Kochi Metro Rail requires additional land

Image source: KOMET

Kochi Metro Rail requires a total of 40.409 ha, including parking space for the proposed metro rail project in Kochi, Kerala. The stations of Kalamassery, Edappally and Kaloor other than two terminal stations, namely Aluva and Petta (Thripunithura) stations will get the additional land.  The total land required for all the 22 stations is 9.3941 ha, including minimum parking in 21 stations. For the additional parking 2.7869 ha will be used. The depot at Muttom meant for maintenance and repairing of rolling stock requires 23.605 ha.

DFCCIL has signed a loan agreement with JICA for its western corridor

Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCIL) has signed a loan agreement with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for its western corridor. The pact was signed for the project appraisal for the two routes comprising Vadodara to Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) and Rewari to Dadri in the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor. The proposed funding is under Special Terms of Economic Participation (STEP) between Japan and India. The value of the proposed loan is JPY 295 billion (approx Rs.20,000 crore), which is a soft loan with the repayment period of 40 years. The Western DFC of 1,499 km will be from JNPT in Mumbai to Tughlakbad and Dadri near Delhi and cater to the container transport requirement between the existing and emerging ports in western India and northern hinterland. As far as land acquisition for the Western DFC is concerned, out of total 3,608 ha required in Phase I, 3,186 ha has been acquired. For the Phase II, out of total 2,252 ha required, 1,041 ha have been acquired. Remaining land is expected to be acquired during the current financial year FY13. The Japan Government will offer loan for the Phase II of Dedicated Freight Corridor and an infrastructure project in South India.

The Indian Railways will now take control of the East-West Metro Corridor project in Kolkata. The Railways will own 74 per cent stake in the project, while the Urban Development Ministry will hold the remaining 26 per cent. With this, the West Bengal Government will exit the project. The proposal of initiating the share transfer from the state government to the Railways has already been approved by the Cabinet. Earlier, the corporation was equally owned by the Urban Development Ministry and state government. The Rs.4,874-crore project is already running one year behind its completion schedule of 2014-15. The metro corridor will connect the IT city Salt Lake with the western fringes. Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC), a JV company formed by the Urban Development Ministry and West Bengal Government, was in charge of executing the project. This apart, Indian Railways is all set to begin work on the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) project connecting Punjab with West Bengal and UP with Maharashtra. The Rs.80,000-crore Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) project will come into two phases. In Phase I, DFCCIL will be constructing two corridors — the Western DFC and Eastern DFC — spanning a total length of about 3,300 km. The Eastern Corridor, starting from Ludhiana in Punjab, will pass through the states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and terminate at Dankuni in West Bengal. The Western Corridor will traverse the distance from Dadri to Mumbai, passing through the states of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra. Around 80 per cent of the land required for the project has been acquired. Soon, tenders for laying of the first 1,000 km of tracks (worth around Rs. 10,000 crore) of the 3,300 km project would be awarded in FY13. The deadline for the project is 2016-17.

Rail Board seeks developer for Elevated Rail Corridor in Mumbai

Image Source: mumbaimetro.com

During August 2012, a total 2,613 project tenders worth Rs. 42,212 crore were floated. Among the floated tenders, 1,999 tenders worth Rs. 10,187 crore were by various State Government entities, 591 tenders worth Rs. 32,002 crore by the Central Government and balance 23 tenders were by private companies.

Image Source: BusinessLine

The most notable tender was issued by Ministry of Railway (Railway Board for development of elevated rail corridor. On 08 August 2012, the board invited RFQs for development of 63 km long, mostly elevated (partially underground/at grade) rail corridor between Oval Maidan-Churchgate-Virar of Western Railway in Mumbai Area. The project will be implemented through PPP on DBFOT basis. The cost of this project is estimated at Rs. 21,000 crore.

Railways projects developments

The Central Government has given in-principle approval for preparing the DPR to introduce metro rail services in Bhopal and Indore in Madhya Pradesh.

The DPR is likely to be ready by May 2013. The Centre and the state will bear its cost in the ratio of 50:50. The Urban Administration and Development Department of the state will float a tender to select a company for preparing the DPR for the two cities. The length of the metro rail track in Bhopal is 28.5 km and for Indore it will be about 33 km. The Bhopal metro rail project is estimated to cost Rs. 6,000 crore while Indore project will cost about Rs. 7,500 crore. The feasibility survey for the two projects was done by DMRC.

The Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) may extend financial assistance upto Rs. 700 crore for the construction of the Kochi Metro project in Kerala. Currently, HUDCO is studying a proposal in this regards. The Kochi metro project is expected to cost over Rs. 5,000 crore and would have 22 metro stations. Earlier, HUDCO had provided Rs. 700 crore to Bangalore Metro and also accorded ‘in principle’ approval to the funding of Jaipur Metro. Also, it is looking at getting equity in the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor.

The Kerala Government has approved a proposal for setting up Kerala Monorail Corporation, a fully owned company under the government, to implement the monorail projects in Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram.

With this approval, the state Cabinet has taken the monorail projects out of the control of the Transport Department and handed it over to the Public Works Department (PWD). Thus, Kerala Monorail Corporation, a SPV, will implement the two monorail projects under the overall control of the PWD. The SPV to be headed by the Chief Minister will take up the monorail project in the capital once the DPR is submitted by the DMRC. Kerala Monorail Corporation’s first project will be the 14.5-km elevated rail-based mass rapid transit system (MRTS) from Kozhikode Medical College to Meenchantha in the city. The next in line will be the 41.8-km monorail project from Mangalapuram to Neyyattinkara in Thiruvananthapuram. The 22.2-km Phase I from Mangalapuram to Thampanoor is expected to cost Rs. 2,775 crore while the Phase II of 19.6 km from Thampanoor to Neyyattinkara will cost Rs. 2,324 crore.

The Maharashtra Government on 4 October 2012 accorded approval to the Rs. 900-crore Konkan railway project. The proposed project will connect to all the important ports in the state. While the state government will invest Rs. 450 crore, the remaining Rs. 450 crore will be allocated by the Central Government. The state government will rope in private companies associated with the port development authority to raise the equity to fund the project. The Central Government has begun the process of conducting survey to outline the details and feasibility of the project. This apart, Narayan Rane, State industries minister has sought Rs. 250 crore for a terminal in village Madure in Sawantwadi. Currently, land acquisition is underway and the project is expected to be completed by 2014. Also, in the pipeline is the Rs. 1,200 crore Kolhapur-Vaibhavwadi railway link project. However, details of the project are yet to be worked out.

CIL has decided to spend Rs 2,500 crore to set up a 300 km railway infrastructure in Chhattisgarh

Coal India (CIL) has initiated the process of setting up more washeries during the 12th Five-Year Plan Period. The company is planning to set up 20 washeries with a total capacity of 111.1 million tonne. Of the total, six washeries are of coking coal (19 million tonne) and 14 are of non-coking coal (92 million tonne). It has started finalising tender for four washeries of 22.5 million tonne. Currently, CIL operates 17 washeries with a total capacity of 39.4 million tonne. Out of these, 12 are coking coal with a capacity of 22.18 million tonne, while five are non-coking washeries with a capacity of 17.22 million tonne. Also, CIL may spend additional Rs. 14,500 crore as part of capex during the 12th Five Year Plan period. CIL has decided to spend Rs. 2,500 crore to set up a 300 km railway infrastructure in Chhattisgarh. The rail line will help transportation of 120 million tonne of additional coal. The company is holding discussions with the Indian Railways and states to lay three new railways lines in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa to overcome evacuation problems.

Mumbai women seek help against Railway Romeos

Have you observed a growing number of women commuters covering themselves with scarves while traveling in suburban trains, it's not a fashion trend. But, only a tactic to protect themselves from peeping toms in adjoining compartments.

Nazima Sayed, vice-president of Rail Pravasi Sangh, stated that such incidents are rampant. "I know about this problem since long, and I have also heard such complaints and shared them with my fellow members. We have discussed this problem with the railway authorities, and will be writing to them in a couple of days asking them to solve the problem by putting a proper partition between the two coaches," said Sayed, adding that female passengers have at times telephoned her crying bitterly, saying they don't have an alternative but to take the local train, and can't avoid travelling at night.

Courtesy: NDTV

Increase of fast locals & introduction of 15-dabba rakes on Central Railway from 15th of October

image source: TOI(m) epaper

From mid of the October, Central Railway's of Mumbai suburban will increase the fast local train from 206 to 233, and also it is going to introduce 15 car services.

The some of the coaches are reserved for first class gents, first class ladies, second class ladies & also for disable commuters.

The central railways plans to run this services between CST-Kalyan, CST-Thane, Dadar-Thane, including two new services from Thane to Badlapur and Ambarnath and Kurla to Titwala,  on the fast corridor  which will halt at Byculla, Dadar, Kurla, Ghatkopar, Bhandup, Thane, Dombivili and Kalyan, iaccording to the provided stoppage.