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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
 Posted - 08/01/2009 : 07:29:42
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APIIC plans to set up a 10 kilometer rail line
http://steelguru.com/news/index/2009/08/01/MTA0OTcw/APIIC_plans_to_set_up_a_10_kilometer_rail_line.html
Saturday, 01 Aug 2009
Projects Today reported that the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation plans to set up a 10 kilometer long metro rail line connecting Hi-Tec city at Madhapur with the financial district at Gachibowli as an independent unit but linked to the proposed metro rail project for Hyderabad.
A study conducted by the Local Area Industrial Authority, Gachibowli, found it feasible and estimated its cost at INR 1,500 crore.
According to APIIC, the line was being contemplated on the persistence of ICICI Bank, which is setting up its establishment in the financial district at a cost of around INR 2,000 crore.
(Sourced from Projects Today)
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 08/03/2009 : 10:07:43
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Metro goes off green track
http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Metro+goes+off+green+track&artid=PHZ3TtDJD68=&SectionID=xAV59odivTs=&MainSectionID=xAV59odivTs=&SEO=&Section Name=BUzPVSKuYv7MFxnS0yZ7ng==
03 Aug 2009 01:04:54 PM IST
HYDERABAD: All construction projects must have rigorous environmental impact assessments according to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification issued by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. However, in a controversial move, Mass Rapid Transit System projects, which include the numerous Metro projects coming up in different Indian cities, were exempted from
the list of projects needing environmental clearance.
The Notification was issued in 2006 and since then activists and civil society
groups all over the country, including in Hyderabad, have been trying to get
Metro projects included in the list of projects that need prior environmental
clearance.
These groups are exerting pressure on the Union government demanding that MRTS
projects too need prior environmental clearance.
The Citizens for Better Public Transport in Hyderabad (CBPTH), a coalition of
groups in Andhra Pradesh that has been spearheading the agitation against the
Hyderabad Metro project and demanding more public debate on its pros and cons,
has affixed its signature to the letter to be submitted to the Minister.
C Ramachandraiah, convener of CBPTH said, “It is ridiculous to exclude Metro
projects when airports and other construction projects need prior environmental
clearance”.
Projects that are listed as needing environmental clearance by the EIA
Notification need to go through certain procedures including screening, public
consultation and appraisals. “Since metro projects have been removed from the
purview of the EIA Notification they do not even need public consultations,
which is mandatory for other construction projects,” says K S Murthy, an
advocate who specialises in environmental litigation.
Public consultations refers to the process by which the concerns of local
affected persons are ascertained.
The CBPTH says that since public consultations are not happening, the Metro
officials have no incentive to place any records or documents pertaining to the
project in the public domain. “They have refused to divulge any information
about the project,” said Ramachandraiah. “We are not against the Metro per
se, if the project is good then people will support it, all we are asking for is
more transparency,” he added.
The surprising thing is that MRTS projects were included in the list of projects
that needed clearance in the draft EIA Notification issued in 2005. In a letter
dated September 15, 2005, a copy of which is with Expresso, none other than
Delhi Metro Managing Director, E Sreedharan, who was a consultant to the
Hyderabad Metro, urged the Environment and Forests Ministry to exempt MRTS
projects from environmental clearance.
The letter reads ‘MRTS projects are environment friendly, they reduce air and
noise pollution, bring down the number of accidents and help in the overall
preservation and enhancement of city environment.
Requirement of obtaining environmental clearance for MRTS projects will be a
retrograde step and would cause a delay in their implementation. I would request
the MOEF to consider excluding MRTS projects like the Railway projects from the
requirement of prior environmental clearance before their implementation’.
Subsequently, the 2006 EIA Notification dropped MRTS projects from requiring
prior environmental clearance.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 08/14/2009 : 19:48:14
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MMTS Phase-II cost stops govt on tracks
Koride Mahesh, TNN 15 August 2009, 01:46am IST
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HYDERABAD: The green signal by the Railway Board for taking up MMTS Phase-II had put the state government on cloud nine a couple of months ago. But
now, it turns out the euphoria was shortlived as the estimated cost of the project has gone up to a whopping Rs 1,800 crore, from the initial Rs 384 crore when proposed.
The state government is clearly worried over the estimated cost as it had agreed to bear 66 per cent of the project cost, which comes to about Rs 1,000 crore.
The South Central Railway (SCR), which has prepared the estimations, sent the proposals to the state government last week. It included land acquisition, coaches and other costs of the project. The MMTS Phase-II project is spread over 148 km in six different routes around the city.
