“METRO IN 2011 FAR FETCHED” - Lets start a Public debate on what should be the punishment to all those in authorities for deliberately misleading the public trust and giving false hopes all the time in the guise of “Public Interest”

METRO LINE – 1 – VERSOVA – ANDHERI – GHATKOPAR  ROUTE    RESPONSE ON TODAY’S (6TH DECEMBER 2010) ARTICLE IN DNA “METRO IN 2011 FARFETCHED”    Skywalks abandoned by MMRDA after destroying streets of suburban Mumbai.  Yet no question asked. Very soon we may see similar fate of Metro Rail after crippling our lives on the arterial roads of our city. We have all forgotten December 2010 deadline for Metro – 1 without questioning MMRDA or MMOPL ? Soon we shall forget June 2011 deadline and may be forced to accept monstrous and horrendous structures as antiques, in the middle of roads, for rest of our lives. Now it is proved that the authorities who have 26% stake in the project, has been misappropriating exchequer’s funds in the name of “Public interest”.  The ongoing work as per the report in DNA, it can be easily concluded that the actual Civil Work done till date on this project cannot be more than 15%. The time and money spend on this Elevated Metro routes is going to surpass that of Underground Metro, if ever it sees the light of the day.  Remember, any Rail based transport project are designed for at least a 100 years which should benefit even our great grand children.   British regime constructed Railways in Bombay before our grandparents were born! Therefore it is inevitable to construct underground Metro in dense, congested and over developed city like our Suburbs. Cost and time are secondary for such vital Projects.  In the mean time let there be public debate about what should be the punishment to all those in authorities for deliberately misleading the public trust and giving false hopes all the time in the guise of “Public Interest”? NITIN KILLAWALA: ARCHITECT ________________________________________________________________________ Article Link http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_metro-in-2011-far-fetched-but-mmrda-says-all-is-well_1477213 _________________________________________________________________________________

Metro in 2011 far-fetched, but MMRDA says all is well Published: Monday, Dec 6, 2010, 2:22 IST By Ninad Siddhaye | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA

Will Mumbai see its first metro in 2011? The official answer to this question remains “Yes. Either by June or October 2011.” However, reality seems to be quite different. DNA has copies of the past three months’ progress reports of the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar (VAG) corridor that suggest that a huge amount of work still needs to be carried out by the Mumbai Metro One Pvt ltd (MMOPL) and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). One of the basic constraints remains the Right Of Way (RoW) where the clear road is to be provided by MMRDA to MMOPL for constructing the metro route. Until October 2010, MMRDA was still to provide 770 m of RoW to the MMOPL for carrying out metro-related work. This physical handover includes area in Old Nagardas road to Teli Gulli, portions of Cardinal Gracious road, Mahakali Caves road, Weight Bridge and Glass Traders area, Asalfa Station (Subhash Nagar) area, area near start of Asalfa station and a Shiv Sena shakha close to it. This RoW was one km in August and September. Reports of August, September and October submitted by MMOPL (A special project vehicle between Reliance Infrastructure and Veolia Transport-France in which MMRDA has 26% stake) to MMRDA indicate that claims made by the state and Reliance are nothing but an eyewash. The reports, copies of which are with DNA, show that till October 2010, of the total 766 U girders (A U shaped cement construction on top of the pier of the elevated metro) of the 11-km odd route, casting of only 267 has been completed, while only 182 have been erected so far. Even when the construction is on in full swing, one can only launch 40 to 50 girders per month, clearly showing that the civil work is at a snail’s pace contrary to claims made by MMOPL as well as MMRDA. When asked about the progress report indicating delays, MMRDA spokesperson Dilip Kawathkar said that the authority was committed on completing the first metro within the year 2011. If the slow pace of erecting of the U girders is one concern, the Andheri rail over-bridge is yet another area. Though officials have been claiming that the Western Railway (WR) has, in principle, cleared the construction of the approximately 180-m bridge, there is no clarity over the period needed in which the WR will give a ‘power block’ for construction. According to sources in the authority, as many as 70 power blocks are needed for the construction of the bridge. However, with the WR officials not being able to give the clearance in time, the construction is bound to go beyond October 2011, as the construction period for the bridge is at least 10 months.

