Nitin Killawala - Response TOI Report “METRO OPENING PUSHED BACK TO JULY 2012” on 14.6.2011

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Refers TOI Report “METRO OPENING PUSHED BACK TO JULY 2012”

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As predicted by Citizen groups, VAG route is having no ray of hope of completion and gradually heading towards a dead end!

5 simple questions we must ask amongst ourselves:

Q1      What punishment should be given to the Authorities and PPP partners for non-complying of their promised time schedule of December 2010?

Q2     The Economic loss for the exchequer due to delay (as per DPR-Nov. 2006) is around Rs. 44 crores per month, out of which the fuel loss itself attributes to Rs. 20 crore per month. How this huge incremental amount be ever compensated?

Q3     Why media perpetually supports the irresponsible statements by the authorities?

Q4     Why should the exchequer suffer for deliberately destroying their quality of life?

Q5     What line of action should be enforced, if even July 2012 dead line is defaulted? 

Please be vigilant, our city is systematically getting destroyed not by any outsiders but by our own Civil Authorities!

Your response awaited …….

-- 

Nitin Killawala.

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Artical

Metro opening pushed back - Times of India - 14.6.11

Jun 14, 2011, 05.52am IST TNN[ Ashley D’Mello ]MUMBAI: 

The citizens’ wait to take their first ride on the Metro just got longer. Instead of the earlier promised date of March 2012, it will be in July that the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar route will be thrown open. 

This is the third time that the inauguration for the 12-km route date has been changed. 

In fact, the change in date was not announced; it was a poster at the Metro site near the new Lalbaug flyover, which stated the completion date as July 2012. 

Officials of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the planning authority for Metro, admitted that the inauguration would be delayed. An official said it had to be pushed back owing to the slow progress in work on the line as well as stations. “Trial runs on a part of the tracks are likely to begin by the end of the year. After that, changes will have to be made to ensure that all safety standards are met with. This is why the date could be extended to ensure that everything goes smoothly when the trains finally start running,” they said. 

MMRDA chief Rahul Asthana recently threw a hint of the impending delay when he promised to try and complete the work but did not set a deadline. 

Though critical of the constant change in the date of inauguration, the transport circles agreed that the agencies met quite a few challenges to build the lines. “The railways has only recently granted the MMOPL the permission to build a bridge over the Western Railway tracks near Andheri station. The task of constructing another bridge over the Jog Flyover on the Western Express Highway is Herculean. These constructions will take some time,” an official said. The Mumbai Metro One Private Ltd (MMOPL) is laying the tracks. 

An MMRDA official said the delay was due to slow progress in work on the tracks as well as stations

Reply to MoEF by Deepak Kantawala

30^th May 2011

Mr. Bharat Bhushan,

Director (IA-III),

Ministry of Environment & Forests,

Paryavaran Bhavan,

CGO Complex,

Lodhi Road,

New Delhi-110 003

Sub: Environmental Impact Assessment and Metro Projects

Ref: Your Letter F.NO. 20-83/2011-IA-III dated the 9^th of May 2011

Dear Shri Bharat Bhushan,

I am in possession of an RTI reply from your office dated 9^th May 2011 in response to few queries raised by a Citizen Group regarding Metro Line II in Mumbai. I am writing this letter as an environmental engineer with more than 40 years of experience in the field of environmental engineering, to express my dismay at not subjecting the Mumbai Metro project to a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

We are aware that the Railway and Metro Projects are not listed under the schedule of activities/projects in the EIA Notification, 2006 and do not require prior environmental clearance. The question is about the rationale for such exclusion.

A large number of concerned citizens had submitted a petition requesting the Ministry of Environment and Forests to include the Metro Projects in the Schedule to no avail. It is difficult, if not impossible, to understand the logic behind this exemption to a project that is expected to have significant environmental and socioeconomic impacts and would affect the lives of millions of people.

Environmental Impact Assessment is the only tool that will provide a priori assessment of environmental and socio-economic impacts, will permit a formalized public consultation and require the formulation of an Environmental Management Plan to mitigate and minimize the impacts.

We also are not able to comprehend, how a piece meal environmental clearance to commercial components would mitigate the overall impact. We do not know how environmental clearance would be processed for these “ components”. Would that be based on EIAs limited to the “components?” Is it not more appropriate to undertake a comprehensive EIA of the entire project rather than “adding up the” component clearances? In fact my understanding is that almost all the international funding agencies like the World Bank, Asian Development Bank etc. insist that if a component of a project requires an EIA the entire project must be subjected to the EIA. This seems to be a logical recommendation.

How would the following questions agitating the minds of citizens, and which are part of a comprehensive EIA, be answered?

1.  Is there a Master Plan for Mumbai Transportation  including the existing network of suburban trains, buses, private transport, proposed water transport etc.?
2.  Metro the only alternative and does it form a component of such a master Plan?
3. Which of the two alternative approaches, over ground or underground, would have minimum environmental and socio-economic impacts and long term advantage of phased expansion?
4. What alternatives routes are possible and which would have the least impact?
5. Have the people expected to be affected consulted and have their inputs considered dispassionately?

