2353989.cms

Saki Naka bottleneck for Metro team
10 Sep 2007, 0437 hrs IST,Ashley D'Mello,TNN

MUMBAI: Yet another infrastructure project could be running into trouble. The management of Mumbai Metro One Private Limited (MMOPL), the company building a 12-km metro line from Versova to Ghatkopar, has warned that the Rs 2,356-crore project could be delayed unless the government helped them acquire land for a train depot and cleared the way for construction along the corridor.

Director of MMOPL, Krishna Maheshwari, told TOI that the train depot land measuring 32 acres at D N Nagar was still to be acquired and parts of the proposed corridor near Andheri station and at Saki Naka and Asalpha were still not clear of encroachments. "We are ready to start within a month’s time, but need the land and the clear corridor," he said.

MMOPL is undertaking the construction of the first line of the metro and has been granted five years beginning May 2007 by the state to complete the project. The crucial job of clearing encroachments and providing other logistical support is with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

MMOPL is the first public-private partnership initiative for a metro project in India. It is a firm formed by Reliance Energy Ltd, Veolia Transport, France and the MMRDA.

Maheshwari said, "Studies and surveys for the VAG (Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar) corridor have already been completed in the first half of this year. The tender documents for major supplies and contracts for civil works and rolling stocks have been submitted by shortlisted bidders.

Tenders for the other components like signaling and power supply are expected in a month’s time. We need to have the land for the depot and casting yard at D N Nagar. Since we want to move at a fast pace, we are having two casting yards for the construction work one at Wadala and the other at D N Nagar."

MMRDA joint project director, Dilip Kawathkar admitted that there had been problems in getting the corridor cleared but said the acquisition proceedings for the land at D N Nagar were under way and would be completed shortly. “The VAG corridor from Versova to Andheri is clear, we are tackling the problems at Saki Naka and Asalpha,’’ he said.

The MMRDA especially faced problems when trying to acquire land near Andheri station: it faced a barrage of protests from residents and shopkeepers who wanted alternate accommodation nearby. The BJP had joined the protest stating that the government was acquiring land in a high-handed manner without a proper alternate housing plan.

After meetings with project-affected groups, the MMRDA undertook to house them in a large shopping complex near Andheri station. Now, they will have to try some strong persuasion at Saki Naka and Asalpha too.

ashley.dmello@timesgroup.com

essential stuff..

Umbrella body to manage Metro links

New transport authority to coordinate services, tariff and ticketing along nine corridors

[The phase I deadline mentioned is BS - its supposed to be 2012]
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/3666/mumbaimetro123vc7.jpg


Mumbai will soon get a new transport authority .

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC), to be set up under the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), will be the apex authority for coordination between the proposed nine corridors of the Mumbai Metro.

The Metro will give the city a horizontal mass transit option in the coming years.

With a frequency of one train every four minutes, the Mumbai Metro - covering 146.5 km - is expected to drastically reduce travel time for commuters.

However, due to the huge construction costs involved, each corridor will be allotted separately to private operators on a build-operate-transfer basis for 30 years.

The central authority will coordinate the Metro services, tariff and ticketing across the nine corridors.

"We have already forwarded the proposal to set up the MMRC to the central government," said MMRDA Joint Commissioner Milind Mhaiskar. "The authority will coordinate between different the private operators that are likely to run the metro corridors under the public-private partnership model.'' The transport authority will enable an integrated metro service across the nine corridors.

For instance, a single ticket and tariff will enable a commuter to travel from a second corridor station (like Charkop) to the underground station on the third corridor (like Mahim).

"We can't expect commuters to buy different tickets every time they criss-cross through the different lines of the Metro,'' said Mhaiskar.

The transport authority will have a greater role to play once the metro routes are running.

But authorities say the MMRC will coordinate between different private players even at the implementation stage.

While the first 11.7-km Metro line between Versova and Ghatkopar is being developed by Reliance Energy, the bids for the 31.87-km second line, running from Charkop to Mankhurd via Bandra, have been shortlisted to seven consortiums - including Reliance Energy and Reliance Industries - led by the Ambani brothers.

MMRDA is now looking at the third corridor, which is likely to run from Colaba to Bandra and cost an estimated Rs 12,000 crore.

This expensive route is likely to get viability gap funding with part of the cost given as grant from the government to make the project financially viable for the private player from the Japanese Bank for International Co-operation.

news regarding line 3 - it looks like the 3rd line may be built in the lines of the delhi/B'lore metro with the funding coming from the central/state govt and other money lenders like JBIC.


State may build Colaba-Bandra metro link

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/6197/mumbaimetro3linescr0.jpg


South Mumbaiites may well be the last to get to ride the Mumbai Metro.

The proposed third corridor of the Metro that will link Colaba to Bandra - also the most expensive, at over 12,000 crore - may not find any private takers.

So the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is planning to build this corridor with the help of external funding from the state and Centre, on the lines of the Delhi Metro.

The proposed underground route from Colaba to Mahim may require huge viability gap funding - that's when part of the project cost is given to the private sector as a grant by the government to make the project commercially feasible - of around Rs 9,000 crore. The reason for the high cost is the complications involved in building an underground system in the island city.

"Ministry of Finance regulations clearly state that if the viability gap funding required is more than 40 per cent of the total project, then a public-private partnership will not be allowed. We may look at a model like the Delhi metro to execute the project," said Metropolitan Commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad.

The Delhi Metro project is being executed through the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, a company owned jointly by the Government of India and the Government of Delhi.

However, the good news may be that the Japan Bank for International Co-operation has given in-principle approval to partially fund this corridor. The other option being considered to execute the project is to hand it over to a private company after building the line.

"We can build the corridor and then offer it to a private company for operation and maintenance. This has been done in Bangkok," said Joint Commissioner (MMRDA) Milind Mhaiskar.

Bangkok's underground metro system was constructed by the government and then handed over to a private consortium for operation for 25 years. The private company provided equipment like signaling systems and electrical trains for operating and maintaining the system.

Shame that 2009 date is BS cos next time were in town in 2010 we couldve made the journey to N bombay just to have a ride!
Still looks like in about 10 years time Mumbai will be like KL. Imagine the skyline by then...
But maan I wish they'ed price it in 'international numbers' . Jesus.Thats one unbroken link with Indias ancient past that realy does piss me off.
The articles in english but no one outside of inda has fucking clue as to what there onabout 'cos of that. AAAAAGGGHGHGHH.

Is Line 1 of the Metro u/c or what?

For a launch date for 2009 is ambitious! So in less than two years the Metro will be constructed and in operation? No I dont think so. 2020 or 2012 would be more realistic.

Is Line 1 of the Metro u/c or what?

For a launch date for 2009 is ambitious! So in less than two years the Metro will be constructed and in operation? No I dont think so. 2020 or 2012 would be more realistic.

Yeah i almost made that mistake but pay attention to the writing in red that indiansunite has added

Is Line 1 of the Metro u/c or what?

Civil work on the elevated structure can start any time now. Once MMOPL gets it's hands on the depot land at Saki Naka, expect Anil Ambani to announce a date for the start of work. Then there's also the financial viability gap factor according to which the centre has yet to release Rs650cr.

MUMBAI: Malabar Hill in south Mumbai could well be connected via monorail with Wadala and Bandra-Kurla Complex in two years. Chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on Friday okayed the construction of four monorail corridors covering 70 km.

Two corridors will be first taken up by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA)-a 25-km route running from Malabar Hill to Haji Ali, Jacob Circle, Wadala, Sion Hospital and Dharavi to BKC, and another 25-km route from Thane to Kalyan to Bhiwandi. An estimated Rs 1,500-Rs 1,800 crore will be spent to construct the two stretches.

Two more corridors have been proposed, but these will be taken up subsequently—a 10-km Chembur-Mahul-Govandi route and a 10-km Lokhandwala Complex-Oshiwara-JVLR-Kanjurmarg stretch. The cost of setting up the monorail service is roughly
Rs 85 crore per km. The trains are expected to run at a maximum speed of 80 kmph and an average speed of 65 kmph.
No other Indian city has a monorail which, with a 'passengers per direction per hour’ (PPDPH) of 15,000, is not considered a mass transit medium. In comparison, say the railways, Mumbai’s locals have a PPDPH of 1.8 lakh.

"The monorail will work as a feeder for the existing railways and for the proposed Metro lines," said MMRDA joint commissioner Milind Mhaiskar. Places like Mahul and Malabar Hill are served by packed buses only and the monorail will supplement the road transport, he added.

The monorail was initially talked of as a connector between the domestic and international airports on the lines of similar systems in other metros of the world. The government later amended its plan and proposed that the monorail service areas that are not connected by other trains.

The MMRDA will invite global expressions of interest from consultants to study the feasibility, availability of space, cost and source of funding. The process is expected to be over by March 2008, after which construction will start.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mumbai_monorail_to_run_in_two_years/articleshow/2413046.cms

^^ Interesting developments!

