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/

 

Considering that a full-fledged US-China trade war has been one of the key concerns for Indian firms, the rise in new export orders is welcome

 

Business activity in India’s manufacturing sector increased in November, courtesy a surge in new orders. As a result, the Nikkei India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to an 11-month high of 54 in November from 53.1 in October. A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while one below that threshold points towards a contraction.

As per the survey, new orders expanded at the second-fastest rate in over two years, only slower than that seen in December 2017. Further, the expansion in total new orders was supported by greater sales to international markets. Growth of new export work quickened to the fastest in just under four years, as producers reportedly received bulk orders from clients in key export destinations, said the survey report.

Considering that a full-fledged trade war has been one of the key concerns for Indian companies, the rise in new export orders is welcome. However, the key question is whether this will sustain, given that the US and China have agreed to defer additional tariffs only temporarily.

As for input prices, they moderated in November and increased sales helped companies raise output prices. This is likely to provide some respite to the operating margins of manufacturers, who have been reeling under cost pressures.

Meanwhile, business sentiment among Indian manufacturers improved from October’s 20-month low, with companies forecasting better market conditions in the coming 12 months.

“The relatively weak demand environment seen earlier in the year showed signs of abating, with clients unfazed by another round of increases in output prices and placing more orders regardless. Correspondingly, goods producers rebuilt raw material stocks in order to guard against possible delivery delays and fulfil contracts. Manufacturers further drew down their finished goods stocks to meet demand. This, coupled with improved business sentiment, should ensure that production continues to rise at a robust clip as we head towards 2019,” said Pollyanna De Lima, principal economist at IHS Markit and author of the report.

 

Source:https://www.livemint.com/Money/Sn499fGtoU5q61xXTgyIyO/India-PMI-Rise-in-new-export-orders-is-welcome-but-sustena.html?utm_source=scroll&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=scroll

पहाड़ों की रानी शिमला की सैर अब और भी दिलकश होने जा रही है. कालका से शिमला तक टॉय ट्रेन के जरिए देश-विदेश के सैलानियों को पहले से ही हिमाचल की कुदरती खूबसूरती का दीदार करने का मौका मिलता रहा है.

लेकिन अब टूरिज्म को बढ़ावा देन के लिए रेलवे ने इस रूट पर शीशे की छत वाली कोच उतारने का फैसला किया है. रेलवे की इस नई कोशिश के बाद अब सैलानी कालका-शिमला रूट पर विस्टाडोम कोच में सवार होकर प्राकृतिक सुंदरता को करीब से निहार सकेंगे.

दरअसल अब सैलानी कालका-शिमला रेलवे ट्रैक पर विस्टाडोम यानी पारदर्शी ग्लास टॉप कोच वाली ट्रेन में सफर कर सकेंगे और सिर्फ आजू-बाजू से ही नहीं, बल्कि ऊपर से भी वादी की प्राकृतिक सुंदरता को निहार सकेंगे.

सैलानी कालका-शिमला के बीच शीशे की छत वाली विस्टाडोम कोच में 15 दिसंबर से सफर कर पाएंगे. कालका-शिमला रूट की बड़ी पहचान है कि ये यूनेस्को की चुनिंदा वल्ड हैरिटेज साइट में से एक है.

रेलवे का कहना है कि विस्टाडोम कोच के जुड़ने से इस वादी को नई पहचान मिलने जा रही है. सैलानी इस रूट पर 15 दिसंबर से 15 फरवरी तक विस्टाडोम कोच की सवारी कर पाएंगे.

96 किलोमीटर लंबे इस ट्रैक पर सफर के दौरान सैलानी वादियों के प्राकृतिक सौंदर्य को और नजदीक से देख सकेंगे. विस्टाडोम कोच में पारदर्शी छत और खिड़कियां है.

विस्टाडोम कोच को लोकप्रिय बनाने और सैलानियों को आकर्षित करने के लिए रेलवे ने इस रूट पर हॉप ऑन-हॉप ऑफ सर्विस शुरू करने का भी फैसला लिया है.

इस सुविधा के तहत यात्री कालका से शिमला के बीच किसी भी स्टेशन पर उतरकर कुछ वक्त बिता सकते हैं और फिर दूसरी रेलगाड़ी में चढ़ सकते हैं.

बता दें, कालका-शिमला रूट हमेशा से विदेशी सैलानियों के लिए आकर्षण का केंद्र रहा है, रेलवे को उम्मीद है कि इस रूट पर विस्टाडोम कोच के चलने से सैलानियों को और आनंद आएगा.

