As the name suggests, this blog is about saving the suburbs of Mumbai from the disaster of the elevated metro routes. This blog aims at responding to the media, and demystifying the reality of the upcoming Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar(VAG) Metro and the other 8 routes too. We seek to bring you the real facts, figures and true stories. Here’s our answer to MMRDA, here’s our support towards Mumbai’s future.
Join in, log on to the dedicated website: http://www.saveoursuburbs.in/
MY PARA WISE COMMENTS TO TIMES OF INDIA PUBLICATION OF JANUARY 9, 2010 COUNTER POINT - UNDER TITAL URBAN ISSUES (APPOPRIATE TITAL WOULD BE SUBURBAN ISSUES)
1) It is obvious that MMRDA is not under public control, with so much power why they compare themselves to mouse? The way they say, MOUSE’s (MMRDA’s) existence has become painful (to public at large). Be it issue of cheese holes on the surface of roads OR of draining state finances through such holes OR of elevated metro jungle increasing density to crowded population - every where MOUSE has become painful. One would not know what will happen if MOUSE goes underground however it’s the right place where MOUSE should look forward to go (and can feel more safer about its existence).
2) Kolkata Metro & Delhi Metro rail projects are governed by which Act ? Aren’t they urban transport of their respective states? And isn’t Kolkata / Delhi metro a state subject of their respective state? They certainly do not work under Tramway Act and are functioning. Let MMRDA answer, without proper Act in place, without considering public views and opinion of learned people what was the matter of urgency that compelled the authority to proceed under Tramway Act, and stamp it as the matter of a state subject. The self centered thinking of working under tramway act it self shows narrow thinking of authority. It is like working on project without knowing difference between horse and donkey. Not listening to learned people and public at large is absolute autocracy.
3) The way MMRDS say, MMRDA knows that Mumbai is most densely populated city in the world. MMRDA further knows roads in Mumbai are narrow. They experienced the space crunch while widening the roads (read as roads are widened by reducing footpath or by eliminating footpath from roads) However they planned to increase density of city by building elevated metro rail. They do not want to see open spaces in the city so planned to eat up the open spaces available between world’s most densely population living along side of the roads of Mumbai city. This was not enough so they planned stations at height in the middle of the narrow roads to peep in houses alongside roads.
MMRDA knows they will come across many hurdles running the metro rail underground.
So why to take burden – Let elevated Metro be uncomfortable to people living alongside the route – or public at large and let there be more evils (many discussed hereunder) why bother? Why to think of better planning? One must read meaning of statement other way round that MMRDA thinks there will not be any hurdles for them running the elevated metro rail. This is mindset of city’s prime planning agency. What more public can expect from them.
It is foolish to think that Mumbai does not have any open spaces from where underground tunnel, digging work, construction work could be carried out or machinery required below surface level could be carried. Excuse is just out of prior decision of not providing underground metro rail to suburb areas and that is why always costs and viability factor prop up from their mind. Let me put it this way IF THERE IS WILL THERE IS WAY. Let MMRDA first express their willingness to go for underground metro there are people to show them the way.
If cost is prime concern MMRDA should immediately stop planning underground metro between Mahim-Colaba route and save rupees 400 crores per Km. (as per their estimate) totally running into several thousands crores. I do not understand why people are being taken for ride. Can you answer that only south Mumbai (city area) had open spaces and suburb do not have any. Let’s question MMRDA vast spaces were and are available in Bandra- Kurla area. Metro is being planned since last several years and during such time why MMRDA sold such open spaces in Bandra-Kurla area. They could have used it for underground metro. The attitude is very clear to make money from open land available in city and disturb open spaces of public amenity like roads, gardens, play grounds etc.
4. It is hard to digest that cost triples if metro is built underground. It is said in construction of elevated metro civil work attribute about 35% only. So while building underground metro only 35% cost will change and rest will remain same. Even if it is considered that underground metro will cost three times the question still arises why MMRDA is not thinking of better planning. They should plan better and provide only one third underground metro to Mumbai. Further expansion is always open for future.
Further while building elevated metro rail MMRDA will have to incur innumerable infrastructure cost for relocating and relaying of utilities, MMRDA will have to incur primary resettlement and rehabilitation and land acquisition cost. Such cost would get reduced if metro is built underground. On elevated route metro will consume more fuel and the day to day operating cost of fuel will be higher on elevated route than underground. Have MMRDA considered all such costs in total cost of elevated metro? Have MMRDA considered additional cost that society or people or city at large will have to bear? People resettling or rehabilitating will have to face additional cost on account of social adjustments, educational adjustment, business adjustment etc. Will MMRDA pay such cost? MMRDA’S plan of building structures in middle of road at distance of less than a kilometer and thus narrowing existing narrow roads will bring traffic congestion on roads or there will be slower movement of vehicles thus people traveling by cars, autos, taxi will have to shell out more money on account of higher fuel consumption. And this will bring additional burden on commuters and citizen of nation at large because India is not self sufficient for the needs of her fuel consumption and has to import the same. The higher fuel consumption will result in higher outgo of foreign exchange which will increase the deficit and thus add to the burden on future generation of this country. MMRDA will not pay such additional cost to public and also such cost will not reflect in total cost of elevated metro.
