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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
 Posted - 07/11/2008 : 21:14:49
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Pending works to get over by March
Delay attributed to sharp rise in prices of raw materials
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After the prices shot up, contractors refused to proceed
Railways developing 3 km-long link road from Velachery to Taramani
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CHENNAI: The pending works at the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) stations between Thirumailai and Velachery will be completed by March next year, Chief Engineer of the Metropolitan Transport Project (Railways) S.N.Agrawal said here on Thursday.
He attributed the delay to a sharp rise in prices of raw materials, particularly steel and cement. After the prices shot up, the contractors refused to proceed. We had to reprocess the tender and now the works are progressing fast, he said.
While the works at the Kotturpuram station would be completed by December, those at Mandaveli, Greenways Road, Kasturbai Nagar, Indira Nagar, Thiruvanmiyur, Taramani, Perungudi and Velachery stations would get over by March.
Bus stand
The Metropolitan Transport Corporation is developing a bus stand close to the Velachery station. The Railways are developing a 3 km-long-link road from Velachery to Taramani. Another 2 km-long-link road is being developed from Kasturbai Nagar to Thiruvanmiyur. An additional platform has been sanctioned for the Chennai Beach station.
The State government has offered to develop commercial complexes between the Thirumailai and Velachery stations.
Patronage for MRTS services have improved, especially after the recent fuel crisis in the city, said Additional Divisional Railway Manager N.Swaminathan. Laying of approach roads to Taramani and Perungudi is getting delayed because of encroachments, he said.
Crow menace
With the train network passing through swamps (in Velachery and Perungudi) and the Adyar estuary at Kotturpuram, birds have become regular visitors to MRTS stations.
The most aggressive of the lot, crows, are giving railway officials a tough time. Mr.Swaminathan said, These days whenever I go for inspection of MRTS stations, the first thing I watch out for is crows! Crows are building their nests on top of overhead electrical cables. It can lead to tripping of wires and disrupt services, he said.
As a result, the overhead electrification (OHE) staff are also doubling up as crow chasers, he said.
Saplings planted
Railway officials, who took journalists on a tour of the MRTS facilities, planted saplings of Asoka and Neem tree near the entrance of the Velachery station. Tree planting would also be undertaken between Kasturbai Nagar and Thiruvanmiyur.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 07/30/2008 : 19:49:29
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It is observed that CMDA has identified certain areas of Chennai as `MRTS influence area' wherein the FSI is increased to 2.0.This has been done to allow densification in this area and allow transit sensitive activities. Similarly, the area within 500 M from the three suburban railway lines and the MRTS lines has been declared as `Transit corridor' wherein certain relaxation has been considered in parking requirements.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 08/01/2008 : 21:02:34
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SETTING PACE: Railway stations in the vicinity means more rental and property values.
CHENNAI: Proximity to railway stations is a major factor deciding property and rental values in residential areas in many cities. The case of Chennai is no different with rental values near the stations remaining always high.
The proposed Chennai Metro Rail has contributed a lot to the property and rental value appreciation recently in areas such as Koyambedu and Anna Nagar, said V. Sadasivam, a leading property valuer.
The Chennai Beach Chengalpattu line, with the GST Road running parallel for several km, has determined the appreciation of property and rental values in many areas. The railways role in property and rental appreciation of residential areas near railway stations is relatively higher beyond St. Thomas Mount as the outlying areas experience a higher rate of growth, he said.
The residential rental value in St. Thomas Mount has increased from Rs.4 a sq.ft to Rs.10 a sq.ft owing to proximity to the railway station over the last three years, says G. Babu, a property commission agent. The St. Thomas Mount and Chromepet, purely residential areas, are quickly transforming into commercial hubs on account of the rail connectivity. The property value is around Rs.1 crore a ground. The eastern side of Pazhavanthangal without traffic disturbance is a residential area where middle class people exercised their residential option. The rental values have increased from Rs.6 a sq.ft to Rs.15 a sq.ft in Alandur and Chromepet in the recent years.
Ranganathan Street in T. Nagar, which was a purely residential area 30 years ago, has turned into a prime commercial hub of Chennai. The land value is around Rs.5 crore a ground, higher than that of Pondy Bazaar, which originally was the commercial hub. One of the major driver for Ranganathan Street and South Usman Road emerging as the hub is the presence of a railway network nearby, says Mr. Sadasivam. Our advertisements of the sale of property in T. Nagar also focus on the proximity to railway stations which gets an upbeat response, says one builder.