रेलवे की मानें तो विस्टाडोम कोच में कांच के छत होंगे और इनकी दृश्यता (visibility) को नियंत्रित किया जा सकेगा. इस खास ट्रेन से सैलानी बारिश और बर्फबारी का आनंद बेहतरीन तरीके से ले पाएंगे.

विस्टाडोम कोच की डिजाइनिंग बेहतरीन तरीके से की गई है. ट्रेन के अंदर भी शानदार फिनिशिंग है. सीटें गद्देदार है जिससे यात्री आराम महसूस कर सकेंगे.

विस्टाडोम कोच का आनंद लेने के लिए सैलानी देश के किसी भी हिस्से से टिकट की ऑनलाइन बुकिंग कर पाएंगे. हालांकि अभी किराये को लेकर सस्पेंस बना हुआ है. रेलवे सूत्रों की मानें तो विस्टाडोम कोच में सफर के लिए किराया डीलक्स कोच से कुछ ज्यादा होने की संभावना है.

कालका से शिमला के बीच सफर में 162 सुरंग और 889 पुल आएंगे, जिसमें काफी सुरंगे हेरिटेज सुरंग में शामिल है.

वहीं रेलवे ने कालका-शिमला हैरिटेज ट्रैक पर टॅाय ट्रेन की स्पीड बढ़ाने का भी फैसला किया है. रेल मंत्री पीयूष गोयल ने कहा कि इसकी स्पीड 25 किमी से बढ़ाकर 35 किमी प्रति घंटा की जाएगी. पीयूष गोयल की मानें तो टॉय ट्रेन की रफ्तार भविष्य में 50 किमी प्रतिघंटा तक ले जाने की कोशिश रहेगी.

बता दें, पिछले दिनों विस्टाडोम कोच को ट्रेन में जोड़कर शिमला ट्रायल के लिए भेज गया था, ट्रायल सफल होने के बाद अब 15 दिसंबर से सैलानी इसका आनंद ले पाएंगे.

कालका शिमला रूट पर विस्टाडोम के अच्छे रिस्पांस के बाद इसे श्रीनगर समेत दूसरे पर्यटन स्थलों पर चलाया जाएगा. कालका शिमला रूट पर विस्टाडोम कोच चलाने से रेलवे को करीब 350 करोड़ सलाना कमाई की उम्मीद है.

गौरतलब है कि विश्व धरोहर में शामिल ऐतिहासिक कालका-शिमला रेलवे मार्ग पिछले महीने 115 साल का हो गया. 9 नवंबर, 1903 को कालका से शिमला रेलमार्ग की शुरुआत हुई थी. देश-विदेश के सैलानी शिमला आने के लिए इसी रेलमार्ग से टॉय ट्रेन में सफर का आनंद लेते हैं.

कालका-शिमला से पहले विस्टाडोम कोच विशाखापट्टनम-अरकू वैली और महाराष्ट्र में दादर-करमाली के बीच पर्यटक के आकर्षण का केंद्र बनी हुई हैं. यहां यह ट्रेनें ब्रॉडगेज पर चल रही हैं.

Source:https://aajtak.intoday.in/gallery/indian-railway-to-run-glass-enclosed-vistadome-coach-on-kalka-shimla-route-atam-18-29270.html

 

DEHRADUN: Incidents of elephants being mowed down by trains have prompted Moradabad railways division to resort to a unique solution: Play the sound of bees on loudspeakers to drive the animals away from tracks when trains are approaching. At least four elephants were mowed down by trains in separate incidents in Uttarakhand this year.

The Northeast Frontier Railways in Rangiya (Assam) has already used loudspeakers to keep elephants away from railway tracks. Now, the loudspeakers are being installed at Motichur, Raiwala and Kansro railway stations. The sound is played for about three minutes before the arrival of the train.

Additional divisional railways manager, Sharad Srivastava, said, “The buzzing of bees is played for a few minutes before the arrival of the train so any elephant nearby changes its route sensing the presence of bees.”

Sanatan Sonkar, director of Rajaji, said, “After several meetings and close coordination with railways, we have decided to use innovative methods like sound of bees to drive away elephants. Also, the forest department has deployed six bikers on this stretch to alert the train driver in case an elephant herd is sighted.”

