Mott MacDonald to design six new metro stations in India
August 17, 2013
Mott MacDonald Group Limited, a UK-based engineering services consultancy, has secured a contract to provide the detailed design for six new metro stations on Phase II of the rapid metro rail network in Gurgaon, India.
Mott MacDonald stated that the metro is being developed by Rapid Metro Rail Gurgaon to help meet the transportation requirements between Gurgaon and Delhi.
Phase I comprises a 5.1km rail loop connecting Cyber City, NH-8 and Sikanderpur station on Delhi Metro Line 2. The construction work on the phase I began in 2008.
Phase II, worth INR1.5 billion ($27.27 million), will see a 6.5km rail line extend the network southwards and include six elevated metro stations, DLF Phase I, Sushant Lok, Sec. 42 Crossing, Sector 54-53, AIT Chowk and Sector 55-56. The stations will be situated above existing carriageways and will include residential and commercial spaces. Phase II is expected to be completed by late 2016.
Under the terms of the contract, Mott MacDonald will provide architectural, structural and building services design for the six stations. The project will be developed using renewable energy sources such as solar power, energy efficient design and rain water harvesting. The project will seek to achieve LEED sustainability certification.
http://www.worldconstructionnetwork.com
Mott MacDonald wins contract for metro project in India
August 17, 2013
Mott MacDonald has secured a contract from Hindustan Construction Company–Samsung joint venture for providing detailed design services for phase III of the Delhi Metro project in India.
Pursuant to the contract, the company will provide geotechnical, civil and structural engineering services for contract CC34, which is part of the Janakpuri West to Kalindi Kunj metro corridor. The project is due for completion in 2016.
The scope of work involves designing and construction of a 4.5km tunnel from Janakpuri West to Palam. The tunnel will be built using shield tunnel boring machine. The other component of the project includes construction of underground metro stations at Janakpuri West, Dabri Mor and Dashrath Puri as well as interchanges with existing elevated metro stations.
Mott MacDonald Group Limited provides engineering, management, and development consultancy services to public and private sectors worldwide. The company is headquartered in Croydon, the UK.
Source-http://www.worldconstructionnetwork.com
Maharashtra to stand by DMRC’s elevated metro proposal
August 14, 2013
TNN/
PUNE: The state government will stick to the elevated metro plan proposed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for Pune, setting aside all the objections raised by NGOs, civic groups and the state finance department, deputy chief minister AjitPawar said on Saturday.
He was speaking during an interaction with the media at the Pune Union of Working Journalists.
Pawar said, “It is a fact that the metro project has been delayed. We have heard all the suggestions made by NGOs, experts, citizens and political parties. For the last few years the city has debated about (the merits and demerits of) underground and elevated metro. However, the fact is the city cannot afford an underground metro and hence we have decided to go ahead with the original plan (proposed by the DMRC).”
Pawar said, however, the state was not in a position to announce an exact date of completion for the metro project.
He added, “Recently, a delegation from a citizens’ group headed by Vijay Kelkar submitted a memorandum saying Pune should have an underground metro. We need to understand that an underground metro project is unaffordable and the resultant fares will also be high. The motive to have public transport will be defeated if citizens refuse to use metro because of high fares.”
Pawar said the state finance department has raised objections to the financial model for the project. “The state government will overrule objections raised by the finance department and go ahead with the project. The finance department has its own views, which are not binding on the cabinet. (For instance), the proposal of pensions for MLAs was opposed by the finance department, but the cabinet approved it.”
Finance department officials have suggested that the municipal corporation’s share in the total project cost be hiked to 20% from the existing 10%, while the state and central governments should put in 20% each. The rest should be raised by the Special Purpose Vehicle.
Source-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Phase-1 of Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar metro to be operational by 2017
August 8, 2013
Ahmedabad: Gujarat Government’s much anticipated Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar metro rail project is close to veracity with the phase-1 is ready for completion in 2017.
Metrolink Express for Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad (MEGA) a state-formed special purpose vehicle (SPV) for the project execution, expressed that the first phase of the Rs19,000-crore metro rail project between Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, spanning over 83 km will be commissioned by 2017.
According to an official at MEGA, Request for Proposals (RFPs) of all major systems and procurement have already been floated and tenders related to civil construction is under finalization process. “The first phase of the project will be completed in 2017 and the rest in 2021,” he said.
EPC World News Bureau
Source-http://www.epcworld.in
Probe faults DMRC for IGI Metro mess
August 8, 2013
TNN |
NEW DELHI: A month after Delhi Metro took over the operations of the Airport Metro Express, it faces a tough task ahead. The urban development ministry has handed over the report of inquiry committee set up to fix responsibility for the closure of the airport link to the DMRC board and asked it to take action fast. The report has found not only the concessionaire and contractors but also the Metro officials responsible.
The two-member committee had found deficiencies on the part of various agencies, said minister of state for urban development Deepa Dasmunshi in a written reply in Lok Sabha. These agencies include the concessionaire, DAMEPL, construction contractor (M/s IJM-IJMI JV), airport line consultant (PCI-PBI-JARTS-TONICHI- RITES), detailed design consultants M/s Systra and also DMRC, she said. In its first report, the panel had identified Kumar Keshav, then DMRC director (projects), for “system failure”. It had also held responsible five officials—then chief project manager O P Singh, then deputy chief engineers Ravi Kapoor and J P Vashist, deputy general manager ( finance) Sanjeev Mehta and assistant manager Deepak Patiar — for being involved in the contract awarded to IJM-IJMI joint venture. Keshav no longer works with the Metro. He worked with Delhi Metro for a decade.