The master plan of about 147 Km. of metro rail network in Mumbai city-as per MMRDA cost calculation of Rs.200 crore per km. for elevated metro rail should cost less than 30 thousand crores. Things are still at planning level, MMRDA should explain how the cost of nine elevated metro corridor will cost about 50 thousand crores.
MMRDA said metro rail project has become viable only because of cost factors, which encourage public-private partnerdhip. World over project with wider cost factor are taking place. MMRDA should answer why underground metro rail cannot have public-private partnership. Isn’t it that MMRDA – state government main concern is private partner of their choice? On one side MMRDA cries cost factor on the other hand they announce underground metro between Mahim and Colaba. They should build elevated metro between Mahim-Colaba, save money and then talk about elevated metro rail in other areas.
5) Presume yourself as a commuter and you use local train or bus as medium of transport. Once you get down to train station / bus stop if your destination is not at walking distance you are likely to take auto or taxi to reach to your destination. Its not that you will get down at station / stop and walk a kilometer to catch metro climb couple storey’s and get into metro. Again get down at metro station climb down the same way and again walk same way up to your destination. This will also apply if you start using different metro corridors for your continuous journey in city. If metro are built underground interconnectivity could be established between different metro corridors / lines making more sense to use it as public transport. The end result would be one may not see any relief to so called ”intolerably crowded local trains” and the autos and taxis on road will remain in demand and with elevated metro structures coming up in the middle of road at distance of every K.M. there would be further traffic congestion and slower traffic movement costing more time and money to travelers by cars thus the city roads will also become intolerably crowded local roads and which may compel the car users to park their cars in garage and use metro.
MMRDA says urban transport is a state subject so I do not understand their statement “almost making a case of the last biscuit in a dish and no one is ready to pick it up. The state government decided to walk on the path forward” If not state govt. who else will? METROS world around are non profitable long term ventures and so a state subject. One also should think that the subject matter gets different views and different treatment in other parts of world. Or should we interpret the statement as here in Mumbai all the biscuit except last are already picked up by state and the last biscuit ( of gold) they saw could be sold ( PPP module) and make huge money out of it and so decided to walk on path forward and picked up the last biscuit.
MY PARA WISE COMMENTS TO TIMES OF INDIA PUBLICATION OF JANUARY 9, 2010
ReplyDeleteCOUNTER POINT - UNDER TITAL URBAN ISSUES
(APPOPRIATE TITAL WOULD BE SUBURBAN ISSUES)
1) It is obvious that MMRDA is not under public control, with so much power why they compare themselves to mouse? The way they say, MOUSE’s (MMRDA’s) existence has become painful (to public at large). Be it issue of cheese holes on the surface of roads OR of draining state finances through such holes OR of elevated metro jungle increasing density to crowded population - every where MOUSE has become painful. One would not know what will happen if MOUSE goes underground however it’s the right place where MOUSE should look forward to go (and can feel more safer about its existence).
2) Kolkata Metro & Delhi Metro rail projects are governed by which Act ? Aren’t they urban transport of their respective states? And isn’t Kolkata / Delhi metro a state subject of their respective state? They certainly do not work under Tramway Act and are functioning. Let MMRDA answer, without proper Act in place, without considering public views and opinion of learned people what was the matter of urgency that compelled the authority to proceed under Tramway Act, and stamp it as the matter of a state subject. The self centered thinking of working under tramway act it self shows narrow thinking of authority. It is like working on project without knowing difference between horse and donkey. Not listening to learned people and public at large is absolute autocracy.
3) The way MMRDS say, MMRDA knows that Mumbai is most densely populated city in the world. MMRDA further knows roads in Mumbai are narrow. They experienced the space crunch while widening the roads (read as roads are widened by reducing footpath or by eliminating footpath from roads) However they planned to increase density of city by building elevated metro rail. They do not want to see open spaces in the city so planned to eat up the open spaces available between world’s most densely population living along side of the roads of Mumbai city. This was not enough so they planned stations at height in the middle of the narrow roads to peep in houses alongside roads.
MMRDA knows they will come across many hurdles running the metro rail underground.
So why to take burden – Let elevated Metro be uncomfortable to people living alongside the route – or public at large and let there be more evils (many discussed hereunder) why bother? Why to think of better planning? One must read meaning of statement other way round that MMRDA thinks there will not be any hurdles for them running the elevated metro rail. This is mindset of city’s prime planning agency. What more public can expect from them.