Proposed corridor
http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/8125/29092007521001011vy2.jpg

Humm that is interesting...thanks for the up-dates guys.

Im intrigued by this monorail...good idea on paper so wont the residents kick a fuss over this mono-rail? Going through Malabar Hill one of the fanciest and poshest areas in Mumbai lol good luck. The article is so confident that things will get going without any public enquiry or public consultation.

Sorry to be pessamistic on this one but as the title says Proposed!

Work on 1st Metro line to start by Jan (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mumbai/Work_on_1st_Metro_line_to_start_by_Jan/articleshow/2421040.cms)

Construction on Mumbai Metro’s first line from Versova to Ghatkopar will begin by early January, MMRDA joint commissioner Milind Mhaiskar said on Monday.

The MMRDA will clear the road for the civil work, which will be executed by Mumbai Metro One, a company spearheaded by the Reliance Energy Limited-led consortium.

Construction on the Rs 2,356-crore project was supposed to start after the monsoon but problems related to acquisition of a 35-acre plot at Versova for a railway yard led to a delay in implementation of the project.

According to Mhaiskar, the problem of acquiring the plot will be solved by January. "The rolling stock (rakes) has already been ordered. Though the actual civil work will not take much time, functions like taking charge of the rolling stock, fitting the electronic equipment and getting the trains in running order will consume some time," he said.

The management of Mumbai Metro One had criticized the MMRDA for not pushing hard enough the acquisition of the plot and clearing the way for the Metro project along Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar. The project is expected to take four years to be completed after construction begins.

Several residents and shopkeepers in Andheri and also at Asalfa had initially opposed the project and wanted a proper compensation and rehabilitation package. This is being worked out by the MMRDA, which has also held several public hearings on the issue. A shopping mall is being built near Andheri station to house the shopkeepers.

Shabash, Ambani bros

Lets hope it actually, you know, starts...

Keeping my fingers crossed...

mumbaikars, whats the word on the street about this starting in Jan then ?
And was there a rumour about new rolling stock for the suburban line out of Churchgate?Or have I made that up?

^
2 months ago, I read on a fellow SSC forummer's(Ariesg18) blog that a board indicating the station location had been set up in Versova. Other than that, there's no bloger on the www that has posted his/her thoughts on this announcement. Only when civil work starts can we expect a blitz in people speaking out just like in Bang-all-whores case.

Here's a picture (http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/7414/newsuburbantrainhl3vq3.jpg) of the new local train rolling stock you were talking about

___________

Metro gets HC green signal

PIL Filed By Former Railway Officers Against Standard Gauge Dismissed


Paving the way for the construction of Mumbai Metro’s first line from Versova to Ghatkopar, the Bombay high court on Thursday dismissed a public interest litigation filed by former railway officers and transport experts against the project being executed by a Reliance Energy Limited-led consortium. The PIL had sought a stay on the project and substituted broad gauge instead of standard gauge system for the metro lines.

“It is a policy decision and we do not find anything that can be said to be against public interest,’’ said a division bench of justices J N Patel and Amjad Sayed. The petitioner’s claim that a standard gauge system would be costlier and would carry less passengers failed to impress the judge.

The actual construction of the metro at a cost of Rs 2,356 crore is to commence from January 2008, according to MMRDA. The crux of the PIL was the MMRDA’s decision to use the standard gauge system that is prevalent all over the world, instead of the the broad gauge system that is common in India. According to the petitioner Brigadier P V Gole, a formal railway officer, the Metro would not be compatible with the Indian railways. Advocate R S Apte, counsel for the petitioner, claimed that not only is the standard gauge more expensive, but also it would carry less number of passengers. “A broad gauge coach would cost around Rs 2 crore and carry about 450 to 490 passengers, as opposed to a standard gauge coach which costs between Rs 8-9 crore and has a capacity of only 350 passengers,’’ said Apte. The counsel added that the project was being implemented under the Tramways’ Act, whereas it should have been implemented under the Indian Railway’s Act that makes broad gauge mandatory.

The court, however, did not agree with the contentions. “The Metro project is being taken up by MMRDA to supplement the public transport system with other available modes of transport,’’ said the judges. “A Metro system involves the laying down of tracks and running trains, but it has nothing to do with railways. It is within the powers of the state to provide a mass rapid transport system especially for Mumbai,’’ added the judges.

Dismissing the arguments on the cost, capacity and technical aspects, the court accepted the government’s stand that a decision on the project had been taken after considering the opinion of experts.

The lobby supporting broad gauge was backed by senior railway officials and retired railway engineers who felt it was a natural choice as there would not be any need to import technology. “The technology has been tested in India for over a 100 years and so is ideal in such conditions,’’ they said and hinted that there was, “a vested interest in going in for standard gauge, which was the leading gauge in Europe.’’ Last year, a high-powered committee headed by Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar appointed to look into the issue came out in favor of standard gauge.

So it looks like MMOPL ordered the rolling stock before the HC's decision. How did that happen? Anyways, its good that the HC's decision approves MMOPL's choice of standard gauge.

Thats good news from the Courts at least now no more further delays hopefully!

Metro will get Parisian security lessons

http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/9782/mumbaimetrosectranpz1.jpg


The company that manages security for the Paris Metro, considered among the best in the world especially for its security, will put in place the security systems for Mumbai's first Metro rail line.

Work on the elevated route that will link Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar is expected to start in January. The 11.7-km line connecting some of the most congested parts of the city is expected to open by 2012.

The agency developing the Metro rail project, Mumbai Metro One, has roped in Sectran as its security consultant. Sectran manages the 100-year old Paris Metro, the second busiest Metro in the world after Moscow. The Paris-based company was also the consulting firm for the London and New York metro lines.

"We toured the best Metro systems across the world and zeroed in on the Paris agency to devise our security plan," said K.P. Maheshwari, Director, Mumbai Metro One. "Even Madrid (security) is good but Paris has an impeccably modern security system that handles a huge infrastructure network (that will be) similar to Mumbai's."

A Sectran team visited Mumbai last week to understand the passenger profile and the details of the project before they start planning the security arrangements.

"We want a customized, seamless security plan for Mumbai which will focus on devising means to prevent terror attacks or any other threat," said D. Dutta, Senior Vice-President (security and vigilance), Mumbai Metro One.

In Kolkata, the city police, the railway police and the Metro operator are jointly responsible for security and surveillance of the Kolkata Metro. In New Delhi, a large unit of the Central Industrial Security Force was recently deployed to manage security. For Mumbai, the agency wants an elaborate electronic system for the Metro rail.

The entire operation for the line will therefore be controlled and monitored at a central control room at the car depot in Versova. To ensure passengers safety, numerous closed-circuit television cameras and passengers alarms would be installed. Commuters would be able to report untoward incidents or suspicious persons on board via the passenger alarm system.

The alarm will send a message to the control room where the incident scene will flash on a screen. The control room may in turn relay the message to the police coordinating security with the Metro operator.

[HT]

A Q. sos 2 b so dull, im sure its been stated already but I just read somewhere else on the forum that the completion date for all the Mumbai metro lines is 2021. Is that right? So like 15 years odd from now ?
And that the monorail is a seperate & additional project ? Or is it just a load of imaginary media shite ?
cheers D

A Q. sos 2 b so dull, im sure its been stated already but I just read somewhere else on the forum that the completion date for all the Mumbai metro lines is 2021. Is that right? So like 15 years odd from now ?
And that the monorail is a seperate & additional project ? Or is it just a load of imaginary media shite ?
cheers D

The original date for the completion of the entire metro system is 2021 though Mah's CM recently asked to finish all 3 phases by 2012 ( exciting dream) ..and i believe the monorail is a different project but will be integrated with the metro and probably BRTS in the future.

cheers

Stumbled upon some pics of MMOPL's office in Andheri. The address according to its website (http://www.mumbaimetro1.com/mmportal/HTML/contactus.html) is -

2'nd Floor,
Satellite Silver
Andheri-Kurla Road,
Marol, Andheri(E),
Mumbai-400059, India

The photographer took these pics before it opened in Feb07

Copyright Nrjasani

There's that metro station model again -
http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/1051/a01mw3.jpg


http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/6620/a36er0.jpg


More pictures can be found here (http://picasaweb.google.com/nrjasani/MumbaiMetro)

interesting... looks like there's another station model there as well

^
It might be a model of the train depot.

_____________
Metro Rail public info centre opens today (http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Metro-Rail-public-info-centre-opens-today/232436/)

The first public interface of Mumbai’s first Metro Rail corridor will soon be open for citizens with queries and doubts about the Mass Rapid Transit System. On Friday, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and the Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd—the special purpose vehicle executing the 11.4-km Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro Rail corridor—will inaugurate the first public information centre at Saki Naka.

Envisioned as part of a public education programme, the centre will be jointly manned by representatives of the Reliance Energy Ltd-led consortium and MMRDA. Located adjacent to REL’s customer care centre in Saki Naka, not far from where the Saki Naka Metro Station will be constructed, the centre will be a single window for citizens to interact directly with company officials and obtain information regarding the project.