The MRTS station in Mylapore also has increased the property and rental values but only beyond 500 metre radius of the station. People prefer areas which are 500 metre away from the station as the areas nearby include a slum and is also congested and polluted. Middle class people who look for residential accommodation near railway stations because of the easy accessibility nowadays go beyond Tambaram as the rail connectivity is good and rates affordable. Suburban railway stations such as Perungulathur, Guduvanchery, and Maraimalai Nagar are examples of catalysing residential growth around railway stations in the suburbs.
Residential areas near the Paranur station near Mahindra City have experienced rental growth from Rs. 2 a sq.ft to Rs.5 a sq.ft in recent times.Rental values have increased from Rs. 3 to Rs. 8 a sq. ft. near railway station in Perungulathur, says S. Karthik a resident.
The residential area in a five-km radius near the railway station in Guduvanchery has also experienced rental growth. More residential plots are being developed in Urapakkam by players such as L&T. The TNHB projects have come up in Maraimalai Nagar.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 08/19/2008 : 09:52:50
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Rains may wash away Velachery projects
19 Aug 2008, 0441 hrs IST,TNN
CHENNAI: The state government is yet to wake up to the fact that the monsoon is only a few weeks away, considering that it has still not given permission to the public works department to carry out the desilting of the Veerangal canal in Velachery.
If the canal the flood-water carrier which links Puzhithivakkam municipality with Pallikarnai swamp near Velachery MRTS is not desilted immediately, low-lying areas like Velachery and Madipakkam would face a deluge during this years monsoon as well.
This year, theres more at stake: the highways department is building the Inner Ring road in Velachery at the cost of Rs 33 crore. The railway is constructing a subway at the cost of Rs 1 crore. The highways and the railways are also building six culverts that will cost close to Rs 10 crore. Above all, the Chennai Corporation on Monday finished laying 3.5-km long stormwater drains in and around Velachery at the cost of Rs 6 crore.
If the Veerangal and canals leading to it are not desilted before the onset of monsoon, all these projects are bound to be washed away or submerged. We are still waiting for the green signal from the Secretariat for our annual desilting programme, a PWD official told The Times Of India. Majority of the citys canals whose desilting will cost Rs 4 crore fall in and around Velachery.
The canal is a perfect picture of neglect, filled with garbage and water hyacinths. These should have been cleared by now. But now it looks like residents will have to float on chunks of thermocol once the rains start. The whole area is going to be flooded, said A Anandakrishnan, a resident of AGS colony in Velachery.
The 18m wide culverts built by the highways department as part of the Inner Ring Road project connecting Velachery and Grand Southern Trunk Road via Adambakkam Lake, will not serve their purpose during the rains unless the Veerangal odai is desilted. The canal was pushed away and its width reduced to 7.5 m in order to make way for the ring road.
"If the canal is not desilted in time, the embankment of the ring road will face the brunt of monsoon. The authorities have not learnt a lesson from the previous floods. Another drain that was built to carry excess water from Velachery Lake has also not been desilted. It is filled with plastic waste and raw sewage from commercial establishments, says S Kumararaja, secretary, Federation of Velachery Residents Welfare Associations.
The highways department, which has invested a huge amount of money on the IRR project, says it wont take chances. In principle, the PWD has to do it. But we are holding talks with the authorities concerned to take up the work immediately, as it would break our embankment, an officer in charge of the project told TOI.
This 5km stretch of IRR, which had remained unfinished for nearly six years due to delay in land acquisition, was taken up only in 2006. It is expected to be complete by March next year. We had planned to lay the blue metals before the monsoon, but now it all depends on the desilting, the officer said.
Similarly, the fate of the MRTS subway and the culverts being built by Southern Railway in Velachery also depends on the desilting. We will soon meet the PWD officials to discuss flood-alleviation measures in Velachery. They should clear the canals immediately, a senior MRTS official said.
(julie.mariappan@timesgroup.com)
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2008 : 18:11:54
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MRTS getting popular, yet it has miles to go
The pace of development of passenger amenities must be better
CHUGGING ALONG: A crowd of commuters throngs the Velachery MRTS station.