'Will Take Clearances for metro Corridor 2' - DNA: 3rd Dec, 2010

DNA -  3rd Dec, 2010 

http://epaper.dnaindia.com/epapermain.aspx?queryed=9&querypage=4&boxid=30695456&parentid=130077&eddate=12/03/10

HC Stays Plan for Shops on Metro II - Times of India, 3rd Dec, 2010

Times of India - 3rd Dec, 2010

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDEwLzEyLzAzI0FyMDA5MDI=&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom

Versova -Andheri Station patch of Metro -I may start soon - DNA: 30th Nov, 2010

Plans to connect Mumbai, Navi Mumbai Metro Lines: Hindustan times: 30th Nov, 2010

Hindustan Times: 30th Nov, 2010 

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Plans-on-to-connect-Mumbai-Navi-Mumbai-Metro-lines/Article1-632507.aspx

MMRDA Plans to build "View Cutters' for Metro II - 30th Nov, 2010

Times of India - 30th Nov, 2010

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/MMRDA-plans-to-build-view-cutters-for-Metro-II/articleshow/7012014.cms

MMRDA Still to Clear Land for Andheri Metro: Asian Age 22nd Nov, 2010

Nitin Killawala's Reponse to ‘Metro I will be ready by 2011’: DNA 22nd Nov, 2010

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/interview_metro-i-will-be-ready-by-2011_1470067
DNA: 22nd Nov, 2010

_________________________________________________________________________________

At last we have similar views from the Concessionaire to join the bandwagon to complete the Metro-I project (now) by 2011 – only to mislead the exchequer:

1.     ON CRITICISM OF SLUGGISH RATE OF CONSTRUCTION :

Absolutely frivolous reasons for delayed work such as Ganeshostav, Navratri, Diwali & Eid such excuses are normally given by petty road side contractors. The Building Construction industry is immune with these realities. Erratic shortage of building material, labour, etc. are all manmade and temporary. In any case Real Estate Development within the Metro Yard at Versova is coming up at brisk speed.

Comparing with your own work upto 232% faster than previous years only shows pathetic accomplishment of works in previous years.

2.     ON FIRE SAFETY NORMS :

The CFO has clearly mentioned in their letter dated 8^th March 2010 that these Fire Codes are suitable to Western Countries and culture. Therefore may not be applicable to our city especially during evacuation under panic conditions and congested traffic jams on our roads.

As mentioned “we have special mechanism to help assist the fire brigade fight fire in adjacent building as well” – is as amusing. It’s like neighbours helping spontaneously Fire Brigade in recent fire at HDIL Building in Bandra.

The truth is these adjoining buildings next to Metro Stations have no access even for normal movement, leave aside Fire or any other emergencies.

3.     ON CIVIL WORK :

"Civil Work constitutes only 3% of Civil Work”: If it is genuinely 3% then the entire work carried out till date is just 0.15% of the project.

I hope it’s a printing error and should read 30% instead. Presuming (without admitting) entire via duct is complete with tracks, signaling and electrical/mechanical works, etc.

What about 12 Metro Stations?

Now it’s a public knowledge that 4 out of these 12 stations are even in “High rise category”. Cumulatively the Concessionaire needs to construct over 11 lacs sq.ft. at 12 locations in middle of busy roads. It’s a matter of shame that the Concessionaire is still counting pile cap works, as “progress” after 3 years of construction, and try to justify that the Metro will run in next six months!

To conclude now it is comprehensively proved that the Metro I is not likely to see the light of the day even after 2018 !

_______________________________________________________________________

Nitin Killawala
Save our Suburbs

‘Metro I will be ready by 2011’ : DNA 22nd Nov, 2010

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/interview_metro-i-will-be-ready-by-2011_1470067

Published: Monday, Nov 22, 2010, 3:51 IST 
By Ninad Siddhaye | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA 

_______________________________________________

It is probably for the first time that a top official working on the first metro corridor in the city, connecting Versova and Ghatkopar via Andheri (VAG), has spoken out against criticism levelled against the project. In an interview with DNA, Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd (MMOPL) director KP Maheshwari has said that the line will start running by 2011. Excerpts from the conversation:

Authorities have been at the receiving end of criticism regarding the sluggish rate at which work for the first line is going on. Some have said the corridor will not be complete before 2018. What is your response?

These allegations have very little base. I am confident that the first metro will be ready by the middle of next year. During the past 45 days or so, we have been able to mobilise huge resources to speed up work in spite of several hurdles. The monsoon has been erratic, and there have been festivals like Ganeshotsav, Navratri, Dussehra, Diwali and Eid one after the other. The market has also seen a huge shortage of sand and steel. Shortage of skilled and unskilled labour is an ongoing issue. Despite these constraints, we worked 232% faster in October than in the previous four months.

