Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Facts on the new completion date of “Aug 2011” for the VAG route
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The Facts on the new completion date of “Aug 2011” for the VAG route
- Of the 12 stations only 3 have reached slab level
- Of the 450 pillars for the track only 247 are ready today
- No clarity on the design yet, on the bridge over the railway
- Over 3KMS of the VAG route, MMRDA- Reliance have no access too yet
- Of the stations that have reached the slab level, the fire dept have refused an NOC…
There is no way this quantum of work can be completed in the next 11 months.
Is this another common wealth like situation? this is not about Juhu or pushing for the underground but a reality check!!
Kind regards
Sherley J Singh
Friday, September 24, 2010
Jagdeep DESAI Reply: Higher FSI to redevelop metro area, says MMRDA
Hello all,
One more classic bit of nonsense by MMRDA is in The Times of India, 2010 SEP 24, credited to an unnamed official in MMRDA
"Our idea is to allow redevelopment on the lines of cities abroad. It will pave the way for residential areas so that people do not have to commute long distances to work,'' said an MMRDA official.
First of all which cities abroad has this, is the question.
Next, if MMRDA is in the business of redevelopment of residential areas, with the noble objective of reducing the commuting distance, then why make life hell for existing residents, citizens, by disrupting and ruining their daily lives for five and more years while the endless work on over head metro goes on and on, and on and on, and on and on.
Let MMRDA simply offer 4 FAR / FSI straightaway to all of the suburbs, with the condition to residents and business establishments, no commuting long distances, stay and work in the specified area, so no commuting long distances.
Just to make sure, no commuting long distances.
The other classic scenario that is going to happen is the rehabilitation and relocation of the projects affected persons from the Charkop car shed area to Mankhurd, the other end of the Charkop Mankhurd line.
Those people, disrupred from their homes, will be using the metro, as and when complete, to go up and down to their place of work and stay, kilometres and kilometres away.
Meaning, till the metro car shed came up, they were staying and working in Charkop area, after that, they are forcibly shifted to Mankhurd, but will have to do the long commute back to Charkop.
So the metro will be made specially for them.
What say MMRDA.
Instead of decongesting, with 4 FAR / FSI, MMRDA is recongesting.
No wonder the wish to remain unnamed.
Jagdeep DESAI
Architect
Secretary
Founder Trustee
Forum for Improving Quality of Life in Mumbai Suburbs
Nitin Killawala Reply : ‘Metro, monorail in Mumbai will boost real estate’
Media Report: DNA - 24h Sept, 2010
Reply to Media
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Once again MMRDA’s Media hype. It should be every Mumbaikars’ concern that a responsible planning authority is turning into mediocre Real Estate Agent.
Prices of property cannot increase when the metrorail is elevated. It may be true if the same Metro goes Underground, because an additional transport system is created and other mode of Public Transport will have opportunity to improve.
If that is the logic, then why there is a huge difference in value of properties between Santacruz Station and Linking Road, Bandra Station and Hill Road, Dadar station and Shivaji Park or Grant Road and Peddar Road ? (Metro is like a toilet, in the house, it’s a necessity but no one wants to expose it!)
MMRDA’s statement “Mumbai Transformation Support Unit has come up with a suggestion to give higher FSI around the area of the upcoming Metro Station”. This is the most dangerous statement by our planning Authority.
Just imagine, increase in FSI around all our suburban stations. (In fact that was one of the reason to resist using TDR on both sides of Railway tracks).
Elevated Metro Stations are worse than the existing Railway Stations because they are forcibly built in the middle of our roads with no open space. Here all properties are over developed along the alignment. Showing such fraudulent hope of increase in FSI is like putting fuel in the fire.
MMRDA is systematically playing with the sentiments of innocent citizens in the name of the development. The hidden truth is they are all set to destroy and sale our city.
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Nitin Killawala.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
My Mumbai City: Protest Rally against the Mumbai Metro
http://mymumbaicity.com/index.php/2010/09/21/protest-rally-against-the-mumbai-metro/
Mumbai has been trying its level best to offer the city with the best of efforts to make it the all new Shanghai, however with rallies and protests marching on against the development of the new Mumbai Metro project, there is a lot to worry about. Residents of the Juhu and Bandra locality have been protesting their hearts out against the new Mumbai Metro Rail Project which is fast becoming one of the most challenging aspects for officials to handle. Titled as a ‘Peace Rally’, residents have been protesting against the new Mumbai Metro rail section which is said to spread from Andheri to Bandra. The proposed layout states the Metro to be overhead, however with voices crying to make the system an underground operation, it is done with the intention of saving homes and commercial houses being saved from being demolished.