CHENNAI: Within a year after it was extended to Velachery, the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) has emerged as one of the key modes of public transport in the city. Though there is considerable scope for improvement on different fronts, the 20-km service from Chennai Beach to Velachery has been patronised by commuters like no other mode.
Statistics show that on an average, 66,518 people use MRTS services every day. Southern Railway authorities add the number is on the rise steadily.
Largely dependable, faster and covering some of the important commercial and residential areas of the city, the MRTS has come as a boon, particularly to those living in the fast developing localities of south Chennai such as Velachery, Madipakkam, Pallikaranai, Thoraipakkam and neighbourhood.
Many commuters, however, feel that the pace of development of passenger amenities and commercial exploitation of the space at the stations ought to be better when seen in the backdrop of the pace at which patronage has risen after the extension of the MRTS from Thirumailai.
They complain of numerous problems, particularly with regard to the access to the stations, safety around the facilities and most important the frequency of services during lean hours and in late evening.
P.V.Krishnan, a resident of Velachery who commutes regularly by the MRTS, wanted only nine-car rakes to be operated during rush hour. I am unable to use the first-class season ticket in the crowded six-car rakes as there are no first class compartments, he said.
Absence of refreshment stalls at any of the stations is another grievance of the commuters. They also suspect the quality of the drinking water facility made available at the stations. R.Krishna Prabhu, a resident of Baby Nagar in Velachery, said reaching the Perungudi station is an uphill task as the Park Avenue Road leading to it was in a bad shape and turns unusable during rains.
While some of the commuters do not mind these shortfalls, what is of immense concern to them is the lack of safety at the facilities. Women in particular find it unsafe to walk on the roads leading to most of the stations as the illumination is poor. Mr.Prabhu called for better lighting on the corridor and steps of the Perungudi, Thiruvanmiyur, Mandaveli and Chindatripet stations.
A large number of commuters, particularly senior citizens, rued about lifts and escalators at a number of the stations remaining inoperative. K.Manoharan, a commuter residing in Kotturpuram, said lifts and escalators were an integral part of elevated systems such as MRTS.
Refuting this, Southern Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Neenu Ittyerah said except at Indira Nagar and Kasturba Nagar Stations, where lifts are being installed, escalators and lifts at all other stations are functioning properly. She said a road running parallel to the track between Velachery and Taramani stations has been proposed.
She said Southern Railway conducts coordination meetings with the Highways Department and Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority to sort out various issues. Chennai Corporation has also proposed to widen the approach road to the Triplicane Station.
Work is also under way to extend the services from Velachery to St. Thomas Mount station, a project which would link MRTS with the Chennai Beach-Tambaram section. As the popularity of the MRTS soars, commuters using EMU services to north and western suburbs feel neglected.
V. Yohannan, a resident of Villivakkam employed in a public sector bank on Rajaji Salai, said hundreds of people from Arakkonam and Tiruvallur who come to work in south Chennai want more suburban services from their localities to Chennai Beach station. Many of the services are up to Moore Market Complex.
Confirming the problems persisting for commuters using the western sector, Ms. Ittyerah said additional platforms were being constructed at Chennai Beach and coaches would be purchased for increasing train services.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 11/18/2008 : 08:09:36
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"The pace of development of passenger amenities must be better"
CHUGGING ALONG: A crowd of commuters throngs the Velachery MRTS
station.
CHENNAI: Within a year after it was extended to Velachery, the Mass
Rapid Transit System (MRTS) has emerged as one of the key modes of
public transport in the city. Though there is considerable scope for
improvement on different fronts, the 20-km service from Chennai
Beach to Velachery has been patronised by commuters like no other
mode.
Statistics show that on an average, 66,518 people use MRTS services
every day. Southern Railway authorities add the number is on the
rise steadily.
Largely dependable, faster and covering some of the important
commercial and residential areas of the city, the MRTS has come as a
boon, particularly to those living in the fast developing localities
of south Chennai such as Velachery, Madipakkam, Pallikaranai,
Thoraipakkam and neighbourhood.