It is foolish to think that Mumbai does not have any open spaces from where underground tunnel, digging work, construction work could be carried out or machinery required below surface level could be carried. Excuse is just out of prior decision of not providing underground metro rail to suburb areas and that is why always costs and viability factor prop up from their mind. Let me put it this way IF THERE IS WILL THERE IS WAY. Let MMRDA first express their willingness to go for underground metro there are people to show them the way.
If cost is prime concern MMRDA should immediately stop planning underground metro between Mahim-Colaba route and save rupees 400 crores per Km. (as per their estimate) totally running into several thousands crores. I do not understand why people are being taken for ride. Can you answer that only south Mumbai (city area) had open spaces and suburb do not have any. Let’s question MMRDA vast spaces were and are available in Bandra- Kurla area. Metro is being planned since last several years and during such time why MMRDA sold such open spaces in Bandra-Kurla area. They could have used it for underground metro. The attitude is very clear to make money from open land available in city and disturb open spaces of public amenity like roads, gardens, play grounds etc.
4. It is hard to digest that cost triples if metro is built underground. It is said in construction of elevated metro civil work attribute about 35% only. So while building underground metro only 35% cost will change and rest will remain same. Even if it is considered that underground metro will cost three times the question still arises why MMRDA is not thinking of better planning. They should plan better and provide only one third underground metro to Mumbai. Further expansion is always open for future.
ReplyDeleteFurther while building elevated metro rail MMRDA will have to incur innumerable infrastructure cost for relocating and relaying of utilities, MMRDA will have to incur primary resettlement and rehabilitation and land acquisition cost. Such cost would get reduced if metro is built underground. On elevated route metro will consume more fuel and the day to day operating cost of fuel will be higher on elevated route than underground. Have MMRDA considered all such costs in total cost of elevated metro? Have MMRDA considered additional cost that society or people or city at large will have to bear? People resettling or rehabilitating will have to face additional cost on account of social adjustments, educational adjustment, business adjustment etc. Will MMRDA pay such cost? MMRDA’S plan of building structures in middle of road at distance of less than a kilometer and thus narrowing existing narrow roads will bring traffic congestion on roads or there will be slower movement of vehicles thus people traveling by cars, autos, taxi will have to shell out more money on account of higher fuel consumption. And this will bring additional burden on commuters and citizen of nation at large because India is not self sufficient for the needs of her fuel consumption and has to import the same. The higher fuel consumption will result in higher outgo of foreign exchange which will increase the deficit and thus add to the burden on future generation of this country. MMRDA will not pay such additional cost to public and also such cost will not reflect in total cost of elevated metro.
The master plan of about 147 Km. of metro rail network in Mumbai city-as per MMRDA cost calculation of Rs.200 crore per km. for elevated metro rail should cost less than 30 thousand crores. Things are still at planning level, MMRDA should explain how the cost of nine elevated metro corridor will cost about 50 thousand crores.
MMRDA said metro rail project has become viable only because of cost factors, which encourage public-private partnerdhip. World over project with wider cost factor are taking place. MMRDA should answer why underground metro rail cannot have public-private partnership. Isn’t it that MMRDA – state government main concern is private partner of their choice? On one side MMRDA cries cost factor on the other hand they announce underground metro between Mahim and Colaba. They should build elevated metro between Mahim-Colaba, save money and then talk about elevated metro rail in other areas.
5) Presume yourself as a commuter and you use local train or bus as medium of transport. Once you get down to train station / bus stop if your destination is not at walking distance you are likely to take auto or taxi to reach to your destination. Its not that you will get down at station / stop and walk a kilometer to catch metro climb couple storey’s and get into metro. Again get down at metro station climb down the same way and again walk same way up to your destination. This will also apply if you start using different metro corridors for your continuous journey in city. If metro are built underground interconnectivity could be established between different metro corridors / lines making more sense to use it as public transport. The end result would be one may not see any relief to so called ”intolerably crowded local trains” and the autos and taxis on road will remain in demand and with elevated metro structures coming up in the middle of road at distance of every K.M. there would be further traffic congestion and slower traffic movement costing more time and money to travelers by cars thus the city roads will also become intolerably crowded local roads and which may compel the car users to park their cars in garage and use metro.
ReplyDeleteMMRDA says urban transport is a state subject so I do not understand their statement “almost making a case of the last biscuit in a dish and no one is ready to pick it up. The state government decided to walk on the path forward” If not state govt. who else will? METROS world around are non profitable long term ventures and so a state subject. One also should think that the subject matter gets different views and different treatment in other parts of world. Or should we interpret the statement as here in Mumbai all the biscuit except last are already picked up by state and the last biscuit ( of gold) they saw could be sold ( PPP module) and make huge money out of it and so decided to walk on path forward and picked up the last biscuit.
Comments on para 6, 7,8,9 will continue.