There have been allegations that authorities have not taken permissions from the fire brigade. Critics claim that the stations are designed in such a manner that fire engines will find it difficult to reach adjoining buildings in case of emergencies.

There is little truth in these allegations. First and foremost, the designs of the entire corridor have been finalised by the MMRDA [Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority] and not us. Though it’s a fact that the stations are right in the middle of the road, one must understand that this is the first railway project in the city after the British laid the suburban rail network over 150 years back. The significance of the metro cannot be overlooked. While constructing the stations, we have gone by the most stringent fire safety code — the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 130 — in the United States. Our fire safety works in three stages: prevention, detection and fire-fighting. Within the stations, we have special mechanisms to help assist the fire brigade fight fire in adjacent buildings as well.

What about the civil work? Even pillars have not been erected in some parts. What is the progress of the rail over-bridge (RoB), the most complicated part of the alignment?

Civil work is just 3% of the metro construction. By October, 87% of our viaduct works have been completed, while 69% of pile caps have been done. Sixty-three per cent of piers are also ready. In the station works, 83% piles have been done, while 81% columns are ready. Construction for our car depot in DN Nagar is on in full swing. The first metro train is already in town. The second is undergoing 85 to 100 tests in China. Our transformer installation work is also on. The civil work, depot construction and other works should be complete by June next year. Work for the Andheri RoB has also started, with the railways clearing the utility shifting part.

People often complain about the inconvenience caused by metro work.

I can only request them to bear with us. Look at New Delhi, where people suffered similar problems but their lives became easier once the metro was up and running. There is inconvenience, as the construction material and vehicles have to be stationed in the middle of important roads. Once the metro starts running, people will understand how vital it will be in changing their lives.

No escalators on skywalks: MMRDA - Hindustan Times, 16.11.2010

http://www.hindustantimes.com/No-escalators-on-skywalks-MMRDA/Article1-626862.aspx

HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times
Mumbai: , November 16, 2010

For those waiting to hop on the escalators at skywalks across the city, here’s some bad news. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has now realised that there is no space to install the escalators. “Escalators need a sizeable area and it is not possible to construct them
on these skywalks,” metropolitan commissioner, Ratnakar Gaikwad said.

For convenience of the commuters, the development authority had earlier planned to install the mechanised stairs on all skywalks through the advertising revenue that would be generated.

The MMRDA had made the claims while starting the skywalk project.

The escalators were supposed to have come up on the 36 skywalks that the authority was constructing at a cost of Rs 607.21 crore.

The MMRDA was hoping to get them built through private ad contractors who were to get advertising rights on the skywalks. However, its proposal to sell ad space on skywalks has met with failure with no response from advertising agencies.

The MMRDA now claims that the only skywalk with an escalator will be the Kandivli (East) skywalk.

The MMRDA’s skywalk proposal has faced flak from various quarters with people claiming that pedestrians don’t use the monolithic structures.

A recent study conducted by the Mumbai Transformation Support Unity said only 4,000 pedestrians use the Bandra (East) skywalk, which was the first one to be built in the city.

Nitin Killawala: Response to "No escalators for seniors on skywalks in Mumbai" DNA 17.11.2010

DNA 17th Nov, 2010
http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_no-escalators-for-seniors-on-skywalks-in-mumbai_1467823
_________________________________________________________________

NO MORE SKYWALKS :

It is the best news that our city will not be further raped with monstrous Skywalks.

However, MMRDA needs to spend over Rs. 600 crores to conclude that there is no space for
escalators, nor any more funds to flout for Skywalks.

The tragedy is that they have butchered priceless trees of over hundred years - and hundreds of
them – which are irretrievable.

One of the most mindless of infrastructure projects – The Skywalks are the small fraction of the
volume compared to the complexities to that of Elevated Metro Rail and Metro Stations. When
Skywalk does not find space for escalators how can a giant Metro Stations have so many ?

It’s a matter of time that MMRDA will raise their hands for the Metro Project.

Let there be public opinion and debate - how these bunch of insane bureaucrats and our
political representatives should be brought to public justice ?
-
Nitin Killawala

Save Our Suburbs

Jagdeep Desai: Response to "No escalators for seniors on skywalks in Mumbai" DNA

DNA 17th Nov, 2010
http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_no-escalators-for-seniors-on-skywalks-in-mumbai_1467823
_________________________________________________________________
Namaskar,

This is a criminal case.