Many commuters, however, feel that the pace of development of
passenger amenities and commercial exploitation of the space at the
stations ought to be better when seen in the backdrop of the pace at
which patronage has risen after the extension of the MRTS from
Thirumailai.
They complain of numerous problems, particularly with regard to the
access to the stations, safety around the facilities and most
important the frequency of services during lean hours and in late
evening.
P.V.Krishnan, a resident of Velachery who commutes regularly by the
MRTS, wanted only nine-car rakes to be operated during rush hour. "I
am unable to use the first-class season ticket in the crowded six-
car rakes as there are no first class compartments," he said.
Absence of refreshment stalls at any of the stations is another
grievance of the commuters. They also suspect the quality of the
drinking water facility made available at the stations. R.Krishna
Prabhu, a resident of Baby Nagar in Velachery, said reaching the
Perungudi station is an uphill task as the Park Avenue Road leading
to it was in a bad shape and turns unusable during rains.
While some of the commuters do not mind these shortfalls, what is of
immense concern to them is the lack of safety at the facilities.
Women in particular find it unsafe to walk on the roads leading to
most of the stations as the illumination is poor. Mr.Prabhu called
for better lighting on the corridor and steps of the Perungudi,
Thiruvanmiyur, Mandaveli and Chindatripet stations.
A large number of commuters, particularly senior citizens, rued
about lifts and escalators at a number of the stations remaining
inoperative. K.Manoharan, a commuter residing in Kotturpuram, said
lifts and escalators were an integral part of elevated systems such
as MRTS.
Refuting this, Southern Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Neenu
Ittyerah said except at Indira Nagar and Kasturba Nagar Stations,
where lifts are being installed, escalators and lifts at all other
stations are functioning properly. She said a road running parallel
to the track between Velachery and Taramani stations has been
proposed.
She said Southern Railway conducts coordination meetings with the
Highways Department and Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority
to sort out various issues. Chennai Corporation has also proposed to
widen the approach road to the Triplicane Station.
Work is also under way to extend the services from Velachery to St.
Thomas Mount station, a project which would link MRTS with the
Chennai Beach-Tambaram section. As the popularity of the MRTS soars,
commuters using EMU services to north and western suburbs feel
neglected.
V. Yohannan, a resident of Villivakkam employed in a public sector
bank on Rajaji Salai, said hundreds of people from Arakkonam and
Tiruvallur who come to work in south Chennai want more suburban
services from their localities to Chennai Beach station. Many of the
services are up to Moore Market Complex.
Confirming the problems persisting for commuters using the western
sector, Ms. Ittyerah said additional platforms were being
constructed at Chennai Beach and coaches would be purchased for
increasing train services.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2008 : 07:40:43
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Targeted plan for Velachery-Mount MRTS
on track: Substructure work on the MRTS extension from Velachery to St.Thomas Mount under way.
CHENNAI: Southern Railway has prepared a target-oriented programme for completing the five-km-long extension of Mass Rapid Transit System Phase II from Velachery to St.Thomas Mount.
As per the programme, completion of the project depends on acquisition of 1.5-km stretch near the St.Thomas Mount station.
The land passes through an area dense with houses. About 35 well built houses and approximately 6,100 sq m of built-up area have to be acquired.
Connectivity to St.Thomas Mount could be achieved only by acquiring the land.
Work on this stretch will be completed in 18 months after the land is handed over to the railway administration.
Southern Railway plans to set up an integrated station for MRTS and Chennai Metro at St.Thomas Mount.
A railway official said the extension will be on an elevated structure and the alignment will be along the median of the Inner Ring Road up to 3.585 km from Velachery, except for a small portion near Medavakkam Road.
Beyond 3.585 km, the alignment deviates from IRR and passes through the private built-up areas and terminates at St. Thomas Mount Station. There will be two stations en route Puzhithivakkam (1.85 km from Velachery) and Adambakkam (2.85 km from Velachery). All three stations, including St.Thomas Mount, will be on an elevated structure.
The administration has awarded the contract for laying foundation and erecting pillars on the 3.585-km stretch from Velachery and the work is scheduled for completion by March next. Superstructure work placing girders on the pillars on this stretch will be over by December 31 next. The contract had already been awarded and mobilisation of materials is in progress.