When irrigation projects, highways, housing projects and even sewage treatment plants and sewage disposal systems have to undergo EIA it is truly amazing, if not mind boggling, that a project estimated to cost thousands of crores of rupees and impact millions of lives is exempted!

I would once again request you to subject the Metro Projects across the country and especially in Mumbai to a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment.

Thanking you,

Very truly yours,

(Deepak Kantawala)

Response - RTI from Ministry of Environment & Forests

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Response: Nitin Killawala

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".....that the railway projects and Metro projects are not listed under schedule of activities/projects in the EIA Notification, 2006 and doe not require prior environmental clearance".

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Major difference between Railway project and Metro project (CBM Route) :

Sr. No.	RAILWAYS	METRO RAIL (CBM ROUTE)
1	Operated under Indian Railways Act	Operated under Indian Tramways Act
2	Rail tracks are laid on grade (ground level)	Metro  tracks are laid on Elevated via-ducts on existing  and congested arterial roads, without any open space consideration
3	Rail tracks are rarely elevated in small stretches in the form of  rail bridges such as crossing over road junctions, existing rail lines or water bodies.	Metro tracks are laid on Elevated via-ducts on existing  and congested arterial roads, without any open space consideration.
4	Vast lands are made available before rail lines are planned and executed.	Metro tracks are laid on Elevated via-ducts on existing  and congested arterial roads, without any open space consideration
5	Stringent safe distances are observed between the Railway Properties  vis-à-vis private property owners.	Metro tracks are laid on Elevated via-ducts on existing  and congested arterial roads, without any open space consideration.
6

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Nitin Killawala : Architect
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Response: Jagdeep Desai

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http://moef.nic.in/modules/project-clearances/environment-clearances/

http://envfor.nic.in/legis/eia/eia-2006.htm

EIA SHOULD BE MANDATORY FOR METRO PROJECTS

As is well known, the Ministry of Environment and Forests has made it mandatory to have Environment Impact Assessment done for very large projects, and more specifically, public hearing, see the excerpts below.

From whatever angle it is seen, a metro rail system the size of what is being proposed for Mumbai, is well beyond  the size exempt under the notification.

The indicative built up area just for the stations, and commercial complexes is about 1.2 lakh square metres, add to that the coach yards, the viaduct itself, running into tens of kilometres, the figure reaches far more than allowed, affecting the surroundings, areas of influence, as it were, in total.

Those who use it or not, are equally affected.

It is therefore imperative to have had the EIA done in a thorough and exhaustive manner, apart from the standard check list given in the schedule.

After all, it is quite ludicrous to claim, that after the metro is built in ten or fifteen years, commuting travel time will reduce from 90 minutes to 20 minutes.

Quite trying hard to ignore the inconvenient fact that in the ten years that it will take to build this monumental blunder, the travel time which was 90 minutes before th construction started, has taken 150 minutes and more.

This additional 30 minutes either way, means 60 precious minutes of the peoples lives taken away every day for ten years just so that at the end of the day, suddenly we can travel in 20 minutes.

That too, is questionable, because this applies only for those who would use the metro, those relegated and consigned to the road system totally ravaged and brutalised by the metro construction work will still have to negotiate through the maze of columns, station porches, and other construction obstructions of the metro behemoth.

This impact of delay, has totally been ignored by all reports, and the authorities aren't interested to discuss the matter because then all their projections fall flat.

The time, the fuel loss to the Nation, the health of those suffering, are all conveniently kept aside so that the great metro success can be tom tommed.

And what about the massive damage to the underground utilities and services.

Water supply disrupted and contaminated by sewage flowing into water a pipes broken by careless and callously casual work by the contractors totally oblivious to the adverse impact on the neighbourhood.

Add to that the noise of the construction, the vibrations, the case of the clinic at Seven Bunglaows, Versova, Andheri is well known.

Then when huge tracts of mangroves are to be destroyed for car shed, surely, some alarms have to ring.

And when the authorities say no mangroves will be destroyed,the car shed will be built over them on a huge plinth, then our intelligence is being tested.

Mumbai would have been the only city in the World, to have an over head metro rail, and under ground car shed, below Mahalaxmi race course, had the no brain idea of MMRDA been allowed.

Luckily some sense prevailed, but still, the MMRDA's eyes are on prime open land, the Mumbai University campus at Kalina.

Basically, the entire exercise, to move not even a quarter of the total numbers of passengers being transported today by the suburban railway system, after ten years, does not seem to be a good return on investment any way.

Either the work should stop, and authorities should accept their vested decision on over head metro rail, or cut short the losses and go under ground like the rest of the World.

In between we await the EIA.

Thanqx.

