To unclog Delhi, hop into a streetcar named strategy
September 10, 2014
Fighting congestion by widening a road is like loosening your belt to fight obesity’ – US-based traffic engineer Walter Kulash’s observation about Orlando couldn’t have been more appropriate for Delhi.
To unclog the streets of Delhi, what we first need is an exhaustive and specific study to understand what clogs our roads. The city’s top experts believe that instead of incremental and reactive measures such as building one flyover after another, what Delhi needs is a comprehensive transport policy.
Hindustan Times has been running a month-long series ‘Unclog Delhi’ and as part of the campaign, we invited the top transport and planning experts of Delhi for a brainstorming session. One issue on which all experts agreed was the immediate need for a vision document for Delhi’s transport planning and an umbrella body that could coordinate with the multitude of authorities to come up with an integrated transport plan.
AK Jain, former commissioner (planning), Delhi Development Authority, said that instead of a study of Delhi’s traffic demand management, short-term measures such as creating more flyovers and roundabouts are taken to deal with immediate problems.
Sinha emphasised on the need for an umbrella body for transport planning. “In most cities with successful transport and traffic scenario such as New York and London, it is the municipality’s responsibility,” he said. “In Delhi, the transport department reports to the government and is responsible for giving licenses, municipalities do not have time to handle anything beyond water and sewage, the DTC is autonomous, DDA does only land planning and PWD only builds roads and flyovers. Everyone passes the buck,” he said.
The experts also believe that instead of planning just the smooth movement of cars, transport planning should focus on the mobility of more people in a faster way. “There is no road designing in Delhi. Most roads have been designed just for motor vehicles,” said AK Bhattacharjee, former director, Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure (Planning & Engineering) Centre (UTTIPEC).
He said that Delhi’s streets have been designed as highways, which lack all components to ensure equitable distribution of road space for all, including pedestrians and cyclists. “Of the Rs. 3,500 crore budget for transport in Delhi, Rs. 2000 crore goes into building flyovers. What about other transport and road infrastructure?” he said.
Strengthening Delhi’s public transport system and making it more seamless could help wean away people from private transport but what is required is proper last-mile connectivity, something the Delhi Metro sorely needs in spite of emerging as Delhi’s lifeline.
“When you have a world-class Metro in Delhi, why can’t you invest in last-mile connectivity?” said Professor PK Sarkar, head of transport planning department, School of Planning and Architecture. “Is flyover an essential requirement or do you have to see greater mobility?” he said.
Dr Sewa Ram, Associate Professor, School of Planning and Architecture, said that the issue of feeder services for Metro has been completely neglected when that and auto rickshaws should be a part of a lay-out plan. “There should be operational integration between different modes of public transport and fare integration on the principle of defined time, defined value. There is a need for a common mobility card,” he said.
“Ideally, one should spend two-third of the funds on the main route and one-third on the feeder service. What is happening is the opposite. People end up paying more on feeder services and less in Metro,” he said.
“Along Metro lines, traffic has gone up by 2-3% but away from Metro lines, traffic has seen a 9% growth rate. Mass transport has reduced traffic growth rate,” said Dr K Ravinder, senior scientist, Central Road Research Institute.
Jain said that alternative modes of transport can be used to lessen the pressure on Delhi’s roads. One such way is energising the existing Ring Railway of the city. He also said that radical innovations, such as using Delhi’s canals, which measure about 350 km, as waterways can also be looked into.
Govt sets ball rolling for smart city project in Ujjain
September 10, 2014
The Union government will soon start the process for construction of a ‘smart city’ near Ujjain which will be developed under Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) project.
The Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (DMICDC) plans to invite bids for developing trunk infrastructure for the smart city at Vikram Udyogpuri near Ujjain by October, an industry department official told HT.
The DMICDC will invite international competitive bidding for developing trunk infrastructure including water supply, sewerage treatment and roadways among others. The government will provide funds for the trunk infrastructure through DMIC Trust.