Unlike stations on the TirumailaiVelachery stretch, only minimum passenger amenities will be provided at the stations and no commercial complexes are planned.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 02/07/2009 : 19:22:57
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They just spit on rules
CHENNAI: When people spit in public spaces and from moving vehicles, one wonders if they have learnt their lessons in public and personal hygiene right. Almost every public building in the city is marked red with spit marks in corners and stair cases.
The conservancy staff at the MRTS stations complain that how many ever times they scrub and wash the stains away from the walls, it does not take much time before the place becomes dirty again. Even the steel railing and seats are not spared. Sometimes people even spit inside the compartments, which is nauseating. Is there no way to prevent or punish such people?, asked K. Srikumar, a regular commuter
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irse
Forum Admin
India
553 Posts |
Posted - 03/20/2009 : 00:09:07
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Kochi : Metro Rail comes closer
http://www.expressb uzz.com/edition/ story.aspx? Title=Metro+ Rail+comes+ closer&artid= ubozTWYVLns= &SectionID= 9R67TMeNb/ w=&MainSectionID =9R67TMeNb/ w=&SEO=V+ S+Achuthanandan& SectionName= gUhH3Holuas=
18 Mar 2009 04:21:49 AM IST
KOCHI: The Metro Rail has come a little closer to Kochi. Pushing the Kochi Metro Rail project one step ahead, the Union Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) has forwarded the proposal to the Union Cabinet for final approval. However, the objection of the Planning Commission to executing the project on the lines of the Delhi Metro Rail is still pending.
Urban Development Ministry secretary M Ramachandran told Expresso that the decision to forward the project for final approval was taken after talks with the officials of the Prime Ministers Office. The Union Cabinet will take the final decision after considering the recommendations of the Planning Commission and the Ministry.
The MoUD has already given its approval for the project and it was referred to the Union Cabinet following stiff resistance from the Planning Commission. The project gained momentum with the State Government giving approval for starting an office in Kochi and setting aside Rs 50 lakh for the purpose.
Sources from the Kochi Metro Rail project said that the appointment of staff for the office has started. If all the hurdles are cleared the office will start functioning within four weeks.
And once the project gets the go ahead from the Union Government, it will be completed in four years. It is learnt that the Union Urban Ministry has recommended implementation of the project on lines followed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) which was opposed by the Planning Commission.
The DMRC implemented the Delhi Metro project with 15 percent funds each from the Union Government and the State Government.
The remaining funds were mobilised by the DMRC itself.
Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, who visited the Prime Minister recently, made it clear that the project would not be implemented with private partnership. The Planning Commission objected to the funding of the project and said that if the state could find the resources, it could take up the project.
And it was made clear that the Union Government could not fund the project in the 11th Five Year Plan.
irse |
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2009 : 21:12:44
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Notice issued to company for delaying work on three MRTS stretches
Hurdles in land acquisition, escalating prices of steel and cement have contributed to delay
NO PROGRESS: Work on the Mass Rapid Transit System on the Inner Ring Road leading to St.Thomas Mount has come to a standstill.
CHENNAI: The Metropolitan Transport Project (Railway), Chennai, implementing the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS), on Friday issued a notice to Maytas Infrastructure for delaying work on three stretches of the MRTS.
Sources in the MTP told The Hindu that they found the pace of work on the MRTS contracts awarded to it, unsatisfactory and therefore issued a notice. The decision on this notice was taken following the review of an action plan submitted by Maytas earlier, which it had not adhered to.
Maytas has contracts for completing substructure work on three stretches of the Velachery-St.Thomas Mount extension work of MRTS, construction of the new station at Mundagakanniamman Koil and improvement works in other stations between Thirumailai and Velachery. Southern Railway has awarded a total of Rs.250-crore worth contracts to Maytas, including these.
Chief Public Relations Officer of Southern Railway Neenu Ittyerah said the delay in project work awarded to Maytas was affecting their expansion plans. The progress of work on the Velachery-St.Thomas Mount extension of MRTS is essential to expand public transport services to residents in the southern suburbs, she said.
Sources in the MTP said the progress of work by Maytas had been satisfactory till last December. However, following the case of corporate fraud committed soon after by the promoters of Satyam Computer Services , who are stakeholders in Maytas as well, their project performance suffered. The accounts of Maytas were frozen, which meant they could not pump in money into the projects or pay workers on time, MTP sources said.