However, while construction of the way structure and stations is slated to begin at least in January 2008, the MMRDA is behind schedule on handing over possession of two crucial plots of land to Mumbai Metro One—one located at Wadala for a casting yard where pre-cast segments can be prepared and the other at D N Nagar for a car depot.

“Six months from March was the timeline stipulated in the agreement signed between the state government and the special purpose vehicle,” admitted an MMRDA official. “That deadline was for sorting out the issue of rehabilitation of project-affected persons as well as for handing over right of way for construction.”

At 1,38,000 sq metres, the car depot plot located between D N Nagar and Versova is to include amenities for stabling, routine and periodic maintenance of the rolling stock, a workshop as well as offices and storage space. A spokesperson for Mumbai Metro One said the company has received financial bids for at least two major contracts—the rolling stock and the civil works—but cannot open the bids and award contracts until the handover of the plots and the right of way is complete. Soon, financial bids for a signalling system, a communication system, power supply, electricals and an automatic fare collection system will also be in.

Meanwhile, MMRDA is preparing to invite financial bids from seven shortlisted consortia for the construction and operation of the second route of the Metro Rail to run from Charkop through Bandra to Mankhurd.

6 firms eye metro rolling stock (http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1130143)

First public info centre for the mega project opened


MUMBAI: The city’s much-hyped Metro Rail project connecting Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar has six leading multinationals lined up to extend rolling stocks (shuttles and other rail equipments) for the first phase of the project.

The six international firms are: Siemens - a German firm, Bombardier - a Canadian conglomerate, Alstom - a French major, Rotem-Hyundai - a South Korean consortium, Chunyun - a Chinese company, and Nippon Sharyo - a Japanese firm.

As Reliance Energy-led equity firm, Mumbai Metro One Private Limited (MOPPL), has pulled up its socks to accomplish the procedural modalities of bidding, one of the above mentioned companies may win the contract to provide compartments and engines for the Rs2,356 crore first phase of Metro Rail project.

MMOPL director KP Maheshwari said that the short-listing was underway and finalising an agency’s name will be done with in a few days. Maheshwari was interacting with the media soon after the inauguration of a public information centre (PIC) of MMOPL at Saki Naka on Friday.

Hoping the project to be in the execution mode by 2008, Metropolitan Commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad said the PIC will not only provide information on the project but will also give up-to-date information on project affected people, the structural plan of the project and track alignments.

Metro link between old, new airports (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mumbai/Metro_link_between_old_new_airports/articleshow/2496140.cms)

http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/3916/pc0011900vc3.jpg

A Metro rail link is being planned between the upcoming Navi Mumbai airport at Panvel and the old domestic and international terminals for the benefit of air passengers and commuters.

MMRDA commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad said the new link, planned by Cidco and his agency, would run along the second line of the Metro’s Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd route. "There will be a new link from Mankhurd to Navi Mumbai. The distance from Mankhurd to Navi Mumbai airport is estimated to be 20 km," said Gaikwad.

MMRDA officials said the extra 20 km from Mankhurd to Panvel would be planned as a separate project and the survey for it might be done by RITES. These will be combined at a later stage.

This is being done as planning for the Metro’s Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd line is almost complete, said officials.

A small link has already been planned from Santa Cruz airport to Bandra-Kurla Complex to meet the Metro line. This will allow passengers to alight at the terminal and go directly to the Panvel airport.

With this addition, the original 32-km phase between Charkop and Mankhurd, will now become longer by another 32 km, taking the total length to 64 km.

The officials stated that while the financial details were yet to worked out, the extra bill could run up to Rs 1,200 crore-Rs 1,500 crore.[Extra bill should be around 6-7K crores so the total should be around 12,000 cr- 15,000 cr]

Gaikwad said Cidco was keen on having a Metro link between the two airports so that passengers could swiftly move from one to another.

Officials said the link would help both Indian and foreign passengers move to other domestic destinations from Santa Cruz. "Most international airports around the world have Metro stations close to them for easy movement of passengers," said one of them.

The new Metro line will increase the MMRDA’s scope of work. The agency is already going ahead with execution of the first two lines of the first phase of Mumbai Metro.

This is a great idea.

A trans-harbour bridge is also needed for better connectivity.

This is a great idea.

A trans-harbour bridge is also needed for better connectivity.

:cheers:

Western Railway launches upgraded suburban trains (http://http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blnus/09131205.htm)


MUMBAI: The city's six million train commuters can now hope for a comfortable ride with the Western Railway rolling out the first of 157 new trains with upgraded facilities.

"The new 12-coach local trains promise more comfortable ride with better ventilation and passenger information systems on the exteriors and inside the trains,'' Western Railway Divisional Railway Manager Satyaprakash told PTI.

Besides the roof-mounted ventilation package units, the windows are larger too, fitted with polycarbonate lookout glass. Other features include modular switches for the fans, injury-free fans, lighting along the central aisle and emergency fluorescent li ghts. The coaches of the new local, launched in Mumbai yesterday, will have a dual colour scheme.

The trains, which are designed in Germany, were brought to city in August and are part of the World Bank funded Rs 4,500-crore Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP). "The trains, over three months, have cleared a series of tests ranging from detailed si gnal interference test, speed and braking trails. The trains were recently given a safety certificate by the Chief Commissioner Railway Safety of WR,'' he said. - PTI

hey !!! i travelled extensively throughout bombay yesterday ,but couldnt find any new locals!!! whre can i locate one? anybody help!!

^^ Its on WR. Its possible you travelled on CR so you didnt spot them. Western line is Churchgate-Borivili
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumbai_Suburban_Railway

^^ Its on WR. Its possible you travelled on CR so you didnt spot them. Western line is Churchgate-Borivili
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumbai_Suburban_Railway

no ,i travelles both in western as well as cnetral lines!!!ie frm vt to andheri as well as churchgate to borivalli

what is the difference between Monorail and Metro Rail?

what is the difference between Monorail and Metro Rail?

presumably the metrorail is india speak for a metro system like the delhi metro or NY 'subway' or Ldn 'tube' networks.They use conventional twin rail systems.
Monorail is just that; a single 'mono' rail system.Very rare.I think the shanghai meglev system is monorail, no? The KL & BKK system might be also.They tend to be above ground only & v expensive.

http://www.projectsmonitor.com/detailnews.asp?newsid=14896&secid=18

Minor delay in line 2
Venugopal Pillai
Mumbai Metro

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority, the nodal agency for the Mumbai Metro Rail Project, is anticipating a minor delay of three months in finalising the private sector developer for Line 2 (Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd) of the Mumbai Metro project.
A senior MMRDA official said the eight technically qualified consortia were expected to submit their technical bids by the end of this month. After Rites (India), the project consultant, qualifies the bidders on technical grounds, financial bids will be sought. By current thinking, MMRDA expects to announce the developer by the end of March 2008, three months behind the original target of December 2007.
The Anil Ambani-controlled Reliance Energy Ltd, which is already developing Line 1 (Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar) of the metro rail project (see box) is among those pre-qualified. It has tied up with SNC-Lavalin of Canada as its technology partner for Line 2, in place of Veolia Transport of France, its partner for Line 1.
Interestingly, Reliance Industries Ltd, managed by brother Mukesh Ambani, is also in the fray and has tied up with Siemens of Germany and Gammon India for the project. Other contenders include consortia headed by Essar Group, IL&FS, GVK Group and Larsen & Toubro Ltd.
Line 2, a fully-elevated 32-km stretch connecting Charkop to Mankhurd (via Bandra), is expected to cost Rs 6,192 crore. The Centre is likely to finance up to 30 per cent of the total project cost, through the viability gap funding mechanism. The incumbent private developer and MMRDA will form a 74:26 joint venture to implement the project on BOT basis under a 35-year concession period. Line 2 will have 27 stations with an interchange at Andheri where it would meet Line 1, which is currently under construction.

Mumbai Metro Line 1

The Mumbai Metro Line 1 project will be implemented on build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) basis through public-private partnership. Mumbai Metro One Pvt. Ltd, a special purpose vehicle, has been formed to implement the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar (VAG) metro corridor in Mumbai. It is a joint venture company formed by Reliance Energy Ltd, a Reliance ADA Group Company; Veolia Transport, France; and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority.
Project cost: Rs 2,356 crore
Capital contribution: Rs 650 crore
Debt-equity ratio: 70:30
Construction period: 2006-09
Commencement of operations: 2009-10

Indian Metro Rail Story at a Glance

Without private equity
Kolkata: In operation since 1984; now being expanded
Delhi: In operation since 2002; now being expanded
Bangalore: Consultants appointed; turnkey contractors being finalised
Chennai: Approval from Tamil Nadu government recently received; project in preliminary stage

With private equity
Mumbai: Line 1 under construction through a Reliance Energy-led consortium; developers for Line 2 to be announced by March 2008
Hyderabad: Five developers in the final race; selection expected by March 2008

Interview with KP Maheshwari - the director of Mumbai Metro One

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/5121/mumbaimetrointerviewlf9.jpg

Here's an article that was published in HT regarding the 146.5 kms system planned for Mumbai. It highlights the impact the first line would have on the time to commute from one suburb to another and the success of the skytrain in Bangkok.