The state government has proposed to develop 444 hectare land for residential, commercial, public and semi-public buildings besides educational institutes and industrial training institutes (ITIs). “The first phase project cost has been estimated at Rs. 808.60 crore and it will be completed by 2019,” the official said.
The Vikram Udyogpuri township will consist of automotive and auto components, IT and engineering services industries and educational institutions.
In January this year, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) had approved the development of trunk infrastructure for Vikram Udyogpuri which falls in Pithampur-Dhar-Mhow investment region of the DMIC project. According to official estimates, the industrial township at Vikram Udyogpuri is expected to attract private sector investments of around Rs. 13,000 crore.
A special purpose vehicle has already been floated for the project, which will invite private developers to develop, operate and maintain real estate projects and commercial development on Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis and operation and maintenance of selected trunk infrastructure. The SPV comprises the subsidiaries of the Madhya Pradesh government and DMIC Trust.
A smart city must have three of the five infrastructure requirements – energy management, water management, transport and traffic, safety and security and solid waste management. At the same time, it must have three of the five application domains – healthcare, education, inclusion, participative governance and community services.
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) will lend funds for the project.
Chandigarh to be ‘rebuilt’ as smart city, minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju says
September 10, 2014
On his maiden visit to the city as a minister, he said that he held meetings with the officers of the local administration and discussed the issues of development of the city.
“Whole of Chandigarh will be fresh (developed as new) … it will re-built … the MHA under which Chandigarh comes will ensure that it comes up as a smart city,” he said.
The minister, who also attended the passing out parade of ITBP near here, said the Centre is prepared for all possible help for development of Chandigarh.
Rijiju, who also inaugurated the solar power plant and newly built auditorium in the PG government college for girls at Sector 42 here, said that Chandigarh being an ideal city, it is appropriate that the college has gone in for solar energy which would be the energy of the future.
The minister said that the state of the act auditorium would help in honing and developing the skills of students in the extra-curricular activities, which are as important as studies.
He refused to comment on controversy created over recent remarks by Union minister Arun Jaitley on rape and its affect on tourism. “I won’t comment on it,” he said.
On the issue of special privileges, including passes to visit restricted areas and free air travel reportedly sought by BJP MP’s for their personal secretaries, the minister said that “we take review of excesses of ministers and officers and then decide upon it.”
“I can’t comment upon it (privileges) … I will discuss with the BJP and come back with a reply,” he added.
Meanwhile, Kirron Kher, Lok Sabha MP from Chandigarh, said that she would make all effort to make Chandigarh the first smart city in the country.
She expressed her happiness to be involved in the development of the city.
The new auditorium has a seating capacity of 600 and was built at a cost of Rs 5 crore in three years.
Meeting of state ministers called to push smart cities vision
September 10, 2014
NEW DELHI: In its bid to finalise the roadmap for NDA’s flagship scheme “100 smart cities” the Centre has called a meeting of state urban development ministers on September 12 for consultation.
Union urban development minister Venkaiah Naidu said on Thursday that he has written to the states to participate in the meeting since state governments have to play a big role in this pet project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Claiming that the planning for this massive programme is in advanced stage of finalisation, Naidu said, “Foreign governments have also sent notes on this expressing interest. We are studying them and will come out with a policy soon,” he said.
On Wednesday, the secretary to the urban development ministry Shankar Aggarwal had said that the process for finalising the framework for smart cities is a huge exercise and all possible pitfalls, effects and other factors are being considered before announcement of the policy. He had also said that private sector will have huge opportunities to put these projects in place.
He had also said that builders and developers for the smart cities would be adequately incentivised. As a part of the plan, while a few new cities would be developed as “smart” ones the prime focus is on improving infrastructure and living conditions in existing cities.
Soon, no tolls for motorists on roads connecting JNPT
September 10, 2014
Navi Mumbai: Motorists plying on major roads leading to and from the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), who are not port-bound, will not have to pay toll soon. Instead, the toll amount will be recovered only from port-bound vehicles at the JNPT end.