The skywalk concept was bad in law in the first place.

<<<“As we were constructing the skywalks, we realised that at most places there was very little space for exit staircases. We did not have any other option but to cancel the plans to construct elevators since they will require more space,” said Gaikwad.>>>

I mean what is this crap.

What about the tonnes of sworn affidavits, corporators and representatives representations and  international consultants detailed project reports, actual physical site conditions before planning.

And this officer says they didn't know in advance there was no space.

Was any environment impact analysis ever done.

In value maybe less than Adarsh, CWG, Telecom, but in losing precious daily productive hours of lakhs of people, far greater.

The overhead metro will destroy the GDP of Mumbai even more.

Has anyone bothered to do a DPR on what is known as Post Occupancy Evaluation,  for such gross monuments of bureaucratic impositions.

MMRDA says no place for escalators, lifts. 

Some skywalks don't even have proper staircases.

The widths of the skywalks are around four metres, the staircases at either end of hundreds of metres length,  are one metre width, get on one end, say the railway station side, and you can't get off in between, till hundreds of metres away, Vile Parle West, Bandra West, and most other skywalks.

What utter disdain to the Development Control Regulations, which specify minimum widths of one and a half metres for public staircases, and that for fire escape purposes, they are supposed to be not more than thirty metres away from any point.

How then were these approved by the MCGM.

Has anyone seen skywalks at say, Ghatkopar East, the columns occupy the otherwise unencroached footpaths, so now, pedestrians can't walk on the foot path, the skywalk is hardly used, and the roads are full of people and vehicles, rendering the entire exercise totally meaningless.

On Ghatkopar West side, the skywalk supports occupy both foot paths, due to the A frame design, hawkers occupy the whatever available footpaths, and even one full road lane of MG Road.

Are we civilised.

How can MMRDA get away with butchering Mumbai's foot paths, roads, and daily lives.

Have MMRDA, MCGM officials beyond junior engineer level ever seen the ground reality.

For sheer idiocy, the skwalk project in Mumbai will take the cake, closely followed by the monorail and metro.

Monorail columns, taking just two rails,  in Chembur area are around two metre by two metre square about twenty metres apart.

Metro columns on Vaersova Andheri Ghatkopar route, taking wide viaducts,  are about two metre diametre, fifty or more metres apart.

Who will take the risk of travelling on this metro.

But back to the skywalk.

There has to be a CBI investigation into such dubious contracts, for example, costings of the skywalk per square metre, are even more than the sea link, etc., and the final utilisation is not even quarter of confidently predicted figures, like the sea link is also under utilised, only fifty per cent of projection.

______________________________________________________

Jagdeep DESAI

Architect

Secretary

Founder Trustee

Forum for Improving Quality of Life in Mumbai Suburbs

www.forum4iqolms.org

No escalators for seniors on skywalks in Mumbai - DNA - 17th Nov, 2010

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_no-escalators-for-seniors-on-skywalks-in-mumbai_1467823 Published: Wednesday, Nov 17, 2010, 4:29 IST  By Ninad Siddhaye | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA

There is bad news for millions of daily skywalk users, especially the senior citizens. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has said that it is not possible to construct escalators on 35 out of its 36 skywalks due to lack of space near their exits. Speaking about the skywalk project which originally included more than 50 skywalks to be constructed across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), metropolitan commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad assured that all the 36 skywalks will be thrown open for Mumbaikars by this year-end. He, however, accepted the fact that the authority was not in a position to construct escalators on most of the skywalks. “As we were constructing the skywalks, we realised that at most places there was very little space for exit staircases. We did not have any other option but to cancel the plans to construct elevators since they will require more space,” said Gaikwad. Only the Kandivli (East) skywalk connecting the railway station to the Western Express Highway will have escalators, added the commissioner. The decision has been criticised by SP Kinjawadekar, president of All India Senior Citizens’ Confederation. “Escalators would make life easier for senior citizens suffering from various age-related ailments such as joint pain and heart problems. We insist that the MMRDA keeps that in mind. And if not, we will agitate against the issue and demand that the skywalks have escalators,” said Kinjawadekar. As per the original plan, the metropolitan authority had planned to construct hundreds of shops on the walkways naming them “elevated shopping plaza”. The plan came crashing down when the shopkeepers’ association won a case against MMRDA preventing the authority from constructing a single shop on the walkways. The authority also had to cancel plans to construct skywalks in the South Mumbai region after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) heritage committee refused to give them a go-ahead. When the first skywalk at Bandra (East) was constructed, the authority invited tenders for construction of elevators, escalators and security of the skywalk from various advertising companies. The companies in return were to get advertising rights for the skywalks for a period of ten years. This plan too went horribly wrong for the authority since Reliance Big Advertising company, which bought the advertising and maintenance right at a whopping Rs13 crore, could not pay up the amount in time forcing MMRDA to cancel the tender. Gaikwad on Monday said that the authority was in the process of calling for tenders inviting bidders for advertising and maintenance of the two skywalks in Bandra (East and West).

