Approvals for key transport projects from the State government have set the ball rolling on much-needed enhancements to the city’s public transport system

Reeling under the pressure of an ever-expanding city and its population, Mumbai’s public transport system is in dire need of an upgrade. But over the last month, crucial projects that have been in the pipeline for years have finally inched forward.

Earlier this week, the State Cabinet gave its sanction for a slew of rail infrastructure projects worth ₹54,777 crore under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project 3A (MUTP-3A), paving the way for further approvals at the Central level. And in November, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis approved the detailed project reports of three Metro lines.

These two were among a list of transport projects approved in the last few months. In all, over ₹2 lakh crore will be spent in the coming decade on projects that will provide the much-needed upgrade.

Metro on track

While several projects are still on paper and await approvals, work on some has started. The three Metro corridors — 2A, 7 and 3 — are in different stages of completion. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) expects to throw open Metro 7 and Metro 2A next year. The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited is planning to complete 80% of the tunnelling work for Metro 3 by December 2019 and aims to commission it by 2021.

MMRDA has also started preliminary works for Metro 2B and Metro 4 and will completely barricade roads by May 2019.

Bridging regional gaps

Work to strengthen the city’s connectivity with neighbouring cities and towns has also seen some progress. While MUTP-3A awaits a nod from the Centre, the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) has completed 90% of the joint measurement surveys for three new railway corridors under the ₹10,947 crore MUTP 3: two new lines between Virar and Dahanu, a new rail corridor between Airoli and Kalwa, and a new line between Panvel and Karjat. “We hope to complete the surveys in a week, after which we will begin the process of land acquisition,” a senior MRVC official said.

The Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link, meanwhile, is also taking shape, and the general alignment will be visible by May.

The City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) is working to commission the first phase of the ₹16,450-crore Navi Mumbai International Airport by December 2019. CIDCO MD Lokesh Chandra said that 65% land development work will be over by January and a contractor will soon be appointed to build the terminal building and runway.

Other key infrastructure projects that have started in the last few months include the Coastal Road being executed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and the Versova-Bandra Sea Link being executed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation. Geo-technical surveys for both are under way.

With Lok Sabha and Assembly elections slated for next year, the government is pushing to start or at least approve as many projects as it can. At a recent conclave, Mr. Fadnavis said development projects in the city and State would remain on paper unless their implementation was taken seriously. He said most of the projects were conceived 20 years ago, but had not progressed.

Judicious mix needed

Transport expert Ajit Shenoy said the Metro corridors were necessary as the railway corridors are bursting at its seams. He said, however, that the government needs to prepare a comprehensive mobility plan, which includes all forms of transport.

“While this government has done well in starting work on three corridors, it seems to think the Metro is the only solution to all problems. The transport in the city needs to have a judicious mix of all modes, which include buses,” he said.

He said the government and the municipal corporation have neglected the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport, which should be find a prominent place in the plans for the city’s mobility.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/mumbai-is-upgrading-finally/article25706006.ece

“Railways records 73 train mishaps in 2017-18, lowest in 35 years”, “Railways’ safety record in 2017-2018 best in 57 years”, “Railways eliminates from 4 zones” — these are a few headlines which have appeared in major publications over the last two years. Despite this, the Railways’ assertion that it has significantly improved its safety record is often met with scepticism, mostly by the , but in some cases, by right-minded people too.

Source: https://swarajyamag.com/infrastructure/has-the-railways-significantly-improved-its-safety-record-under-the-modi-government

In a rare feat, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has constructed a 100 metres tall pier in the world’s tallest railway bridge being built near Noney in Manipur.

Calling it a rare feat and an achievement, an NFR spokesman state that the bridge is being constructed as part of the 111-km-long Jiribam-Tupul-Imphal new broad gauge line project.

The project picked up momentum in the last three years due to its importance as a national project.

He added that there are 45 tunnels in the project, the longest being of 10.280 km. The tunnel will also be the longest railway tunnel in the Northeast, he had stated.

The Noney Bridge is being constructed across the valley of river Ijai near Noney with a pier height of 141 meters.

“On completion, the bridge is expected to exceed the existing record of 139 meter of Mala-Rijeka viaduct in Montenegro in Europe. The total length of the bridge will be 703 meters. The piers of the bridge are constructed using hydraulic augers, the tall piers needed specially designed ‘slip-form technique’ to ensure efficient and continual construction.

The spokesman further stated that self-erecting electric lifts at each pier cater to the safe and speedy conveyance of men and materials to the top. The steel girders are pre-fabricated in a workshop, transported in segments and erected at site by cantilever launching scheme.

Source: https://nenow.in/north-east-news/nf-railway-achieves-rare-construction-feat-manipur-worlds-tallest-bridge.html

In a first of its kind notable initiative, Piyush Goyal-led Indian Railways has decided to convert its diesel locomotives to electric traction during their midlife rehabilitation.

One such diesel locomotive has been converted to electric in a record time of 69 days by the Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) in Varanasi.

Indian Railways creates world history! In a first of its kind notable initiative, Piyush Goyal-led Indian Railways has decided to convert its diesel locomotives to electric traction during their midlife rehabilitation. One such diesel locomotive has been converted to electric in a record time of 69 days by the Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) in Varanasi. The cost-effective conversion is also in line with the national transporter’s environment-friendly move of 100% electrification. According to railway officials, only Rs 2.5 crore will be spent for conversion of a diesel locomotives to electric as compared to the mid-life rehabilitation cost of Rs 5-6 crore. That’s a saving of almost 50% for the Indian Railways.

DLW Varanasi has converted a WDG3-class 2,600 HP diesel locomotive to an electric locomotive that delivers 5,000 HP which is 92% more than the older loco. The work on this ambitious project began in December 2017 and the new electric locomotive was dispatched for trials by end of February 2018. According to Indian Railways the task of converting a diesel locomotive to an electric one is a highly specialised – one which it claims has never been carried out in the world.

The combined two-unit locomotive packs 10,000 HP which is adequate to haul a load of up to around 5000 tonnes. It provides a 2:1 horse power to trailing load, considered appropriate for faster transit. Therefore, not only is it cost effective to convert the locomotive, but it also results in faster movement. The new ‘Make in India’ electric locomotive has completed trials and successfully hauled 5200 tonnes of freight on its maiden journey from Varanasi to Ludhiana at a maximum permissible speed of 75 kmph.

Indian Railways believes that the project is a step towards saving traction energy cost. This, it says will reduce Indian Railways’ fuel bill and also reduce carbon emissions besides heralding a new technology era for the national transporter.

Source:https://www.financialexpress.com/infrastructure/railways/world-record-for-indian-railways-diesel-locomotive-converted-to-electric-crores-saved-under-unique-project/1405329/