I don't want to screw the page alignment so please click on the article to enlarge it.

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/660/mmarticlefj6.jpg (http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/8205/mmarticlecl3.jpg)


And here's a quick recap of Phase I:


http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/8862/mmplanfl1.jpg
^The deadline for line 1 is actually 2012 but MM1 hopes to construct it by 2010.

^^ Good beginning......but i hope it goes more bold with its expansion plans in the near future.

Grt work INDU!

INDU? What the frack?

Deadline for the first line of the Mumbai Metro 2010????

That's not happening for sure.... watch out for more environmentalists coming in the way and watch out for more objections in the way because these people won't object before the project is being implemented. They will only object when the project is half done and is on its way of completion. When they do this, the matter goes into the court, and an ugly structure stands out amidst the city scrapers and awaits for the construction to rebegin. How about the Kandivali bridge that has been remained unattended for over period of years and the bridge has now been home to slums for few people.

^Like I said above, the deadline for line 1 is actually 2012 (5 years from the signing of the concession agreement in March 2007). The journalist who wrote the article doesn't know what she's talking about.

The journalist who wrote the article doesn't know what she's talking about.

hahaha... funny...

Actually, an associated interview of the Mumbai Metro One CEO says that the deadline set for the project is 2012, but that the company wants to complete it by 2010.

i guess we are crazily waiting for such projects and are ready to shelve out any amount of money to get pleasure in journey.
Hopefully these dreams just don't remain dreams. keeping my fingers crossed here.

i guess we are crazily waiting for such projects and are ready to shelve out any amount of money to get pleasure in journey.
Hopefully these dreams just don't remain dreams. keeping my fingers crossed here.

Its a privately funded metro by Reliance Energy so the government isn't going to bear the entire cost of the system(probably for line 3 it will). The government (state+fed) has to pay just Rs 650 crores for the financial viability gap funding of Line1.

does anyone know about the new trains that have come out in Bombay. How many trains are flowing and how many still to come? will they completely replace the old bogeys?

INDU? What the frack?

INDU = short for indiansunite :tongue3:

does anyone know about the new trains that have come out in Bombay. How many trains are flowing and how many still to come? will they completely replace the old bogeys?

AFAIK there's only 1 train running on WR. Both the CR and WR will receive a combined total of 157 trains. Around 5 new trains will be inducted each month and I think it would completely replace the old rakes.

INDU = short for indiansunite :tongue3:

It's IU

INDU doesn't sound right man :rant:

Hmm Indu , sounds abit like a cockney moanin about his desi nieghbours
'hes a bleedin indu in ee?'
Or maybe
'c'mon lets go get a curry dahn the road at that indu..'
I think it should be 'iansu'. Catchy! or 'iansnit' Funky!

How about we change your name to Dead Contra. A letter here or there ain't gonna piss the devil off. I am sure the Nicaraguans in the house will be amused :laugh:

How about we change your name to Dead Contra. A letter here or there ain't gonna piss the devil off. I am sure the Nicaraguans in the house will be amused :laugh:

Won't Ortega be pleased with that :lol:

I just dont understand why these ppl are not starting the ground work for the metro! its a shame for the government and other responsible authorities for the mumbai metro . MUMBAI metro 1 authorities should watch out for chennai and bangalore metro railways coz bangalore metro has already started construction!

Won't Ortega be pleased with that :lol:

haan haan woh bhee :lol:

I just dont understand why these ppl are not starting the ground work for the metro! its a shame for the government and other responsible authorities for the mumbai metro . MUMBAI metro 1 authorities should watch out for chennai and bangalore metro railways coz bangalore metro has already started construction!

MM1 still doesn't possess land for the car depot at DN Nagar. Negotiations are going on and MM1 hopes to own that land by January which is the time when ground work will start. Tenders for viaduct construction/rolling stock/signaling system etc have been finalized and only when ground work starts will they be issued.

How about we change your name to Dead Contra. A letter here or there ain't gonna piss the devil off. I am sure the Nicaraguans in the house will be amused :laugh:

Thats funny. i've always had a thing for Che :nuts:
And 'cos there aint enough space in the name bar in team BHP thats almost what it is. .:)

Hmm Indu , sounds abit like a cockney moanin about his desi nieghbours
'hes a bleedin indu in ee?'
Or maybe
'c'mon lets go get a curry dahn the road at that indu..'
I think it should be 'iansu'. Catchy! or 'iansnit' Funky!

haha:applause: ....bernard manning would be proud. RIP

It's IU

INDU doesn't sound right man :rant:

OK IU....sounds much better. :)

^It's all good Hashhttp://img402.imageshack.us/img402/2203/smokingsmiley5442zf4.gif

Please pass some more of that


Lets get back to the Mumbai metro now. Small update in the TOI -

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/1081/mumbaimetroontrack2vi1.jpg

^It's all good Hashhttp://img402.imageshack.us/img402/2203/smokingsmiley5442zf4.gif

Please pass some more of that


Lets get back to the Mumbai metro now. Small update in the TOI -

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/1081/mumbaimetroontrack2vi1.jpg

Whatever it is, I don't trust these people. A few months later, they will come up with something else. Can't trust until the project is completed.

Whatever it is, I don't trust these people. A few months later, they will come up with something else. Can't trust until the project is completed.

^Can't help you there man but the following article about the ULCRA being repealed has given the Mumbai metro a big BOOST

Maharashtra repeals Urban Land Ceiling Act (http://deccanherald.com/Content/Nov302007/national2007113038631.asp)

In a crucial move, Maharashtra legislative assembly on Thursday repealed the Urban Land Ceiling and Regulation Act (ULCRA) which had hitherto regulated urban land holdings in India’s commercial capital and in the process locked up thousands of hectares in litigations, which might be freed now for development.


^This has not only allowed Mumbai Metro 1 to acquire land for the train depot BUT has also allowed Mumbai access to the JNNURM funds for many infrastructural projects (97 to be exact). Forget the non availibilty of money for the Viability gap funding of the metro - its coming from the JNNURM now. Probably the state will also pitch in just in case the centre decides to go 50:50 on it. JNNURM will also help to fund the Trans Harbor Link connecting Sewri on the Mumbai side with Nhava on the Navi Mumbai side. Just wait and see how money is poured into Mumbai now.

:cheers:

oh and just incase you're wondering what JNNURM is..it's the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (yet another Nehru scheme)

Great news!

I always thought that the ULCRA hindered Mumbai's growth and didn't actually help in housing the many people that it was meant for hence the many slums in the city.

IS - This has not only allowed Mumbai Metro 1 to acquire land for the train depot BUT has also allowed Mumbai access to the JNNURM funds for many infrastructural projects (97 to be exact). Forget the non availibilty of money for the Viability gap funding of the metro - its coming from the JNNURM now. Probably the state will also pitch in just in case the centre decides to go 50:50 on it. JNNURM will also help to fund the Trans Harbor Link connecting Sewri on the Mumbai side with Nhava on the Navi Mumbai side. Just wait and see how money is poured into Mumbai now.

http://www.mid-day.com/news/city/2007/november/167547.htm

Show Mithi the money! By: Shashank Rao November 30, 2007

Decision to repeal Urban Land Ceiling Act will not guarantee funds for projects like Mithi River & Metro

Bad News: According to the Urban Development ministry the Mithi river is part of the River Development Scheme, and so cannot avail funds under JNNURM. Pic/Sameer Markande

The Maharashtra government has adhered to the Centre’s call to repeal the archaic Urban Land Ceiling Act (ULCA) in order to receive financial aid for the Mumbai Metro Rail, Mithi River development and other important projects.

However, these important projects will not receive any funds under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) owing to complications in policies at the Centre’s Urban Development ministry. MMRDA, which is undertaking these projects, would have received 35 per cent of total cost i.e. Rs 1,105 crore.

Tough road ahead
The much-awaited Rs 2,400 crore Metro Rail was due to receive Rs 650 crore for its viability gap fund (VGF) under the JNNURM after scrapping ULCA.
However, there is no component of funding VGF under the scheme making it difficult for MMRDA to get the funds.

So till the time the Urban Development ministry creates a provision for VGF, funds will continue evading the Mumbai Metro Rail project. These problems persist although PM Manmohan Singh promised funds under JNNURM.

Mithi woes
The infamous Mithi River, Mumbai’s longest open drain, also was supposed to receive funds after the repeal. But the Urban Development ministry stated that the Mithi being a 17 km river, will be part of the River Development Scheme, and cannot avail funds under JNNURM. The development project will cost Rs 1,300 crore.

A senior official from MMRDA said, “The repeal of ULCA wouldn’t make much of a difference to both the projects due to these complications in the policies.”

Other projects
Mumbai Urban Infra-structure Project (MUIP): The Centre funded Rs 350 crore for the construction of the Eastern Freeway and Rs 155 crore for the Sahar Elevated Road under JNNURM.

