Elevated rail corridor survey underway -Times of India

Elevated rail corridor survey underway

TNN Jan 4, 2014, 04.55AM IST

MUMBAI: Railway India Technical and Economic Services (RITES), a consultancy arm of the Indian Railways, is conducting a traffic survey for the Churchgate-Virar elevated rail corridor.

The Rs 25,000-crore project to be implemented on public private partnership model has been put on hold after the state government questioned its need. It argued that the Metro III project between Colaba and Seepz partially traverses on alignment similar to the elevated corridor.

After a meeting between the PM and chief minister Prithiviraj Chavan, it was decided that fresh traffic survey would be undertaken. Railway board chairman Arunendra Kumar said, "RITES is conducting as traffic survey." A WR official said, "The raw data establishes the feasibility but we want this to authenticated by RITES."

Kumar is in Mumbai to review the performance and projects of WR, CR and Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation. He has also met general manager of the six zones, chief minister and state chief secretary.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2014-01-04/mumbai/45859553_1_traffic-survey-corridor-indian-railways

BMC chief takes stock of Metro corridor - DNA

BMC chief takes stock of Metro corridor

Saturday, Jan 4, 2014, 12:58 IST | Agency: DNA

Sitaram Kunte inspects Metro corridor

Senior Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials on Friday visited the Metro rail corridor between Saki Naka and Ghatkopar to check the passenger dispersal system and other arrangements that needs to be made before the Versova — Andheri — Ghatkopar is commissioned for public use.

Civic chief Sitaram Kunte, deputy additional municipal commissioner SVR Srinivas and chief engineer (road) Dattatreya Dixit were among those who visited the spot.

According to an official, there are issues related to passenger dispersal system at Asalfa and Jagruti Nagar stations, which need to be sorted out with the civic body. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) wants to implement Station Area Traffic Improvement Scheme (SATIS), for which changes need to be made to the road and pavement.

“The joint visit of the BMC and MMRDA officials focused on dispersal system that needs to be in place,” said Dilip Kawathkar, spokesperson of MMRDA.

A civic official said, “We are looking into issues brought to our notice by MMRDA. We will work to improve the station areas and adjacent approach roads.”

Since mid-2013, MMRDA has undertaken the SATIS project for 12 Metro stations, but had to face many hurdles due to narrow pavements and roads.

Chakala Metro Station is 2 km from Chakala - Mumbai Mirror

Chakala Metro Station is 2 km from Chakala
By Virat Singh, Mumbai Mirror | Jan 4, 2014, 01.09 AM IST

Ironically, Chakala Metro Station is just metres away from JB Nagar bus stop

Residents of JB Nagar in Andheri (E) say naming the station in their area after a place located two km away will lead to chaos; plan protest march on Sunday to put pressure on Metro One, MMDRA officials.

Residents of JB Nagar in Andheri (E) are up in arms against Mumbai Metro One Private Limited and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) for naming the Metro station in their area Chakala Metro Station and not JB Nagar Metro Station. 

Chakala, also in Andheri (E), is located around two kilometres from JB Nagar, and residents say the misnaming will cause confusion and chaos once the Metro is thrown open to the public. Ironically, Chakala Metro Station is just metres away from JB Nagar bus stop. 

Some residents have now decided to organise a protest march on Sunday to have the name changed, claiming Metro rail officials ignored their letters on the subject. 

Ashok Pai, a resident of JB Nagar and a citizen activist, said, "It's strange that the authourities have named a Metro station located in a prominent locality called JB Nagar after another locality called Chakala, which is around two kilometres away. This will create confusion among people unfamiliar with the two areas. We have written many letters asking for the name to be changed but to no avail." 

Sheeba Nair, another resident of JB Nagar, who was instrumental in planning the protest march, said the area also has a post office called JB Nagar, and that Chakala Metro Station would stick out like a sore thumb. She said, "Several residents of JB Nagar are extremely upset with this confusion being forced upon them and will stand with placards opposite Chakala Metro Station, demanding it be renamed to JB Nagar Metro Station." She added that residents were deliberately staying away from political parties as they didn't want to make it an political issue. 

Bizarre as it sounds, this isn't the first case of its kind. MMOPL has already changed the names of two stations following protests from residents. 

A resident of Asalpha in Saki Naka said, "The station after Saki Naka had been named Subhash Nagar, when it should have been called Asalpha... it isn't even close to Subhash Nagar. It was only after we decided to take the matter to some senior politicians that MMRDA wrote to us last month saying that Subhash Nagar Station would be remaned to Asalpha Road Station, and the next station, which was earlier called Asalpha Road Station, would be renamed to Jagruti Nagar Station." 

Sources in MMOPL said they had no say when it came to deciding the names of the Metro stations and that their names had been chosen by MMRDA. 

Sanjay Sethi, additional metropolitan commissioner, MMRDA, said, "Since there are complaints from residents we will look into the issue and, based on the merits of their case, take further steps."