The protest that started off at Linking Road, Bandra carried on to the Juhu Garden where slum dewellers walked along with Pali Hill residents to be a part of the same brigade. Corporator, Ashish Shelar was one of the many recognizable faces that also lent a helping hand. BJP Leader Gopinath Munde too has proven to be quite supportive and news has spread around claiming him to take up the matter at Parliament. Till date, citizens have vowed to keep building pressure on the Mumbai Metro authorities and the government till their demands are met or taken up with prime notice. A core committee is also been said to have been formed so as to listen to the plight of those that will suffer if the Mumbai Metro was to be build overhead.
Andheri – Versova- Ghatkopar Route under construction
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Awaiting metro rail bridge over Andheri fly over. Two monstrous columns going above 80 feet are under construction to support this bridge is under construction for last ten months
Andheri – Versova- Ghatkopar Route under construction snaps prove that the project cannot be completed before 2018
Andheri – Versova- Ghatkopar Route under construction
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The work has not even commenced in almost 3km of stretch (Out of total 11.02km) till date
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Western Express Highway Station:
· Half the width of Western Express Highway station under const.
· Columns for via ducts in the middle of arterial roads
· Out of 457 columns for via ducts, only 279 columns have come up above ground level and about 2.4 km length of via duct out of 11.02km is installed over these columns till date
Andheri –Versova- Ghatkopar Route under construction
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A massive Hillock being cut to ground level between Asalpha station and Ghatkopar station
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Andheri –Versova- Ghatkopar Route under construction
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Ghatkopar Station:
There are 12 stations on CBM route (and in high rise category) only 3 stations are visible above road level
A massive station embedded in-between existing structures with virtually no open space in the middle of narrow road, where NOC from fire brigade has been rejected for probable danger to human lives and property
Nitin Killawala Reply: COST OF METRO RAIL
Media Report: Times of India, DNA& HT - 18th Sept, 2010
COST OF METRO RAIL
Reply to Media
There is no denying that the Metro Rail Projects are the most expensive mode of transport infrastructure, whether Elevated or Underground, in any part of the world. We are not questioning the validity of the project at this stage but accepting the construction of Metro Rail in Mumbai.
However, Metro Rail Projects are not profit making ventures. Such projects from cost point of view are a fate accompli. When you fight a war, is there any financial parameters to invade or defend an enemy ? Or in a natural calamity there cannot be cost as a focal point to restore the normalcy. What is important is appropriation of funds and finance resources. MMRDA has neither accountability nor any serious concerns about the budget or the cost.
Mr. Ratnakar Gaikwad as reported in the media today, 32 kms. of Elevated Metro for CBM route should cost Rs. 6,400 crores (@ Rs. 200 crores per km.) whereas Underground Metro according to him is three times costlier i.e. around Rs. 20,000 crores. Reliance Infra has already committed to spend Rs. 11,000 crores for the same route while signing of the contract in August 2009.
As reported, the additional cost of Rs. 56000 cores as published in the media today is misleading. For whatever reasons if the cost is three times then government should construct 30% of underground metro which can be expanded gradually.
Metro is not like buying a 1BKH apartment, because you cannot afford 2BHK apartment. Metro Rails are designed for atleast a 100 years with the best technologies and integrated with other mode of transport.
Public transport is the State’s responsibility to provide quick and comfortable mobility to citizens. The cost of investment is not for profiteering but for the cost benefit of several generations.
Moreover, Mr. Gaikwad states that he doesn’t find space for switch-over ramps (about ½ km. stretch at either ends) for Underground Metro which we as citizens do not accept. But the government has access of destroying over 100 km. of our developed roads and disrupt the entire city, which is irreversible.
Therefore the only option is Underground Metro Rail.
Nitin Killawala : Architect
Nitin Killawala Reply - METROLINE – 1st TO COMMENCE FROM AUGUST 2011
Media Report: DNA -21st Sept, 2010
METROLINE – 1st TO COMMENCE FROM AUGUST 2011
Reply to Media
As expected the December 2010 deadline is now officially pushed to August 2011.