Mumbai Sewerage Disposal Project Phase II (MSDP): The Centre cleared Rs 364.47 crore under the JNNURM.

Middle Vaitarna Dam Project: The Central Government gave its approval to implement this Rs 2,405 crore project.

Just when I thought the VGF is going to be covered, we now have an uncertainty. Great :tongue3:

BUT with the ULCRA gone, atleast MM1 can now easily acquire the land it requires for setting up the train depot. I still believe that getting funds for the VGF won't be that tough though. MMRDA just got a whopping Rs2780Cr which they said they will use in the metro project. And going by the articles I've read about the metro, no official has said that the VGF will be a big deal.

Anyways check this article from Oct out about the depot land -

“The last impediment in the acquisition of 35 acre land at Versova, presently restrained under urban land ceiling (ULC), will hopefully be cleared during the winter session of Maharashtra legislature,” revealed Joint Metropolitan Commissioner Milind Mhaiskar. According to him the implementing firm has already ordered the rolling stock for the project and is expected to break the grounds anytime in January 2008.

When asked whether the Versova land, proposed for setting up metro rail’s car depot, and the Sarvodaya Hospital land near Ghatkopar had been acquired, Mhaiskar said the bill scrapping ULC Act is likely to come up during the Nagpur session and should pave the way for the acquisition of the land in question. He said the Sarvodaya Hospital authorities, too, had agreed to allow the use of the land.

According to Mhaiskar any surplus vacant land under ULC can also be extended for public projects by issuing transferable development rights (TDR) and that the land would well be in MMRDA’s pocket even if the legislature delayed ULC abolition. Mhaiskar said the second leg of the metro rail project between Colaba and Charkop was not much embroiled in acquisition controversy.
Source (http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1124820)

Till now, only the Mid-day has reported that the repeal won't guarantee any JNNURM funds for the metro and the other projects. All other articles like this (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/ULCRA_repeal_to_net_more_central_aid/articleshow/2590384.cms), this (http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Repeal-effect-Better-infrastructure-more-houses-in-two-years/245710/) and other sources like HT,TOI are gung-ho about money finally coming into Mumbai. Apart from freeing up the land, getting JNNURM funding was the reason behind the repeal. According to this (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/ULCRA_repeal_to_net_more_central_aid/articleshow/2590384.cms), the centre had made it clear that Mumbai would only only get JNNURM funds if the ULCRA was repealed by Mar31 2008.


Anyways, MMRDA has started reviewing the 7 bids it has received for Line 2

Mukesh Ambani looks to board Metro Rail (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/Mukesh_Ambani_looks_to_board_Metro_Rail/articleshow/2593066.cms)

MUMBAI: The Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries group has formally submitted its bid for the Rs 6,192-crore Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd phase of the Mumbai Metro project.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA), the nodal agency for the Metro project, on Monday opened seven technical bids it has received for the longest corridor of the project.

The second corridor is the longest route in the project. The government, at a later stage, plans to extend this 32-km stretch by another 32 km joining Mankhurd to the proposed Panvel Airport, and Bandra to Sahar international airport. The bidding for the extended portion will be done separately. This may take the total cost of the phase to over Rs 12,000 crore.

The non-compete agreement signed by the Ambani brothers is silent on railway projects and as such both can compete with each other.


Here's the Line 2 Map again:
http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/4008/mumbaimetroline2mapeg0md2.jpg

Some more news on Line2 from DNA: (http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1137099&pageid=2)


As many as seven consortiums submitted their technical bids to the nodal agency, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), on Friday.

They are:

L&T Infrastructure Development Projects Limited, GE India Infrastructure Pvt Ltd and Construcciones Y Auxiliar De Ferrocarriles, world’s largest rolling stock manufacturers

Pioneer Infratech, Mitsubishi and Tata Power

GVK, Yeoh Tiong Lay of Malaysia and Bombardier Transportation of the US(It's actually German)

Reliance Industries Ltd, Siemens and Gammon India Ltd

Essar, Alstom, and Lanco

Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Ltd (IL&FS), IL&FS Transportation Networks Ltd and Punjlloyd Limited

Reliance Energy, Reliance Communication and SNC Lavalin


“The metropolitan administration will now evaluate the technical bids, and will ask all seven aspirants to come out with financial bids.

The one offering the lowest viability gap fund will take the pie,” said MMRDA spokesman Dilip Kawathkar. It has been proposed that this phase would have 27 stations and two car depots between Charkop and Mankhurd.


And a small update on Line1:
“The REL-led Metro One India Pvt Ltd (MOPL) recently carried out soil tests along Andheri-Ghatkopar Link Road,” said Kawathkar.


From the DNA e-paper:

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/2558/line2cbm2ma9.jpg

2011 sounds a reasonable date if all goes well. But we know about IST.

While we all are routing for the Metro and hoping that the deadlines are met, I think we should be a bit more + as in this changing Indian Landscape, where ULCRA can be repealed after 30 years, Dharavi can get the go ahead (albeit still stuck) and most of the projects (private residential buildings) are getting completed on time, we have to stay and B+:banana::cheers:

I found this monorail document from MMRDA's website. It also has map about monorail layout. I don't know how to import only the map here so putting the whole document link.
http://www.mmrdamumbai.org/docs/RFQ%20Document%20for%20Mumbai%20Monorail.doc

Also, the below link has lots of documents related to infrastructure projects in Mumbai region.
http://www.mmrdamumbai.org/docs

^^MMRDAs website stopped working since July from the internet connection at my house. It works from my school though. Anyways, regarding the mono rail - I'd say BAD idea. First of all, it's more expensive/km than the metro - where's the money going to come from? Secondly, It has a lower passenger capacity than the metro. Thirdly, regarding the routes..I saw a route from South Mumbai - around Malabar Hills heading north to around Sion. Why would one want to have an elevated structure in south-central mumbai? I also saw another route paralleling the VAG metro corridor and at the same location..why would one want to construct that? Fourthly, MMRDA should just concentrate on the metro and other infrastructure projects. There's no reason why a low capacity system should be introduced in a place like Mumbai where a lot of people commute using public transportation.

Anyways, as I said in one of my previous posts - the car shed can finally be acquired now.

ULCRA out,Versova car shed in

30-acre land at Versova has now been freed; first phase of Mumbai Metro Rail project to go full throttle

The repealing of the Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act has done a world of good for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority and the first phase of the Mumbai Metro Rail project.

The 30-acre land at Versova, where a car shed will be constructed for the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar metro link, has been declared surplus after the repeal. According to ULCRA, any land measuring 5,000 square kilometres is declared surplus and can be claimed by the government.

The land was under litigation for the past two years resulting in delay of the first phase of the project. Sources said that authorities at Mumbai Metro One — the consortium of Reliance Energy, MMRDA and Veolia Transport — wanted to set the ball rolling only after the car shed issue was sorted out.

MMRDA officials said the government has cleared the road map to acquire the land through various means which include cash, compensation, negotiation and transfer of development rights which in all probability would be applied.

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/4965/line1statusdec4rx7.jpg


[Mumbai Mirror epaper]

heard about the car-shed.... is it just going to be like one car-shed per metro line or at every station?

also, sorry for me going off topic, but does anyone know about the advancement on the kandivali bridge. It has been stuck for years and the half-the bridge looks like a really ugly structure with slums forming over the half-the-bridge because there is no one to look at it or even maintain it. the last i heard was there was a case going over the bridge. What I don't understand is that if someone has any problem, say environmental problems or something, why don't they say before the bridge is even constructed. They say it everytime the structure is half complete and the matter goes to the court and its the common people who have to suffer. How long is it going to be like this? This was the same process in the Bandra Worli Sea Link and other areas of construction as well.
The kandivali bridge was supposed to be a proposed flyover to ease up the traffic between the east and the west so that vehicles won't be able to cross the railway tracks thereby decreasing accidents.

^
Come on man obviously there won't be a car shed at each station :). For line 1 the car shed will be located in Versova. For line 2 the car sheds will be located in Mankhurd and Charkop.

Its the first time I am hearing about the Kandivali bridge. Then again, I don't know a great deal about Mumbai. But a simple google search (http://www.mumbaipluses.com/maladborivaliplus/index.aspx?page=article&sectid=1&contentid=200711302007112815285000f4a4e96f&sectxslt=&comments=true) reveals that it will be ready by May 2008 after all hitches are done away with.

^^^^

What a perfect piece of information you got... I tried searching and searching through google search. Didn't help me out. But that was perfect. Thanks a lot.

Metro rail project will go on track in a week

Construction work on the Mumbai Metro Rail Project will begin within a week, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development (MMRDA) Commissioner, Ratnakar Gaikwad said. The decision to begin work was taken at a board meeting of Mumbai Metro One, a consortium formed by Reliance Energy Limited, Veolia Transport (France) and MMRDA.

Gaikwad said work on eight out of 11-km first phase between Andheri-Versova-Ghatkopar has been cleared while land issues for the remaining three kilometres will be sorted out this week at the government level.