Jagdeep DESAI

Architect

Secretary

Founder Trustee

Forum for Improving Quality of Life in Mumbai Suburbs

Response - Report in today’s DNA : “Why not take Metro III up to Andheri, asks activists”

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Response - Report in today’s DNA : “Why not take Metro III up to Andheri, asks activists”

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Your story on Citizens' recommendation to CM suggests that Underground Metro will terminate at Andheri. This creates ambiguity.

Our recommendation is simple:

1. Combine the Underground Line III from Mahim with a stretch of Line II, which means 
   Underground from  Mahim to Charkop (or Borivli). The resultant additional Underground 
   Metro alignment will then be approx 10 to 12 kms. This would also avoid duplication of 
   two Metro stretches going parallel, say between Bandra and Andheri.
2. The alignment of Bandra-Mankhurd can be constructed subsequently. The sheer mass 
   of seamless ridership between Borivli to Colaba is huge compared to Bandra-
   Mankhurd.
3. Moreover, a vast land will have to be acquired at BKC for the Metroyard for Line III 
   which can be saved if it is combined with the Metroyard of Line II either at Charkop or 
   Borivli.
4. Lastly a small stretch of Underground Metro to both the Airports can be branched out 
   from Santacruz thus commuters from city and suburbs will be equally benefited.

Hope the above will clarify the merits of Citizen's Plan.

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NITIN KILLAWALA: ARCHITECT 

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Link for Article

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_why-not-take-metro-iii-up-to-andheri-ask-activists_1544972

Response - Report in today’s DNA : “MMRDA unveils plan for 14 more Metro Routes”

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Response - Report in today’s DNA : “MMRDA unveils plan for 14 more Metro Routes”

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It is very intriguing that the CBM route for which PPP contract was signed way back in 2009 with Reliance Infra - the estimated cost is Rs. 360 crores /km. for Elevated Metro for CBM Route.

Now as per today’s report in DNA the Elevated Metro unveiled by MMRDA for 14 more routes around Mumbai, for which the estimated costs of most of the routes are ranging from Rs. 115 crores/km. to Rs. 145 crores/km.

This proves that the finances of the ‘PPP’ partner are protected at extremely high costs and we, the citizens are silent spectators to misappropriation of exchequers funds by MMRDA and the Government.

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NITIN KILLAWALA: ARCHITECT 

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Article Link

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_mmrda-unveils-plan-for-14-more-metro-routes_1541366

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MMRDA unveils plan for 14 more metro routes Published: Tuesday, May 10, 2011, 4:18 IST  By Ninad Siddhaye | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA

With the first two routes of the metro already under construction and the third in the pipeline, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has now decided to go beyond the city. It already has announced the Mumbai Metro Master Plan of nine corridors, and recently the officials of the authority came up with 14 more routes in the metropolitan region- which the authority intends to commence by 2031. In a presentation given to the UK Railway Industries Association in March this year, MMRDA revealed these 14 additional metro lines of close to 300kms within the MMR. While most of these lines are in the Thane district as well as the Navi Mumbai and Mira-Bhyanadar region, some of them are also within the city limits of the BMC. Confirming the development, MMRDA spokesperson Dilip Kawathkar said that these lines are a part of a Comprehensive Transport Study (CTS) done by the Lea Associates. “As per the vision to make Mumbai a world class city, a metro network of 450kms is already envisaged. The total cost of this metro network is Rs93897 crore,” informed Kawathkar. While the first two routes of the Mumbai Metro Master Plan- Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar and Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd- are on a Public-Private-Partnership basis, the model for funding for the rest of them is yet to be decided.

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

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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 !

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Nitin Killawala
Save our Suburbs

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
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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
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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.

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Jagdeep DESAI

Architect

Secretary

Founder Trustee

Forum for Improving Quality of Life in Mumbai Suburbs

www.forum4iqolms.org

Jagdeep Desai's Response: DLF III residents are scared of Rapid Metro - Times of India, 5th Nov, 2010

Times of India: 5th Nov, 2010 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/DLF-III-residents-are-scared-of-Rapid-Metro/articleshow/6873562.cms

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Absolutely with this.

In fact personally, MMRDA, and indeed, GOM,  is going about this the wrong way.

If MMRDA wants to 'develop the region', then it should totally concentrate on the region, and not Mumbai at all.

The first most important infrastructure element is adequate water supply to the inner and remote areas of MMR, and in fact the more drought prone.

People don't just enter Mumbai because of job prospects, etc., they are mostly distress migration, or, as should be adequately clear, due to the contractors bringing in huge numbers of cheap labour from neighbouring states, not even rest of Maharashtra, to work on these flyovers, skywalks, metro, monorail, etc.

They then are abandoned by the contractors once the projects are over, because they will get new and cheaper labour for the next hundred crores project, etc.

These are the poor fellows who then have to stay in hutments on footpaths, etc., since they can neither go back, nor are employed on projects because they are costlier than  the next lot.

If the rural areas are given adequate water supply, most problems of farmers will be solved.

The more investment to try and apparently solve such problems is only bringing more population and congestion to Mumbai in a never ending situation, cycle of slow destruction.

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Thanqx.

Jagdeep Desai