Causes for delay?
However, Maytas Infrastructure spokesperson Anil Uttarwar maintained that Maytas and Satyam were separate entities and the progress of infrastructure projects it held would not be affected. He added that hurdles in land acquisition and escalating prices of steel and cement also contributed to the delay in completion of various MRTS projects at different points in time.
Southern Railway is aiming at completing the Velachery-St.Thomas Mount extension work by 2011, officials said. Once completed, the MRTS station will be a walking distance from home. Right now I have to take my bike every day to reach the Velachery station, said Ct. Shanmugam, a commuter from Adambakkam who works in George Town.
Incomplete works
The incomplete works in MRTS stations such as Indra Nagar and Mandaveli are causing much inconvenience, said passengers.
In many stations only one of the several exits can be used. Also, the toilets are closed, there are no garbage bins available and the corridors are dark and unkempt in the evenings, said R.Surya, a commuter using the Mandaveli station.
He said if the pending works were completed, the authorities could pay closer attention to the upkeep of the stations.
MTP sources said the new Mundagakanniamman Koil station between Thirumailai and Light House would be ready by September this year and other improvement works in stations would also be over by then.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2009 : 23:23:08
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The long-pending demand of the residents living near Arcot Road for measures to decongest traffic is set to materialise with Chennai Metro Rail Ltd evaluating the possibility of integrating its elevated corridor and the proposed flyover at Vadapalani junction.
A senior official of Chennai Metro Rail Ltd told The Hindu that experts in the field have begun discussions on how to integrate the two sets of elevated structures. We are doing it [discussion] as quickly as possible and expect work to be taken up soon, he said. The flyover, proposed at the junction of Arcot Road and Jawaharlal Nehru Road, would help ease traffic flow considerably in the area.
The State government had, in 2005-06, granted approval to the Highways Department for the construction of a grade separator at the junction. An official of the Highways Department said the proposal was put on hold because of the Metro Rail project, as part of which the construction of the flyover would also be taken up.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 07/07/2009 : 18:51:33
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Private security plan for MRTS stations
CHENNAI: Southern Railway is considering engaging private security personnel at the Mass Rapid Transit System rail stations from Mandaveli to Velachery here. Apart from safeguarding property at the nine stations, the move is expected to result in more people, particularly women and senior citizens, patronising MRTS services.
The modalities were being worked out, said Chennai Divisional Railway Manager S.K. Kulshrestha.
With several MRTS stations located close to slums, Railway Protection Force personnel often found it difficult to prevent the entry of unauthorised persons into stations.
A senior official in the Divisional Chief Security Commissioners Office confirmed that there was such a proposal. After the hijacking of a train that led to a collision at the Vysarpadi Jeeva railway station, security had been tightened at several stations, he said.
The sanctioned strength of the Railway Protection Force is 53 and the personnel have to cover 15 stations, from Park Town to Velachery.
However, every day nearly eight to 10 RPF personnel were not available for duty due to various reasons. This necessitated the posting of private security personnel, a senior RPF official said.
RPF personnel travel in trains from Park Town to Velachery, and six armed Railway Protection Special Force personnel are on duty in trains from Greenways Road to Perungudi.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2009 : 10:40:03
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Chennai Metro: railways wants Maytas to hurry Message List
Chennai Metro: railways wants Maytas to hurry
http://www.livemint.com/2009/07/08232352/Chennai-Metro-railways-wants.html?h=B
Southern Railway is not keen to end the award of works to Matyas Infra and re-tender Hyderabad/Chennai: Maytas Infra Ltd, which on Tuesday lost the Hyderabad Metro Rail contract after failing to raise finances, has run into trouble in Tamil Nadu (TN) as well, with some of its projects likely to be delayed by up to nine
months.
Southern Railway has issued several notices to Maytas in the past few months to expedite Rs250 crore worth of mass rapid transit system (MRTS) projects in Chennai, a top railway official said.
âWe are worried over the delays in execution of the works awarded to Maytas Infra, which seems to have landed in some financial troubles early this year,â R. Ramanathan, chief administrative officer (construction) at Southern Railway, said over the phone on Wednesday. âThe works are not progressing at the expected levels and we are disturbed over the delays.â
The Hyderabad-based infrastructure firm has lost several contracts in recent
months after its main promoter, B. Ramalinga Raju, confessed to Indiaâs
largest accounting fraud at Satyam Computer Services Ltd in January. His son B.
