Delhi Metro the proudest achievement of modern India: Reddy

New Delhi, Nov 4 : Describing Delhi Metro as the proudest achievement of modern India, Union Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy today said sanctioning 15,260 modern low-floor buses for 61 Mission cities across the country were among some important decisions by the Ministry to help daily commuters and ease traffic congestion.

Addressing the members of the consultative committee attached to the ministry of Urban Development here to deliberate on Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), Mr Reddy informed that the Cabinet has approved the Chennai Metro Rail with a total cost of Rs14,600 crore to be taken up as a joint venture between the Union Government and the Tamil Nadu Government.

For the Bangalore Metro Rail Project, the Union Government sanctioned an extension of 9.3 km.

Mr Reddy said the Central Government has decided to provide Viability Gap Funding for Line-I of Mumbai Metro corridor from Versova to Ghatkopar via Andheri to the extent of Rs 471 crore.

"In principle" approval for Viability Gap Funding of Line-II of Mumbai Metro corridor from Charkop to Mankhurd via Bandra has also been approved amounting to Rs 1532 crore.

Referring to the second Economic Stimulus Package, the Minister stated that the Union Government, for the first time, had decided to fund buses for Urban Transport under JNNURM.

A total of 15,260 buses were sanctioned for 61 Mission cities across the country. All these buses would be modern, low floor and semi low floor with various Intelligent Transport System features as per the Urban Bus Specifications formulated by this Ministry.

These buses would transform the urban bus transport scene across India, he added.

Highlighting the success of JNNURM, he stated that projects worth Rs 95,500 crores have already been sanctioned for various projects like solid waste management, Water Supply, Sewerage projects and Storm water drainage.

Response of the states and Urban Local Bodies in developing infrastructure through JNNURM has necessitated more funds to be allocated to the mission.

The Minister informed the members that four centres of Excellence in the field of Urban Transport have been sanctioned from amongst the premier institutions of the country. They are IIT-Delhi, IIT-Chennai, CEPT-Ahmedabad and NIIT - Warangal.

He further said New Scheme of Capacity Building in Urban Transport was sanctioned very recently which would support training, education, institutional strengthening, setting up of Urban Transport Cell and Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority for various cities.

This scheme envisages 100 per cent funding by the Union Government, he added.

Mr Reddy said the Metro Railway Amendment Act, 2009 has been enacted to amend the Metro Railways (Construction of Works) Act, 1978 and the Delhi Metro (Operation and Maintenance) Act, 2002.

These Acts can now be extended to all million plus cities in India. He also said for the sake of standardization and uniformity in Safety Certification, it has been decided that all Metro Rail Projects, whether within one Municipal area or beyond, would be taken up only under these Central Acts.

These Acts now stand extended to the complete National Capital Region, Metropolitan areas of Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai.

The Minister informed that Delhi Metro has commissioned Vishwavidayalaya - Jahangirpuri (6.36 kms) of corridor on February 4, 09 and Indraprashtha - Yamuna Bank Section of Indraprastha - New Ashok Nagar corridor on May 10, 2009.

The lines's extension to Noida is also scheduled to be commissioned within a week. He said the works on balance corridors are progressing satisfactorily and expected to be completed before next year's Commonwealth Games.

Most of the members appreciated the commendable work done by the DMRC. Some members suggested that fares for Metro ride should be cheaper. A Member from Lok Sabha advised that there should be facility of free drinking water and toilets at all Metro stations. It was informed that all Metro Stations are having the facility of toilets and paid drinking water is available.

A member from Rajya Sabha suggested that huge amount which is being spent on Delhi Metro Rail could have been diverted to Urban Railways to facilitate the other urban passengers.

A detailed presentation on DMRC was made by DMRC Managing Director E Shreedharan, on the Delhi MRTS project phase-I, Delhi MRTS projects phase-II, Extension of Delhi Metro Phase-II to Gurgaon, high speed express link from New Delhi Railway Station to IGI Airport, financing plan, and benefits of phase-I etc.

The MD, DMRC informed the members that Delhi Metro has become the first Railway project in the world to be registered by the United Nations under the clean development mechanism which would enable it to claim carbon credits. He also mentioned that Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) has carried out a study which says that the annual cost saved by Metro passengers on account of reduced travel time will go up three times from Rs. 310.13 crore in 2007 to Rs. 947.07 crore in 2009.

The other benefits of phase-I of Delhi Metro project include annual saving of Rs. 180.89 crore in 2009 on account of reduced fuel consumption, more than double from Rs 73.22 crore two years ago.

It was informed that since the Metro began operations in December 2002, there has been a progressive reduction in daily vehicle demand due to the people shifting to Metro for commuting. In 2009, the Metro would take the daily share of 57,953 vehicles for all other modes of travel such as cars, buses, two-wheelers, auto-rickshaws, etc.

Also, the annual vehicle (capital and operating) cost saving would almost triple from Rs. 93.21 crore in 2007 to Rs 276.24 crore this year.

The increasing use of the Metro would result in prevention of emission of 131,395.34 tonnes of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide from being emitted into Delhi’s atmosphere upto 2009. This is a five-time increase from 27,614.34 tonnes in 2007. The emission cost saving would also increase almost three times from Rs.14.29 crore in 2007 to Rs.41.04 crore in 2009.

The Metro would help avoid a total of 255 accidents, including 51 fatalities, in 2009. In 2007, the respective figures were 196 and 21.

Those participating in the meeting included Mr C.M.Chane, Mr Ramesh Kumar, Mr P.Kumar, Mr Jagdish Singh Rana, Mr Sanjay Dina Patil, Mr Prahlad V.Joshi, Mr Shiv Kumar C Udasi and Mr Cheluvarayaswamy from Lok Sabha while Mr Penumalli Madhu, Mr Manohar Joshi, Mr Nand Kumar Sai, Mr Surendra Motilal Patel from Rajya Sabha participated in the discussion.

--UNI

(c) 2009 Published with permission from United News of India.
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