JN Port Road Company Limited — a special purpose vehicle (SPV) floated with equity participation by JNPT, City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) and National Highways Authority of India – has dropped the BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) model of widening the three roads at a cost of Rs 2,700 crore (revised estimate).
Sources from Cidco said that the BOT model, which involved recovery of investment through toll from all motorists, was dropped to avoid people’s ire related to payment of toll.
Now, JN Port Road Company Limited has decided to undertake the project on EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) model under orders from union minister of shipping, road transport and highways, Nitin Gadkari.
JNPT chairman N N Kumar said, “This BOT model has been dropped officially following orders from Nitin Gadkari. A decision has been taken by the SPV board and a tender is likely to be issued in another 20 days.”
Gadkari is understood to have dropped the toll model on roads leading to and from JNPT, as PM’s visit to the city on August 16 came in the backdrop of the state’s decision to consider waiving off toll on the cost it incurred on upgrading the 10-laning of the Sion Panvel highway (Rs 1,220 crore) from BARC to Kalamboli.
During his visit, Narendra Modi also laid the foundation stone for JNPT SEZ, at Sheva. It is the first port-led growth envisioned by the PM on engineering, procurement and construction model.
On Thursday, Congress chief minister Prithviraj Chavan responded to an earlier suggestion made by Ajit Pawar for a waiver of toll on the Sion-Panvel highway, and said, “A decision is likely in a few days.” Pawar had sought Cidco to pay Rs 1,000 crore and the MMRDA to bear the rest of the cost.
Apart from this, motorists have another reason to cheer. They can enjoy a seamless drive along three roads leading to and from the port – NH-4B, SH-54 and Amre Marg – as specific stretches would be widened soon with the addition of lanes and service roads (See Box). The project will also aid container trailers plying to and from the port. As the present capacity of freight handled will go up once the fourth JNPT terminal becomes operational, the number of container trailers will also increase.
Source:Times of India
Rajasthan high court stays toll hike on Jaipur-Delhi highway
September 10, 2014
Justice MN Bhandari has directed the NHAI and the contractor to file an affidavit within seven days. The next hearing of the case is on September 10.
The order came during the hearing of a writ petition filed by Lalit Kumar Sharma challenging the collection of toll on Jaipur-Delhi portion of NH-8 despite the poor condition of the road.
The court expressed its disappointment and came down heavily on NHAI and the lending bank, IDBI. It observed in unequivocal terms that as per the clause of the agreement, substitution can never mean reinstating the earlier contractor. The court expressed unhappiness over the careless approach of NHAI and the bank in this matter. The court also asked how the toll could be increased when the default continued. The NHAI stated that the increase in toll was due to the maintenance work of the existing four lanes. On this, the court expressed its displeasure and stayed the increase in toll till an affidavit is filed by the NHAI and the contractor saying that there exist a proper and maintained four-lane highway.
NHAI could not answer a question as to by what authority the bank was taking such decisions against the provisions of the agreement. If any inquiry is conducted and the fault of bank comes to light, it can be made a party and prosecuted by the court.
Singapore to help India in smart cities project
September 10, 2014
SINGAPORE: Having allocated over Rs 7,000 crore in its recent budget for development of 100 ‘smart cities’, India today roped in Singapore for providing its expertise in this even as the two countries decided to step up economic engagement besides defence and security cooperation.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj concluded a hectic 24-hour visit here with an understanding with this city-state to identify concrete projects in skills development and rejuvenation of Indian cities which would include ‘smart cities’.
The concept of ‘smart cities’ as satellite towns of larger ones was enunciated in last month’s budget by the new NDA government which has allocated a sum of Rs 7,060 crore for the ambitious plan.
“Singapore’s expertise in smart cities, urban planning and water management strategies offer a valuable learning experience for India. We shall work for setting up greenfield smart cities and for urban rejuvenation. Our experts shall identify the priorities and we shall coordinate its timely delivery,” Swaraj said before leaving for New Delhi
Source:Economic Times
Akhilesh Yadav counters PM Narendra Modi’s smart cities with digital villages
September 10, 2014
LUCKNOW: The ruling SP may have been routed in the LS polls by the Narendra Modi juggernaut but CM Akhilesh Yadav is gearing up to counter the PM’s governance agenda with people-centric initiatives.