When Phase-II was first proposed in 2005-06, the estimated cost was Rs 384 crore. We thought, at the maximum, the estimated cost could have doubled. But what is being quoted now has come as a shock, an official of municipal administration and urban development department (MA&UD) said.
If the estimated cost remains high, the state government will have no option but to take up only one or two priority routes like Secunderabad to Manoharabad and Falaknuma to Shamshabad international airport, a senior official associated with the project said.
Both the Railway Board and the state government had decided to take up MMTS Phase-II on a priority basis in June 2009. It was also decided that SCR would rework on the estimations for proposed routes like Secunderabad-Medchal-Manoharabad (43 km), Secunderabad-Ghatkesar and Bhongir (46 km), Falaknuma-Umdanagar-Shamshabad (20 km), Tellapur to Patancheru (8 km), Moulali to Sanathnagar (21 km), Moulali-Malkajgiri-Sitaphalmandi and Kachiguda (10 km).
The state government is keen on MMTS Phase-II as the number of MMTS commuters has increased to one lakh passengers per day.
Also, it would reduce the traffic congestion to a great extent in the city. Buoyed by the increasing use of MMTS, the state government had conducted a feasibility study through a private firm in February 2008. The report said first priority should be given to Secunderabad-Medchal route, second to Secunderabad-Ghatkesar and the third to Shamshabad. The existing MMTS Phase-I covers about 43 kms.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 08/17/2009 : 19:11:28
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MMTS-II works to be divided
Part of work to be put off for phase 3 to reduce cost burden
HYDERABAD: Multi-Modal Transit System (MMTS) phase two could receive a much needed fillip when Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy meets senior railway officials later this week. Scheduled to be held on August 21 to discuss these and other pending railway matters, the meeting could set off a much awaited concrete plan for extending suburban rail services.
Both Railways and the State government are pretty keen on the project as it will be of immense help to the commuting public, disclosed a senior official. The only hurdle in setting phase two works in motion soon could be the final cost. The South Central Railway (SCR) has informed that as per its revised estimate, the cost could be about Rs. 1,800 crore.
Since the government has reiterated its commitment to pick up two-thirds of cost, it might have to shell out at least Rs. 1,200 crore. However, to reduce government burden during these recessionary times, officials have come out with an innovative plan.
It was suggested that the government share could be reduced to Rs. 800 crore if a part of the phase two works are hived off and put off for phase three. Instead of taking MMTS services till Manoharabad and Bhongir right away, they can be extended till Medchal and Ghatkesar, respectively.
It would take at least three years to complete phase two and the government would be comfortable spending Rs. 200 to 300 crore annually. We can take up remaining work under phase three, explained an official.
SCR cost estimates are for doubling of track between Falaknuma and Umdanagar (13.5 km) and a new line from Umdanagar to Shamshabad airport (6.5 km) which was estimated at Rs. 100.9 crore and the government had already given consent to these works.
Other expenses are for developing new stations, rolling stock and routes agreed by both the government and SCR at a meeting held in Railway Board two months ago. Routes finalised then are: Maula AliSanathnagar (21 km), Moula Ali-Malkajgiri-Sitaphalmandi-Kachiguda (10 km), Secunderabad-Medchal-Manoharabad (41 km), Secunderabad-Ghatkesar-Bhongir (46 km) and Lingampally-Patancheru (8 km).
Further, it was decided that Maula Ali-Sanathnagar and Maula Ali-Kachiguda sections have to be double line electrified to bypass for decongesting Secunderabad railway station.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 09/03/2009 : 19:34:19
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AP extends pre qualification bid for Hyderabad Metro
http://steelguru.com/news/index/2009/09/03/MTA5OTMw/AP_extends_pre_qualification
_bid_for_Hyderabad_Metro.html
Thursday, 03 Sep 2009
BL reported that Andhra Pradesh government has extended the date for pre qualification for the Hyderabad Metro Rail project by 18 days.
From September 15, the prequalification deadline has been extended to October 3 based on some of the bidders' request who cited difficulties in complying with the earlier deadline.
Alongside, the Government has also brought about some flexibility in bidding norms for companies in terms of the overall project size and also turnover limits.
(
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 09/06/2009 : 19:48:18
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MMTS delays disrupt schedules
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/node/62774/print
Sep 03 2009
The Hyderabad MMTS may be already notorious for its laissez-faire attitude, but the suburban rail services seem to be trying hard to best their own record of tardiness lately — trains are now plying up to an hour behind schedule now! A sizeable percentage of the Hyderabadi populace depend on MMTS and now with techies robbed off shuttle services, the demand has only increased. What really
irks commuters though is that with no announcements to inform them about the estimated delay, it’s almost like they are expected to develop some kind of Extra Sensory Perception to deal with the situation. Techies’ work schedules are dotted with glitches, thanks to the unreliable MMTS. Nisheeth Sinha, who commutes 30 km from Sitaphalmandi to Hitec City by the MMTS every day says, “If it happens for a day or two, it is acceptable. But day after day, trains are delayed by more than forty minutes or even an hour. And this happens during peak hours! Nobody seems to be bothered about the
timings despite the fact that it completely ruins our schedules.”