He executed important projects like the Dwarka, Inderlok- Mundka and Central Secretariat-Badarpur lines. He was promoted as director (projects and planning) in December 2009
The minister also said after the report was submitted, one member of the committee submitted a supplementary note for fixing responsibility also on Mangu Singh, then director (works), and R N Joshi, then director (finance). But the other member felt there was no reason for the top management to interfere in the day-to-day working and the responsibility attributed to the top management of DMRC was not justified.
In her reply, the minister said DMRC had spent over Rs 14.03 crore on repairing the bearings and intended to recover this cost from the construction contractor and partially from DAMEPL. Dasmunshi said the report was referred to the Central Vigilance Commission, and according to its advice, it has been forwarded to DMRC.
In response to another question in Lok Sabha related to the Airport Metro Express corridor, Dasmunshi said that Reliance Infra had invoked the termination clause and claimed termination payments from DMRC.She said that the DMRC had also invoked the arbitration mechanism available within the concession agreement to resolve disputes between both the parties.The fate of DMRC managing director Mangu Singh and seven serving and former functionaries now depends on the DMRC board.
Source-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Delhi Metro second largest in southeast Asia in ridership
July 31, 2013
“In last six months, the average per day ridership of Delhi metro has risen to 2.01 million per day,” he said.
The highest ridership was recorded on July 1, at a massive 2.36 million on the 190-km long metro line.
According to figures provided by DMRC, the per day average ridership was 18 lakh in the first six months of 2012. It increased to 19.61 lakh per day in the second half of the year.
Singapore had a per day average ridership of 1.94 million in 2012 on its 148.9 km-long network, while Taipei had an average ridership of 1.71 million per day in May 2013. The length of its network is 115.6 km.
Hong Kong metro, meanwhile, had an average ridership of 4 million per day in 2012 on its 115.6 km-long line.
IANS
Forgot something in Delhi Metro? Call helpline
July 31, 2013
New Delhi: With lost credit cards, driving licences, clothes and lunch boxes piling up in their store rooms, Delhi Metro has now set up a new helpline so that people can inquire about things lost-and-found, an official said on Friday.
Apart from this new mobile helpline number, the Lost and Found Office at Kashmere Gate Metro station already has another number 011-23860837, where passengers can enquire about lost belongings.
The passengers can also check the website, www.delhimetrorail.com, which offers a brief description of articles lost-and-found.
“The passenger can approach the respective Metro station within 24 hours of its display on the website to claim the item. After 24 hours, it is moved to the Lost and Found Office at Kashmere Gate station,” the statement said.
According to Metro officials, about 10 items are lost and found on Delhi Metro at its 139 station-network every day.
Delhi Metro, the city’s lifeline, ferries nearly two million passengers on weekdays and makes over 2,800 trips daily.
IANS
South Campus to get linked by Delhi Metro in Phase
July 31, 2013
New Delhi: Commuting to Delhi University’s South Campus will be much easier for thousands of students as Delhi Metro has decided to construct a station at Dhaula Kuan especially for them.
The 59-km long Mukundpur-Shiv Vihar metro line will have an elevated station at Dhaula Kuan, adjacent to Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College of South Campus, the spokesperson said.
“The station will have entry/exit points near the foot over-bridge on the route. It will also help in easing traffic there,” he said.
Apart from South Campus headquarters, seven other colleges are located near Dhaula Kuan, and every year thousands of students take up undergraduate and postgraduate courses here.
Delhi Metro in its 140-km Phase III project is aiming at connecting North Campus to South Campus. Commuters would have to change trains at Azadpur and INA stations to reach their destination.
By 2021, as per estimates, 15,000 commuters will be using this metro line daily.
PTI
Delhi Metro, Delhi Tourism to promote tourism
July 31, 2013
New Delhi: Delhi Metro and Delhi Tourism Wednesday signed a pact to jointly promote tourism in the capital.
Delhi Metro will identify five metro stations where Delhi Tourism will open information counters. The first of them will be at Dwarka.
IANS
DMRC begins preparations to operate airport express line
July 15, 2013
PTI New Delhi, June 29, 2013
A day after Reliance Infra refused to operate the Delhi Airport Metro line beyond June 30, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation on Saturday said it has started all the necessary arrangements required to take over operations of the 22.7 km long express link.
“DMRC has started all necessary arrangements required for taking over the operations of the airport express link, if any such requirement arises, in the wake of a recent letter by the concessionaire communicating that they (Reliance Infra) will not be able to run the services after the business hours of June 30,” a DMRC spokesperson said.
Reliance Infra owned Delhi Airport Metro Express Private Limited (DAMEPL) had written a letter on June 27 expressing its inability to continue operations from the night of June 30.
Yesterday, in a board meeting the DMRC had rejected the notice given by Reliance Infra, and termed it as a “violation” of the Concessionaire Agreement and the ongoing Arbitration proceedings.
An Operations and Maintenance team of 100 officials has been created under DMRC’s director, operations, Sharat Sharma to handle the operations of the airport line, the spokesperson said.
DMRC’s managing director Mangu Singh has also formed a core committee of seven senior officials to handle extreme emergency situations.
Officers and staff will be deputed for all the strategic departments such as Operations, Traction, Electrical and Maintenance, Civil, Signalling and Communications, Security, Rolling Stock and Finance, he said.
An Operations Control Manager (OCM) will also be appointed with a dedicated team to take over the control of all the important Operations Control Centre (OCC) of the line, from where the Express link operations are monitored.
However, the staff currently employed by the concessionaire in station management and train operations will continue to carry on with their responsibilities under the DMRC’s supervision.
“Senior DMRC officials today had a meeting with the officials of the concessionaire, Delhi Airport Metro Express Private Limited for the smooth transition of the services. Both the organisations are working together to ensure the continuation of the smooth functioning of the line,” the DMRC spokesperson said.
Source-http://www.hindustantimes.com