 

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/now-sound-of-buzzing-bees-on-loudspeakers-to-drive-away-elephants-when-trains-approach/articleshow/66834498.cms

NEW DELHI: State-run Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has said the sale of Khadi products rose over three-fold in the last three fiscals and ‘Khadi Express’ train will be run to create awareness about the segment. According to KVIC, the Khadi turnover was Rs 811 crore in 2014-15 and it increased to Rs 2,509 crore in 2017-18.
“We have written a letter to Indian Raiways for running a Khadi Express train which would exhibit Khadi products linked with Mahatama Gandhi in view of his 150th birth anniversary,” KVIC Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena told BHASHA.
The five-bogie Khadi Express train would also have the facility to sell the Khadi products to people and will run through all those places in the country where Mahatama Gandhi had stayed. The train will be stationed at those stations for one day.
The demand of Khadi products has increased as Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself appealed to the people of the country to buy these clothes, he said.
Saxena said the sale of Khadi products grew at an average rate of 6.68 per cent per annum during 2004 to 2014, but it grew at the rate of 37 per cent in the last four years.
The number of sales outlets for Khadi products has been increased to 1,060 in the last four years, he said adding exhibitions were organised in 50 countries on October 2 to create demand for such products.

 

Source:https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/cons-products/garments-/-textiles/khadi-sales-jump-4-fold-in-fy18-kvic-to-run-khadi-express-train-to-boost-sales/articleshow/66797645.cms

No fear left in me anymore: Man who saved hundreds on 26/11
10 years after the Nov 26 attacks killed hundreds and exposed gaping security lapses, HT looks at heroes who fought back, the lives lost, steps taken to make Mumbai safer

Vishnu Zende, railway announcer, a 26/11 victim poses at CSMT in Mumbai on October 29, 2018.(Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

On the night of November 26, 2008, when two Pakistani terrorists riddled Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) with bullets, Vishnu Dattaram Zende was in a tiny announcer’s booth in the station, using the public announcement system to guide people to safety. “Nobody prepares you for such a situation. It was an instant reaction,” said Zende.

In 2008, Zende was a suburban railway announcer. His usual routine saw him leave from Nalasopara, where he still lives with his wife and two children, and take the train to CSMT. Once at the station, he’d go up to the announcement booth and rattle off details of train arrivals and departures for eight hours. Then November 26, 2008 happened.

“It feels like it was yesterday,” said Zende, now 47. He was on the evening shift when he heard explosions in the long-distance section of CSMT. Realising something was wrong, he took to the microphone and called for on-duty Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) to rush to that part of the station. “At the same time, I saw a suburban train arrive in the terminus,” remembered Zende.

The announcer’s booth is above the station master’s office, offering Zende an overview of the station. “I saw the men walking with guns … to the suburban railway section and firing indiscriminately. They were throwing hand-grenades. This is when I realised it was a terrorist attack,” Zende told HT.

Immediately, Zende announced in Hindi and Marathi that passengers should exit the station from the rear end of the terminus, guiding them away from Kasab and Ismail and towards safety. “I told people to use the exit of platform number one and to not come forward as I could see terrorists walking in that direction. The passengers rushed out, following my instructions,” he said. There’s no calculating how many lives Zende saved with his announcements.

The gunmen soon realised what Zende was doing. “All of sudden, I saw a terrorist firing at the direction of our booth. We (Zende and his colleague) ducked under our desks,” he said. They heard the glass window shatter, but Zende escaped any injuries.

After a while, Zende from his vantage point saw the two terrorists walk out of CSMT. He and other railway personnel rushed to the outstation terminus area and found the carnage Kasab and Ismail had left behind. While Zende’s announcements had saved the lives of countless suburban train passengers, the outstation section of CSMT got neither a warning nor time to escape. Nearly 60 people died in the attack. “The bodies lying there, surrounded by blood, it was terrifying,” said Zende. “I started announcing for railway personnel, cleaning staff, porters and whoever could rush to the terminus area to help the injured.” Zende stayed in CSMT that night and returned home the next day.

Later, for weeks, people would come to the announcement booth and thank Zende. He got a cash award of ₹10 lakh and in 2010, when President Barack Obama visited Mumbai, he shook hands with Zende. Welcome as all this attention was, for Zende, who has since been promoted to railway guard, 26/11 wrought only one real change in him: “There is no fear left in me anymore.”

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/mumbai-attacks-10-years-on-voice-of-calm-that-saved-lives-amid-26-11-storm/story-AYYcH2glsP7iFPyxhlMgNN.html