Construction work will begin at Andheri, around Mithi river and on the Western Express Highway, Gaikwad said adding that the issue on the electricity substation for the metro near the Marol Fire Station will be sorted out in a day or two.
[Mumbai Mirror]

Only Mumbai Mirror has published this news so lets keep our fingers crossed that work actually does begin in a week.

Alright.. There we go.....

After four years I come to India, I am hoping to travel in one of those metro lines...

City’s metro rail project will go on track in a week (http://www.mumbaimirror.com/net/mmpaper.aspx?page=article&sectid=2&contentid=2007121320071213022833515a2c95002&pageno=3)

Mumbai Mirror Bureau

Construction work on the Mumbai Metro Rail Project will begin within a week, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development (MMRDA) Commissioner, Ratnakar Gaikwad said. The decision to begin work was taken at a board meeting of Mumbai Metro One, a consortium formed by Reliance Energy Limited, Veolia Transport (France) and MMRDA.

Gaikwad said work on eight out of 11-km first phase between Andheri-Versova-Ghatkopar has been cleared while land issues for the remaining three kilometres will be sorted out this week at the government level.

Construction work will begin at Andheri, around Mithi river and on the Western Express Highway, Gaikwad said adding that the issue on the electricity substation for the metro near the Marol Fire Station will be sorted out in a day or two.

- Mumbai Mirror (http://www.mumbaimirror.com/net/index.aspx)
***************************
http://www.economist.com/images/20070901/CAS902.gif (http://www.economist.com/images/20070901/CAS902.gif)

copyright : Economist.com

WB will help Metro cross sea (http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1138960)
Chittaranjan Tembhekar Thursday, December 13, 2007 03:13 IST

The World Bank wants to help in the proposed metro rail link, which will run parallel to the upcoming Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MTHL) between Nhava and Sewri.

The Supreme Court recently directed the Anil Ambani-led consortium to bid for the MTHL project before December 15.

The link is primarily proposed between Prabhadevi, Sewri, Nhava and Panvel. The World Bank (WB) also wants to fund the third phase of the metro rail project between Colaba and Bandra.

Sanjay Ubale, the secretary to the government for special projects, said a presentation on both the links was made before WB officials. Isabelle Guerrero, WB’s country head for India, had led the team during a recent meeting at the Mantralaya. Vijay Laxmi, the transport planner for MMRDA, had made the presentation on behalf of the metropolitan administration. “RiTES, a government agency reputed in engineering research and planning, doing feasibility survey of the project,” said Vijay Laxmi.

Going by the initial designs, the metro link between Sewri and Nhava will be 17km and between Nhava and Panvel via the proposed international airport will be 20km.

At the Sewri end, the metro link will be connected with Prabhadevi. The station here will come up in the third phase of the project between Colaba and Bandra. And the distance between Sewri and Prabhadevi will be 8km.

This 45km rail link is expected to cost more than Rs300 crore per km in sea and Rs200 crore per km on land. Primary estimates have pegged the project cost to more than Rs16,000 crore.

MMRDA has already begun construction work on traffic dispersal roads connecting the sea-link’s Sewri end. These dispersal roads include a 4km elevated road between Sewri and Prince of Wales Museum in Colaba.

The MTHL dispersal roads will cost more than Rs1,000 crore and take almost six years to complete.

- DNA Mumbai (http://www.dnaindia.com)

^^ great news!

WB will help Metro cross sea (http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1138960)

The World Bank wants to help in the proposed metro rail link, which will run parallel to the upcoming Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MTHL) between Nhava and Sewri.



http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/2334/epaperimages5c131220075tx9.jpg
[DNA-Mum]


The Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd line will be extended to the Navi Mumbai airport in Phase II. This new Nhava-Sewri line to the airport makes it 2 proposed lines connecting Mumbai with the NM airport.

Has the work on these routes started as yet?

And morte importantly how did nariman point get to be so far inland?

Has the work on these routes started as yet?

errr...no

And morte importantly how did nariman point get to be so far inland?

Its just a stupid map. Neither does it show the actual shape of Mumbai nor is it to scale.

youre having a bad day ?.As someone on the forum once said to me 'Chai & spliff time'

youre having a bad day ?.As someone on the forum once said to me 'Chai & spliff time'

That's not a half bad idea

indiansunite - In the past you have written really nice weekly newsletters related to projects in India. Year end is here, can you provide 2007 yearly newsletter? 2007 was not a good year for finishing projects but it was a good year in terms of kicking off new projects. Also, can you provide timeline for projects we expect it to be done in 2008? There are lots of good news for 2008 like two new Airports, BWSL, ORR I, few delhi and mumbai flyovers etc.

errr...no



Its just a stupid map. Neither does it show the actual shape of Mumbai nor is it to scale.

And more importantly than my not very funny attemts at humour is; a big shout to you for supplying the map & all the other stuff that you do & the other heavy hitters of SSCI do for the rest of us .
cheers for that :) :cheers:

indiansunite - In the past you have written really nice weekly newsletters related to projects in India. Year end is here, can you provide 2007 yearly newsletter? 2007 was not a good year for finishing projects but it was a good year in terms of kicking off new projects. Also, can you provide timeline for projects we expect it to be done in 2008? There are lots of good news for 2008 like two new Airports, BWSL, ORR I, few delhi and mumbai flyovers etc.

Which are the two new airports that are coming up?

Are you guys talking about Airports in Bombay or India? If its Bombay I am guessing one of them to be New Bombay airport, is that right? BWSL coming up in 2008??? sweet..:banana:

youre having a bad day ?.As someone on the forum once said to me 'Chai & spliff time'

Nope. BTW, it's Chai, biskoot & spliff time.http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/3213/happysm9.gif

indiansunite - In the past you have written really nice weekly newsletters related to projects in India. Year end is here, can you provide 2007 yearly newsletter? 2007 was not a good year for finishing projects but it was a good year in terms of kicking off new projects. Also, can you provide timeline for projects we expect it to be done in 2008? There are lots of good news for 2008 like two new Airports, BWSL, ORR I, few delhi and mumbai flyovers etc.

I'll see what I can do. Most probably I'll come up with one around mid January. Delhi will get around 5-10 flyovers in 2008. I am not sure about Mumbai but the Western Express Highway has around 5 u/c flyovers on it. The whole road will be 10-12 laned. Then there's the 11.4 kms eastern freeway, 2.2kms double decker Santa cruz-chembur link road flyover etc.

Which are the two new airports that are coming up?

Hyd and Blore airports

Are you guys talking about Airports in Bombay or India? If its Bombay I am guessing one of them to be New Bombay airport, is that right? BWSL coming up in 2008??? sweet..:banana:

Navi Mumbai airport will come up by 2012 if work gets underway before 2009. Going by the recent articles, BWSL will be functional in Dec 2008

I think it was said as ' chai & biskoot time'.i think i might have added the other..And cos i did i cant even remember who gave me that invaluable advice...

Yup.. same here...

we all wish that the plans would go on as scheduled.

But what's our wish gotta do with the corrupt minded of the politicians and attention seeking environmentalists and other people who get themselves involved in bunch of unneeded mess and turns out that such mess never get cleaned up. Bombay thus becomes a place of unnecessary dirt stuck into its arteries which are hard to be dug up.

Line 3 news:

Colaba-Mahim Metro Rail corridor okayed (http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/ColabaMahim-Metro-Rail-corridor-okayed/253931/)

The third corridor of the Mumbai Metro rail project, which will run from Colaba to Mahim, has been cleared by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said the route had been approved in the meeting of the MMRDA on Monday. Much of the stretch would run underground due to the problems of acquiring land in the crowded areas in the city, added Deshmukh, who is also the MMRDA chairman.

Officials present at the meeting held at the Sahyadri Guest House on Malabar Hill said the state government is considering two options:


The first option comprised a Rs 8,857 crore proposal wherein the Colaba to Mahalaxmi stretch of the Metro would run underground.

A costlier Rs 12,152 crore option was also on the cards, where the entire Colaba-Mahim stretch would be underground and an elevated stretch from Mahim to Bandra would be provided.


The state cabinet will approve the final proposal and work on the 20-kilometre long route is expected to start by 2012. The state had also discussed the funding options with a visiting World Bank (WB) delegation.

Option 1 -->Rs8857 cr
http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/6873/mml3aiv0.png

Option 2 -->Rs12152 cr
http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/315/mml3bas9.png

Thanks for the updates on this exciting project which will allow to India fight it's true weight as a global player.

still 5 years to go even before the project to start...

I am not expecting anything big from these people... if the project won't even start on time, I won't be surprised because it might take time for other other metros to finish up.

Optio Two would be much better in my opinion.

Take the whole hing undergound would be better for line 3.

BMC approves proposals for felling trees along line 1 (http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/BMC-approves-proposals-for-felling-trees/254844/)

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s Tree Authority on Wednesday approved 22 proposals for felling trees affecting the Metro rail corridor of Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar. According to the proposals, 880 trees will be axed during the phase I of Mass Rapid Transit System. Besides this, the Tree Authority also granted permission for removing another 620 trees, taking the total number of tress to be hacked to 1500.