With no other mode of transport, professionals are forced to resign their everyday routines to the mercy of the MMTS. Pawan Devarasetty, a city techie,says, “I usually board the MMTS at Malakpet. But every day, the train reaches only 40 minutes past the scheduled arrival time. Added to this, there are no announcements informing us about how late the train was running. One can’t even decide to go by another mode of transport as everyone’s left clueless.
The announcement is made only seconds before the train arrives.”
“I end up working late since I reach office late. I’ve now decided not to use the services anymore,” adds Pavan.
Lack of separate MMTS tracks plays the biggest spoilsport and commuters speculate that suburban trains are stalled because long-distance express trains are given preference. Sandeep Gabbula, a financial analyst working in Mahindra Satyam, says, “There are no separate tracks built by MMTS and they ply on the same ones built for long distance trains. Hence, MMTS trains are made to wait for almost 45 minutes.” The Railway authorities however, choose to play down people’s issues and spew out generic statistics instead. Chandrima Roy, Chief PRO, South Central Railways, says, “In August 2009, only six per cent of MMTS trains were more than 20 minutes late and 89 per cent were less than 15 minutes late” Authorities also admit that the recent spate of rains are to be blamed for the delays. “There have been signal failures at Sanathnagar and Hafeezpet due to
the heavy rains in the last few days,” she says. Talking about their inability to inform about the delays in advance, Chandrima
says, “Most stations like Borabanda, Hitec City etc. are only halt stations, they don’t have the infrastructure to predict the position of the trains. Only stations that have the necessary equipment can do so. In another 4 months, we will have GPRS-embedded MMTS trains that will point out the exact position of the trains so that announcements are made with precision.” Until then, MMTS commuters are better off honing their ESP.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2009 : 10:13:22
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Hyderabad Metro extends deadline for applications
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2009/10/02/stories/2009100251581700.htm
Hyderabad, Oct. 1 Following representations by some of the infrastructure firms bidding for the Hyderabad Metro rail project, the Andhra Pradesh Government has extended the deadline for receipt of Request for Qualification (RFQ applications from October 3 to November 2.
The decision to extend deadline by one month, follows a similar extension given recently on the request of some of the bidders.
The bidders had cited that they require additional time for approvals by their respective boards and also to complete the spade work for this mega project. Since the project involves procurement of various certificates of experience and other technical and financial credentials from multiple agencies, vetting of legal documents of foreign companies by Indian embassies.
Multiple agencies
The bidders have also run into travel advisories sent in by some countries due to the swine flu scare.
With this development, the Hyderabad Metro has also extended the date for
submission of financial bids to January 22, 2010, according to a Hyderabad Metro
statement.
The Hyderabad Metro project has come in for re-bidding process after the State
Government had earlier this year cancelled the Maytas Infra-led consortium’s
contract for delay in achieving financial closure in spite of extension of time.
The Maytas Infra board has taken up the matter with the Andhra Pradesh High Court challenging the cancellation of the contract. The mater is pending disposal.
Meanwhile, infrastructure companies, including ADAG, GVK, Lanco Infratech, are among others now in fray to bid for the project with their consortium partners.
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S.ravi
Advanced Member
India
4205 Posts |
Posted - 10/25/2009 : 00:01:35
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Work on Hyderabad Metro Rail to start in May
PTI 24 October 2009, 07:51pm IST
HYDERABAD: The Metro Rail Project work in Hyderabad will start by May next year and expected to be completed by the end of 2014.
The Chief Minister K Rosaiah, who held a review meeting with the officials here on Saturday, said that the prestigious MRTS Project was delayed due to various circumstances and directed the Metro Rail authorities to strictly adhere to the current bidding schedule for prequalification and financial bids.
Rosaiah, who also reviewed various Railway projects and proposals, said that he will take up with Union Minister of Railways, Mamata Banerjee, the sanction of MMTS Phase-II, increase in allocation of funds for on-going Railway projects in Andhra Pradesh, new Railway line proposals like Srikalahasti-Nadikude; Kovvur-Bhadrachalam and other lines.
He will also discuss with the Railway Minister regarding introduction of new commuter trains on various Railway lines in Andhra Pradesh and for merger of Visakhapatnam division with South Central Railway.
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Hyderabad metro news