Teja Raju is Maytas Infraâs CEO.
On Tuesday, Maytas lost its biggest contract, the Rs12,132 crore Hyderabad Metro
Rail project. The Andhra Pradesh government scrapped the award after Maytas
failed to achieve financial closure even three months after the deadline
expired.
As to the TN projects, Ramanathan expects delays of at least three-four months
in the elevated Metro extension and modernization works in Chennai and up to
nine months for laying double tracks on the Chengalpet-Villupuram route.
Southern Railway had awarded seven projects to Maytasâfour relating to MRTS in
Chennai and three track laying works on the Chengalpet-Villupuram route. Maytas
won contracts to extend Chennaiâs elevated rail line by 5km from Velachery to
St Thomas Mount, between January and April 2008, and the track laying project in
December.
Southern Railway can terminate and re-tender the works awarded to Matyas Infra,
but is not keen on exercising that option. âWe are worried that re-tendering
and subsequent legal issues may further delay the works, which we are not
interested, keeping in view the inconvenience to commuters,â Ramanathan said.
âThatâs why we are pressurizing the company to expedite the works and are
constantly reviewing the works.â
A Maytas spokesperson, who didnât want to be named, blamed the delays on
incessant rains, transport strikes and non-availability of land.
The firm expects to complete the Metro extension project by September and the
track laying works by July 2010ââas per the timelines sanctioned by
railwaysâ, he added.
The deadline for doubling the tracks on the Chengalpet-Villupuram route is April
2010, Ramanathan said. Maytas, he added, was given 18 months for the Rs72 crore
Metro extension project, but the firm would now be able to complete work on two
of the three stretches only by June.
Maytas had to drop out of the third stretch, worth Rs30 crore, as it wasnât
given land by the state government, he said. Another Southern Railway official
said a re-tender has been called for the last stretch.
The firm is also constructing an MRTSâstation in Chennai and carrying out
modernization works at other existing stations.
Following the fraud at Satyam, Maytas Infra landed in trouble with the Karnataka
government, which cancelled two airport projects in Shimoga and Gulbarga, worth
a combined Rs200 crore, it had awarded to a consortium led by the firm. (On
Monday, the state government decided to award back the contract to Maytas.)
Soon after, London-listed Vedanta Resources Plc. cancelled a contract with
Maytas Infra citing slow progress of work and failure to pay contractors. The
agreement was for building a township for staff at the groupâs mining
operations at Jharsuguda in Orissa, valued at Rs232.69 crore.
State-owned Power Grid Corp. of India Ltd also revoked several rural
electrification contracts, worth Rs395 crore, it had awarded to Maytas Infra
under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana.
Following a representation by the lenders of the infrastructure firm, the
Company Law Board on 5 March appointed its nominees on the board of Maytas
Infra, who have since then successfully negotiated with lenders and obtained a
debt restructuring package for the firm.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2009 : 20:40:24
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Maytas issues MRTS work order to VNC
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News-By-Industry/Services/Property-Cstruction/Maytas-issues-MRTS-work-order-to-VNC/articleshow/4812611.cms
23 Jul 2009, 2015 hrs IST
CHENNAI: Seven months after civil construction on the extension of the rail based elevated mass rapid transit system (MRTS) was suspended in Chennai, work has resumed, thanks to the sub-contracting agreement that the project contractor Maytas Infra has struck with its strategic partner in many projects â Vijay Nirman company (VNC).
Andhra Pradesh based VNC received its work order on the project, now worth Rs 10 crore, from Maytas, late on Tuesday evening. Officials in the VNC, on condition of anonymity, told ET that Maytas would have to deposit Rs 50 lakh as security for VNC to commence work. âSubsequently, they will have to pay us the complete fee that they receive from Southern Railways,â an official said. SR is the
promoter of the MRTS, which has been in operation between Chennai beach and Velachery.