The permission for felling trees was sought for various works of MRTS projects including construction of portal for third track location, way structure, electric sub-station and station area’s Metro One Private Limited. The Tree Authority which met on Wednesday approved these proposals without much discussion.

What about replanting trees & greening after the completion of the project?

exactly...

Its the right time for the environmentalists to cry about the felling of the trees. If they want to do it, do it now. I would be so much pissed if they come about calling about environment safety right when the project is half way through and then they will drag them to the court and start the blame game!!!

MMRDA seems to have finalized 2 new plots for setting up the car shed + precast yard to construct the precasted segments at Wadala and Andheri (JP Road). The following HT article switches from (has) acquired to finalized to inked the deal to has been directed to hand over http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/3306/iconconfusedxk1.gif

Push for delayed Metro project

Two plots in Wadala, Andheri have been finalised for use as construction sites

http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/4431/29122007005003001nv0.jpg

After months of negotiations and legal roadblocks delaying the start of Mumbai's Metro rail project, two plots of land have been finalised for pre-casting yards and a car shed. These plots, crucial to the project, are where the real, block-by-block construction will be done.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) inked the deal on two sites - a 6-acre plot on JP Road for a pre-casting yard and a car depot and another 15-acre plot at Wadala Truck Terminal, to be used as a precasting yard.

Officials in Mumbai Metro One said once the plots are handed over to the company, it would take three weeks to begin construction. The Home Guard department which owns the JP Road plot has been directed by the state government to hand it over for three years for the project. The project an elevated 11.4km rail line on concrete stilts will be built over Versova and connect with Ghatkopar via Andheri.

Construction cannot possibly happen along the route, what surveys indicate as the busiest and most congested corridor in the city. The two plots have been finalised only after a plot in DN Nagar, the first choice for a car depot and casting yard, could not be taken over for the project.

"We have decided to go ahead with these two plots as negotiations are still not over on the DN Nagar plot. These two plots will be handed over soon," said G.R.

Negotiations over the Wadala plot was on but was stalled after the MMRDA asked for steep commercial rents, nearly Rs 3 lakh per day, from Mumbai Metro One. Now the rent rates have been reduced because the MMRDA is itself a stakeholder in the project.

[HT]

Good news! Mumbai Metro One has indeed decided to have each of the stations designed by architects through design competitions like the Bangalore metro.

The following is a design of the Versova station, designed and submitted by Aman Inamdar. No idea, whether it has been chosen or not.

nmwm19Sc5ac

The design is way way way too modern for the people of the city....

Mumbai is a modern city so why not? ^^

Although I dont like the design Mumbai is thinking bold & beautiful.

Mumbai is a modern city so why not? ^^

Although I dont like the design Mumbai is thinking bold & beautiful.

Hopefully Bombay thinks the same way as Dubai and hopefully it will come out beautifully.

But due to the political mess, one is never sure if the project displayed will actually even get started.

any updates on this guys?

So far there isn't any update on line 1. This is the month in which ground work should have begun but thanks to different reasons (land for depot being one), it hasn't.

here's an article from yesterday. It just reiterates that the deadline for line 1 is 2012 (5 years from when the concession agreement was signed)

clicky (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mumbai/Promise_of_Metro_roll-out_by_2012/articleshow/2709096.cms)

Thanks IndiansUnite for the link:

Some quotes from the article:
Officials say it was the lack of political will and a want of interest on the part of Indian Railways that delayed Mumbai’s Metro. "The plans were conceptualised about four decades ago but they gathered dust without any push from politicians," a senior city transport planner said.
officials say Mumbaikars can expect the first phase of the project to end by 2012. That means trains could start plying on the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar route by then. Officials admit a delay in starting work and attribute that to the numerous problems they have faced over the issue of resettlement.

So I guess more and more traffic jams during the construction of the metro link? Are we ever going to get a day in our life where we will reach from Borivali to Churchgate (A distance of 38 kms) in a mere 45 minutes (driving at 60 kmph)????
And then the deadline is 2012 (earlier it was around 2020 or something like that, correct me if I am wrong). Anyways, this deadline means that every single part of the project should be on time and nothing should stop this project like court cases or anything like that.

So I guess more and more traffic jams during the construction of the metro link?

Along certain roads, yes

Are we ever going to get a day in our life where we will reach from Borivali to Churchgate (A distance of 38 kms) in a mere 45 minutes (driving at 60 kmph)????

If you're driving when all the sealinks get ready + flyovers on the WEH get expanded, it'll take more than 45 mins. I am no expert on Mumbai roads, but then somethings are blatantly obvious.


And then the deadline is 2012 (earlier it was around 2020 or something like that, correct me if I am wrong). Anyways, this deadline means that every single part of the project should be on time and nothing should stop this project like court cases or anything like that.

For Line 1, the deadline is July 2012 according to the terms stated in the concession agreement between Reliance and MMRDA, but Reliance has time and again stated that it'll be functional well before the deadline.

2020 is the deadline for ALL 9 metro lines that have been planned by MMRDA.


some more news, still no announcement about when the ground work will commence :no:

Mumbai Metro to maintain 'Green Cover (http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20080118/871210.html)

To avoid protests every time a tree is cut on Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar route, company executing project submits list of trees that may hamper construction to body responsible for regulating tree cutting in city

Mumbai Metro One, which is the first Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative for a MRTS project in India, is working in close coordination with the Tree Authority to arrive at a final decision on the number of trees that might hamper the construction work of the Mumbai Metro project.

As part of the intensive survey carried out by Mumbai Metro One along the Versova - Andheri - Ghatkopar corridor, the company identified trees that might hamper the construction of the project.

A detailed report highlighting the number of trees along with location drawings has already been submitted to the Tree Authority.

Based on directions of the Tree Authority, the ones that can be transplanted will be transplanted, for the others, new saplings will be planted at a different location that will be provided by MMRDA. As per the guidelines of the Tree Authority, under which two new saplings are required to be planted for every tree being cut and cannot be transplanted, Mumbai Metro One as part of its responsibility towards Mumbaikars will not only undertake this tree plantation drive but also look after the maintenance of these trees for a period of 3 years, a release issued here yesterday said.

Speaking on the topic, Mumbai Metro One Director K P Maheshwari said, ''We have always been an environment conscious company. In order to make certain that our metro will be environment - friendly, we have undertaken a number of initiatives to ensure that the project is developed as per the best environment friendly global practices, sets benchmarks for Corporate Responsibility for protecting and promoting good environment practices.'' Mumbai Metro One Private Limited (MMOPL) is , which is a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) created to implement the Versova - Andheri - Ghatkopar (VAG) Metro corridor in Mumbai.

when is construction supposed to start? they keep shifting it...i remember reading it was going to start right after the 2007 monsoons.

Man, this is India...
I am not expecting them to start before Dec 2008...

when is construction supposed to start? they keep shifting it...i remember reading it was going to start right after the 2007 monsoons.

Yes They said it will start after monsoon 2007, then they shifted it to November 2007, then Jan 2008, let's see when does it actually start and more importantly when does it end ?

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mumbai/CM_launches_3_road_projects/articleshow/2690987.cms

Referring to the Mumbai Metro project, delayed by more than 16 months now, Deshmukh said the Delhi Metro was 80 per cent complete while no real work had begun in Mumbai. His statement is being seen as a veiled warning to Mumbai Metro One, a joint venture of Anil Ambani promoted Reliance Energy Ltd (REL) and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

The CM is urging the officials to speed up the work. But the speeding up depends upon our Lazy Babus with "jo hota hai chalta hai" attitude. I am quite surprised that the Metro Project hasn't even started yet. The Reliance is saying that the project will be well completed before time. I am not sure how much prestige is Reliance going to hold after saying this.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mumbai/CM_launches_3_road_projects/articleshow/2690987.cms
Deshmukh said the Delhi Metro was 80 per cent complete while no real work had begun in Mumbai.

If he's referring to Phase II of the DM then 80% is overstated. Nonetheless he gets his point across. Here's some more news. Apparently the contract for the civil work still has to be handed out.

Mumbai Metro still off-track
Fed up of delays, MMRDA calls for a meeting with agencies involved in its construction

Frustrated with constant delays in the construction of the first phase of the Mumbai Metro on the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar route, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has called for a meeting with the agencies involved in the project on Wednesday.

Sources at MMRDA said that the main reason behind the delay was the issue of the car shed on land spread across 30 acres at D N Nagar, which is still under litigation, despite the scrapping of the Urban Land Ceiling Act. “It will take time for the land to be declared surplus and claimed by the government,” the sources said.

Meanwhile, the MMRDA has alloted three plots of land on a temporary arrangement — near the Wadala truck terminus, surplus area from the Marol fire brigade premises, and the entire Home Guards ground at Versova — for the project.