If Modi has been talking about ‘Smart Cities’, Yadav has quietly put together the framework for a massive ‘Digital Villages’ project, which aims to provide a host of services to the rural population, speedily and at their doorstep.
The Smart Villages project envisages linking up of 16,000 fully computerised Jan Suvidha Kendras (JSKs) in villages across the state to central data centres holding digitised government records so that any document or certificate needed by the villagers can be accessed and provided to them “over the counter” without any delay.
These documents relate to land records (khasra-khatauni), caste certificates, taxes, domicile, income certificates, death and birth certificates, etc. As part of this initiative, 53 such documents or certificates will be made available to villagers over the counter at the JSKs.
Most of the work that a common man has with the government relates to either land records or caste certificates and other such documents, said Naveen Kumar GS, special secretary, IT. “They have to travel to the district headquarter or the block office which involves much time, cost and endless delays which hurt poor villagers. Normally a person would have to travel for 15 days before getting the documents in his hands,” he said, adding, “We have initiated the JSKs with the aim of making these services available in the village itself. One JSK has been set up for every six villages in the state. So a villager can find a JSK a short walk away – 16,000 JSKs are already up and running.”
Toll exemption planned for Kamothe locals, govt fears backlash from others
September 10, 2014
The residents of Panvel, Kamothe, Khanda Colony, Kalamboli and nearby areas, who commute daily to Mumbai and Thane via Airoli, want the Kamothe toll post to be removed or their vehicles to be exempted from paying toll. The Vashi and Kamothe posts charge Rs 30 each for a one-way journey, and the two-way total for both amounts to Rs 120 a day.
A panel led by chief secretary Swadhin Kshatriya has submitted the toll exemption recommendation for Kamothe locals to the government for chief minister Prithviraj Chavan’s approval. The panel was set up by the CM following
an agitation by local residents led by legislator Prashant
Thakur.
A source said the CM may prefer to buy time. Around eight lakh people live around the other five toll posts on Mumbai’s entry points, and the government fears that covering all of them before the polls will be a headache.
The toll policy that was approved by the state recently has allowed monthly passes for those living in a 5km periphery of a toll post, the rate being 10 times the one-way toll charge. Thus, each motorist living close to a toll naka needs to pay Rs 300 a month.
If the Vashi toll post is taken into consideration, the monthly payment for a motorist living in Panvel to enter Mumbai would amount to Rs 3,600 once the Kamothe post starts operating.
Source:Times of India
An engine that will help vehicles, humans breathe easy
September 9, 2014
: Thrissur-based septuagenarian inventor K.U. Varunny, who has nine patents in his name, including two U.S. patents, has made it again. This time with a vehicle engine that always runs at a constant speed.
He claims the engine will reduce air pollution caused by vehicles by 75 per cent.
“Pollution by vehicles is a serious problem today. The maximum pollution is caused when the engine runs in slow speed range, and also during high speed range beyond the maximum torque level. The situation gets worse when the engine is accelerated or decelerated, during which period it is practically impossible for the engine to inhale the correct quantity of air in spite of the modern computer controls,” says the 79-year-old engineer.
The new concept developed by Mr. Varunny is an engine, which keeps running at constant speed, at its maximum torque level, normally at about 60 per cent of the highest speed, where in the combustion efficiency is at the maximum.
The required output speed is achieved by adjusting the output speed of a ‘Planetary gear train’ connected to the engine.
The accelerator pedal at present connected to the carburetor/fuel pump will be replaced, and connected to the fluid delivery valve of a hydraulic pump driven by the sun gear.
The system enables the engine to always operate at its best performance level, maintaining the exact air fuel ratio and cut down the pollution by about 75 per cent.
Mr. Varunny, who had developed anti-glare system for heavy vehicles and Automobile Power Transmission system, has entered twice into the Limca Book of Records.
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