It is an irony that the government officials get away with such misleading statements with the support of the media, only to get sympathy from innocent citizens. There is no provision in the system to penalize these bureaucrats for deliberate under-estimation of time and costs.
Mrs. Ashwini Bhide (Jt. Metropolitan Commissioner) as reported in today’s DNA and other dailies that “trials would begin by March 2011 and actual operations by August next year”. Although she further claims that “the complicated bridge over Andheri Rail Station will take alteast another eight months” which means not before May 2011 ! It needs only common sense that project can’t be on track even with the extended time.
She also claims “stations such as Ghatkopar, Asalpha, WEH and Andheri are more or less on schedule” which is once again deliberate misinformation. In any case there is no visible sign of remaining eight stations –
1. Versova
2. D.N. Nagar
3. Azad Nagar
4. Chakala
5. Airport Road
6. Marol Naka
7. Sakinaka and
8. Subhash Nagar
The concern for us is not just false hopes which Media generates but the government is all set to pay thousands of crores of rupees of our money by way of damages to the Concessionaire for these types of known delays. And dumping us in lurch, forever.
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Nitin Killawala : Architect
Viren Shah: what about thousands of crores used for Common Wealth Games?is that financial viable for our country?if CWG is viable then why not underground Metro Lines?
To The,
Honorable Chief Minster
Maharashtra.
Respected Sir,
Our federation supports to protest against elevated route of the Mumbais Metros second line.As we all know that Metro is good for commuters and it will also ease the traffic problems of our city but not at the cost of inconvenience to thousands of residence and commercial unit getting affected throughout their life time.
We strongly condemn MMRDA s decision of going for elevated Metro whereas it can go underground as per expert opinion by which noise pollution and traffic will also be reduced considerably rather then elevated route.Just because its not financially viable?what about thousands of crores used for Common Wealth Games?is that financial viable for our country?if CWG is viable then why not underground Metro Lines?
After all it is for the mumbaikars welfare only.
Why to make thousands of life miserable just for financial viable?Difficult to digest such anti public move by the MMRDA Commissioner.Sooner the MMRDA change its stand better for Mumbais infrastructures which is already under severe pressure due to rampant construction activities going on in Mumbai city.
MMRDA s skywalk project is also total failure and waste of public fund and by making city road more congested.Skywalks are not also used by most of the commuters due to no elevators or escalators facilities in any of skywalk and now its occupied by beggars,anti social element and encroachers during monsoon for their shelter.There is no securities also provided on skywalk for commuters safety.Skywalk was not required if hawkers were remove from footpath all over mumbai railway stations.
How MMRDA expects old and senior citizens to climb up and down 2 floors of skywalk?is that viable for them?crores of rupees of public funds have been wasted instead it should have been used to make railway staircases into escalators/lifts which would have benefited lakhs of handicapped/senior citizens tremendously.
Mr Ratnakar Gaikward is not fit to hold such an important post and he is not even public friendly neither he listens to the problems of affected people nor he understand or comes out with a practical solutions for our mumbai city.
Mumbai city needs more people friendly and practical commissioner who understands problems of our city and its infrastructure development without putting mumbaikar into hardship for life time.
our members also had to suffer due to unnecessary skywalks all over city and now due elevated metros in suburb.
We request your good-self to re look at the proposal of of Elevated Metro line and make into underground Metro.
for Federation Of Retail Traders Welfare Association
viren shah
President
Nitin Killawala Reply - Altered Metro Routes will reduce project costs - DNA
Media Report
“Altered Metro Routes will reduce project costs” – HT dtd. 15th September 2010
“MMRDA hopeful of more central funds for Mumbai Metro” – DNA 15th September 2010
Reply to Media
MMRDA and media always knew that Metro projects are highly capital intensive. That is one of the reasons to implement such infrastructure projects where maximum finance jugglery is possible yet unnoticeable.
Eliminating a miniscule 3.5 kms. route from about 150 kms. route is nothing more than the cosmetic changes which is part and parcel of any such infrastructure projects.
Nowhere in the world Metro projects are profitable – it is a state’s responsibility to provide safe and comfortable mobility to commuters. Even in Delhi and Kolkata, metro projects are hugely subsidized by respective state governments.
For some strange reasons Metros in Mumbai is therefore proposed on PPP model.
Our concern is this model is deliberate attempt for bankruptcy and we shall have to pay very heavy price for several generations.
Therefore we have to be careful that the basic interest of cost effective public transport shall not remain unrealized or compromised.
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