According to a senior MMRDA official, the three sections of land will be used to store rolling stock. Once the D N Nagar car shed issue is sorted out after the completion of formalities, the rolling stock would be moved there.

Mumbai Metro One Private Limited officials said they have possession of the lands at Marol and Wadala, and have to get possession of the lands at Versova and D N Nagar.

According to an official, “The civil contracts would be finalised within the next few days, and construction would begin thereafter.”

[Mumbai Mirror]

Thanks for the update IndiansUnite...

Mumbai Metro still off-track
Fed up of delays, MMRDA calls for a meeting with agencies involved in its construction



[Mumbai Mirror]

And from Mumbai Mirror's sister publication TOI

Metro work likely to begin in February

Govt Ultimatum Forces Action On Project

TOI epaper

Responding to pressure from the government, Mumbai Metro One (MM1), the consortium led by Reliance Energy which is building the metro’s first line on the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar (VAG) route, will begin civil construction work early next month.

The move comes after much prodding from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which is keen to start the Rs 2,356 crore project and is upset with the delay.

At a meeting held on Wednesday evening at the MMRDA office at the Bandra Kurla Complex, the MM1 directors were told very firmly that the state government wanted work on the project to begin immediately. “Problems, if any, could be dealt with as the work progressed,’’ said state government officials.

MM1 has been set up with Reliance Energy Ltd, Connex, France and the MMRDA as joint partners for the project, which is behind schedule by several months. Director, MM1, Krishna Prasad Maheshwari, had said last year that work on the line would start after the monsoons.

Senior government officials said the meeting was held to thrash out any vexing issues, like settling project affected persons and 30 acres of land for a car parking lot so that work could begin.

The officials said the MM1 directors were told that work has to begin on the project, which has been in the planning stage
for several years and making excuses for not beginning work would not do. Lack of a strong political will in pushing the project through has led to delays in implementation.

MM1 managers, when contacted, agreed that work was about to begin, though they did not want to put a date to it. “Our bids for the various contracts on the project are ready and will go before the board for approval in early February, work will then begin,’’ they said.

The foundation stone for the VAG line was laid by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in June 2006. The project had been bogged down with a number of problems, the first being resettling the residents of housing societies, shops and slums that come in the route.

When the MMRDA began issuing notices of acquisition, the shopkeepers at Andheri station put up a spirited fight and were backed by the BJP which accused the government of highhanded tactics. The issue was solved when the MMRDA came up with a plan for allotting alternate shops to the affected persons in a shopping centre near the station being constructed by the municipal corporation.

Maheshwari has pointed out that the MMRDA has not handed over land for the car parking yard at Versova, a concrete casting yard. He also stated that parts of the route were still not cleared of structures for construction to begin.

MMRDA officials now say that 8 km of the 11 km route has been cleared of any encroachments. “The rest of the route will be cleared but work has to begin, only then will the people come foward and accept alternate accommodation,’’ they said.

For a great city - Mumbai - this is a sad state of affairs. We thought PPP is the model for quick and efficient execution of large projects. Hope this remains true and we see nice efficient metro with swanky looking stations all over Mumbai soon.

A video of Mumbai Metro:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKMrEBniRKI&feature=related

Forgive the quality!

Work on Metro to start next week

MMRDA commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad on Tuesday said the civil construction work on the Mumbai Metro project's Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar line would begin in a week’s time.

Simplex has bagged the contract for the Rs 450 crore civil work. "All the groundwork has been done and the digging will start soon," Gaikwad said. The work had been delayed for several months with Mumbai Metro One, the firm given the construction contract, crossing swords with the MMRDA

source timesofindia.com

Problems, if any, could be dealt with as the work progressed,’’ said state government officials.

So, once there are any problems they will go to court and then work will be delayed, VERY GOOD!

Sn1101 - great news! Boss, do provide a link to the source when there exists one.

from ExpressIndia (http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Construction-of-Metro-to-begin-but-roadblocks-remain/266809/):

Meanwhile, a slew of preparatory studies and reports is complete-topographic an geotechnical surveys, a survey of utilities, a girder transportation study and a condition survey of adjoining structures along the route. While land pockets for labour camps have been identified at Dindoshi, Malvani and Asalpha, the MMRDA is to allocate these plots to the company.

Though construction is taking off almost a year behind schedule, Gaikwad is confident that the first corridor will be completed by the proposed deadline of December 2010. “It will end in scheduled time. You will be able to see the Metro Rail in December 2010,” he said.


Some news on Line 2:

Delhi Metro chief to finalise details of second line

Mumbai: Civil construction work on the delayed Mumbai Metro project’s first line (Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar) will begin in a week even as Delhi Metro chairperson E Shreedharan arrives in the city to finalise details for the second line from Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd. The civil work for this line is expected to begin in June.

Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad said that Shreedharan’s visit would enable finalisation of the details for the second line which would cost Rs 6,000 crore. The Delhi Metro Corporation is the consultant for the Mumbai Metro Project.

[TOI]

Just a reminder that the following companies had submitted their bids to build line2:

* L&T Infrastructure Development Projects Limited, GE India Infrastructure Pvt Ltd and Construcciones Y Auxiliar De Ferrocarriles, world’s largest rolling stock manufacturers
* Pioneer Infratech, Mitsubishi and Tata Power
* GVK, Yeoh Tiong Lay of Malaysia and Bombardier Transportation of the US(It's actually German)
* Reliance Industries Ltd, Siemens and Gammon India Ltd
* Essar, Alstom, and Lanco
* Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Ltd (IL&FS), IL&FS Transportation Networks Ltd and Punjlloyd Limited
* Reliance Energy, Reliance Communication and SNC Lavalin

Good news in fact.

MUMBAI: MMRDA commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad on Tuesday said the civil construction work on the Mumbai Metro project's Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar line would begin in a week’s time.

Simplex has bagged the contract for the Rs 450 crore civil work. "All the groundwork has been done and the digging will start soon," Gaikwad said. The work had been delayed for several months with Mumbai Metro One, the firm given the construction contract, crossing swords with the MMRDA.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Mumbai/Work_on_Metro_to_start_next_week/articleshow/2741554.cms

:banana:

Gaikwad is confident that the first corridor will be completed by the proposed deadline of December 2010. “It will end in scheduled time. You will be able to see the Metro Rail in December 2010,” he said.

Quote from the article from Express India.

SOme news paper are saying that the the first line will be completed in 2012. This Gaikwad guy is saying it will be completed by December 2010? Which one should we believe?
I would really doubt the 2010 deadline or boasting I would rather say. It's too impossible.

Yeah! it sounds impossible unless they don't have to acquire any private land for it! I guess they just wannu sound +ve which is good in a way. Blr Metro started last year and targets 2011 for first line to become operational.

I have few questions....which are related to new metro rail nw being planned. How are the planners considering the new metro routes with the present MMTS routes in Mumbai, Chennai and Hydeabad.? How the routes are aligned or goin to be aligned without clashing with the existing MMTS routes in all 3 cities....? or eventualy MMTS are gonna be phased out gradualy....? i posted this in general. hope i have some answers...

what is MMTS???

Is that some kind of expressway planned!

what is MMTS???

Is that some kind of expressway planned!

MMTS....it is existing urban metro.

Quote from the article from Express India.

SOme news paper are saying that the the first line will be completed in 2012. This Gaikwad guy is saying it will be completed by December 2010? Which one should we believe? I would really doubt the 2010 deadline or boasting I would rather say. It's too impossible.


IMHO 2010 end deadline is pretty realistic if there aren't any major delays . If they start civil work right now and end in 18 months as they said - then that should end ~Aug/Sept 2009. From there add 9-12 months for adding the signaling system, laying the tracks, getting the stations ready, testing the trains (trial runs) etc and we can hopefully expect the first train to roll out by December 2010.

I have few questions....which are related to new metro rail nw being planned. How are the planners considering the new metro routes with the present MMTS routes in Mumbai, Chennai and Hydeabad.? How the routes are aligned or goin to be aligned without clashing with the existing MMTS routes in all 3 cities....? or eventualy MMTS are gonna be phased out gradualy....? i posted this in general. hope i have some answers...

So far there isn't any plan to phase out the MMTS out in any of the cities you mentioned. Till there isn't a proper metro system in place, phasing the MMTS in Mumbai will be not be thought of. I don't know much about the MMT systems in Chennai and Hyderabad but I believe they won't clash with the metro routes there. Since Mumbai is basically vertical, Line 3 of the MM will run underground, mostly parallel to the WR Line. People living in places like Bandra, Worli, Dadar etc will have 2 options to head downtown by rail.

IMHO 2010 end deadline is pretty realistic if there aren't any major delays . If they start civil work right now and end in 18 months as they said - then that should end ~Aug/Sept 2009. From there add 9-12 months for adding the signaling system, laying the tracks, getting the stations ready, testing the trains (trial runs) etc and we can hopefully expect the first train to roll out by December 2010.



I am actually keeping my fingers crossed on this. I so much wish that 2010 deadline will come out for sure!