Residents to approach state for underground Metro - Indian Express:10th Nov, 2010

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/residents-to-approach-state-for-underground-metro/709005/0

Express News Service

Posted: Wed Nov 10 2010, 06:06 hrs Mumbai:

The residents of Juhu, Khar and Bandra opposing the elevated Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd Metro corridor had a heated meeting with Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) commissioner and officials Tuesday afternoon, during which they urged the development body to contruct an underground Metro corridor instead of an elevated one.

Unable to find an immediate solution, both parties finally decided to approach the state government and demand underground corridors. The residents have teamed up to oppose the elevated Metro project being implemented by the MMRDA. Along with them, municipal councillor Khan Rahebar and BJP corporator Ashish Shelar also took part in the meeting.

President of Juhu Citizens Welfare Hansel D’Souza along with activists Darryl D’Monte, Shyama Kulkarni and Nitin Killawala gave a detailed presentation to metropolitan commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad and other MMRDA officials.

The residents claimed that the cost of the Mumbai Metro project is much higher than the cost of Metro projects being planned in other cities like Hyderbad, Chennai and

Bangalore. “... then why can’t we have an underground Metro corridor by investing a few extra bucks,” said D’Souza. Reiterating the MMRDA’s stand in the issue, Gaikwad said, “The authority has accepted that underground is best suitable for the city. To complete nine such corridors, the MMRDA will have to shell out a whopping Rs 56,000 crore extra.”

The activists and MMRDA officials got into heated arguments and counter-arguements after Gaikwad said while infrastructure projects were being built, citizens have to bear the inconvenience.

“The JJ flyover is a classic example of how citizens have suffered problems during the construction. However, if people start cribbing about their privacy being compromised owing to projects such as Metro, their pleas may remain unheard,” Gaikwad said. This is followed by a war words between the two parties again.

Following this, Shelar concluded the meeting by saying the only concern for the government and the authority to opt for underground corridors is the cost factor. He said, “Let us work together and approach the state government demanding underground corridors.”

Mumbai citizens approach govt for underground metro - DNA: 10th Nov, 2010

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_mumbai-citizens-approach-govt-for-underground-metro_1464532 By Ninad Siddhaye | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA

Citizen activists demanding an underground metro line between Charkop and Mankhurd had a heated first round of discussion with top officials of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) on Tuesday. After an intense argument, they decided to approach the state government with the MMRDA, and demand an underground metro instead of an elevated one. Activists from 21 different citizen organisations, who have formed a movement for an underground metro, on Tuesday met MMRDA metropolitan commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad and other top officials involved in the metro project. The activists — who had earlier protested against the elevated 32km line from Charkop to Mankhurd via Bandra — had a heated round of discussions with Gaikwad and his colleagues. Hansel D’Souza, president of the Juhu Citizens’ Welfare Group, said during his presentation, “The cost factor suggests that compared to cities like Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, Mumbai will be getting the metro at a very high cost. Why can’t we pay a little extra and have an underground metro instead.” During the discussion, Gaikwad said that even the MMRDA had accepted the fact that an underground metro will suit the city better. “However, it will come at an additional cost of Rs56,000 crore for the nine corridors,” said Gaikwad. He added that during the construction of infrastructure projects, citizens have to bear with some difficulties. “If people start cribbing about the loss of their privacy, their pleas may remain unheard,” said Gaikwad. Bandra (West) municipal councillor Khan Rahebar demanded in-situ rehabilitation for the slum-dwellers of Shastri Nagar and slaughter house, through which the metro will be passing, and Gaikwad assured him that the matter will be resolved separately after discussions.