SR, which has Rs 250 crore worth of projects contracted to Maytas Infra, had contracted the Rs 90 crore worth construction of sub-structures for extension of MRTS to St.Thomas Mount from Velachery, in October 2009. At the same time, it had contracted the Rs.78 crore project for construction of super structures along the same line to VNC. When the financially troubled Maytas slowed down its work at the beginning of this year, VNCâs work was also delayed.
âAs our project deadline was September 2009 (So was Maytasâ), and SR was hesitating to re-tender the project, we came to this agreement with Maytas,â the VNC official said. Sources in SRâs technical department told ET that Maytas has mobilised equipments and resources for work to begin on the rail line. âFor us, it is essential to complete the work on time, and we are very satisfied with VNCâs quality of work in other projects,â a railway official
said.
Normally, government institutionsâ tenders do not encourage sub-contracting. In this case, SR is willing to look the other way, as it receives guarantee from Maytas on work quality and pace. âWe have not received any information on Maytasâ activities, but we believe work has been expedited as per our request,â SR spokesperson V J Accamma said.
The deadline for completion of the project has not been extended officially. âBut, we believe it will be completed by March 2010, and we will issue the official extension when the deadline expires in September 2009,â the railway official said.
Thu Jul 23, 2009 3:03 pm
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2009 : 19:35:38
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Saturday, Jul 25, 2009
CBI probing supply of escalators, elevators for MRTS stations
CHENNAI: The Central Bureau of Investigation is probing alleged irregularities in the supply, installation and commissioning of escalators and elevators at ten stations of the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) here.
According to agency sources, a joint inspection conducted by the CBI last week along with technical experts and vigilance officials from Southern Railway revealed that 14 escalators were not functioning.
Six of the 17 elevators were found not to be operational. At Taramani, two escalators, each worth about Rs. 50 lakh, remained packed on the station premises for months.
A prima facie case has been made out. It appears that the companies (who were awarded the contract to supply, install and commission the escalators) colluded with some officials and supplied sub-standard escalators. The payment has been made as if the escalators were provided in order and as per the specifications of the agreement, a Superintendent of Police in the CBI said.
Since many escalators and elevators were not functioning, it has become difficult for passengers, particularly senior citizens, physically challenged and women, to take the stairs and reach the station.
The poor quality of escalators/elevators also put the safety of passengers at stake. The patronage of the MRTS services would have been affected due to inadequate infrastructure, causing wrongful loss to the railways, he said.
Files pertaining to the escalator and elevator works that were taken up between 2004 and 2007 were seized by the Anti-Corruption Branch of the CBI for investigation.
Though the escalators were not installed at some stations, the contract for maintaining them was awarded. The agency is preparing to take action against some officials in the Chennai Division of Southern Railway who are responsible for the irregularities.
The CBI had already registered a case in connection with sub-standard work in the construction of station buildings under the MRTS scheme in which a retired Deputy Chief Engineer was named as accused, the official added. When contacted Additional General Manager (Southern Railway) V. Carmelus said the railways had entered into an annual maintenance contract with the manufacturers of the escalators.
As on date, 22 of the 31 escalators were not functioning.
We have given instructions to the suppliers to ensure that the escalators are made operational at the earliest. By the end of September, all of them will become functional. All the 30 elevators in the MRTS stations are functioning now, Mr. Carmelus added.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 08/15/2009 : 04:36:07
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TN plans to develop MRTS station space commercially
R. Balaji
Chennai, Aug. 9
The Tamil Nadu Government is examining a Rs 136-crore commercial development space available at three of the MRTS (mass rapid transit system) stations to recover its investments in the project.
According to sources, the project for the development of commercial space at MRTS stations would involve public-private partnership to use the space available above the platform level at the stations in Taramani, Perungudi and Velachery.
The sources said the objective would be to develop the space with private sector participation on BOT (build-operate-transfer) basis with the private players investing in the construction and handling the operation and maintenance for a 25-year concession period. The Governments contribution would be the land and provision of utilities.
The Governments share of revenue from the project is expected to compensate for its investment in the MRTS project. Tamil Nadu has invested a third of the Rs 734 crore in the MRTS project with the Railways bringing the main contribution.
The other projects include a Rs 475-crore re-development, operation and maintenance of the private bus terminus at Koyambedu; and operation and maintenance of the fruit and vegetable wholesale market and the biomethanation project at Koyambedu.
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MTP project Chennai
