Since my last blog lot of things are happening. Pune Technical Coalition is formed and is busy making presentations to many stake holders and decision makers.
Hope we succeed in making the point and help Pune to get a better Metro.
It is also essential that Architects and planners from other places .. Hyderabad, Kochi, Ludhiana, Ahmedabad, Chennai, etc. wake up and take a look at Metro proposals at their own towns.
Copy of Resolutions submitted to PMC is available at - http://groups.google.com/group/iudi-pune/browse_thread/thread/07788718deb3d20a#
have a look..
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Bury the METRO
Pune needs a designed metropolitan transport system to cater to growing number of commuters.
Looking at growth pattern and projections for next 100 years metro rail is also inevitable and logical solution. However, it must essentially be a integrated solution with Metro rail, buses and other supplementary modes like walking, cycles, etc.
The current proposal appears very shortsighted and only looking at today’s expanse of the city.
Metro rail needs to reach – Loni, Saswad, Khed Shivapur, Khanapur, Pirangut, Maan, Hinjawadi, Rajgurunagar, Kharadi, etc. that are future urbanisable areas and the corridors leading to these places are already under pressure.
On the Lonawala-Pune-Daund corridor simply quadrapuling the existing lines would take care. No point running third option of Metro parallel to exiting road and rail corridor. That will be quick and economical.
Running metro on elevated corridor is not right solution on many counts. For Pune it will be worst as road widths are narrow. If you have road width more than 90 Mtrs it can possibly accommodate elevated metro. In lesser widths it is just impossible to accommodate stations. See what is happening along metro corridors in Delhi.
The elevated corridors also ruins the urban image forever. See what has happened most parts in Delhi and to MG road of Bangalore. Elevated metro also leads to decrease in property prices abutting Metro corridor. Nobody wants to be next to metro. This is evident is entire West Delhi.
In tropical climate, particularly in Pune where variation in day and night temparatures is high, life of Concrete is question. We have seen that many road bridges had to be -built or extensively repaired within 20-25 years of making them.
It is quite likely that elevated structures for Metro will soon get deteriorated and will need repairs. After 40 years when city will be highly dependent on Metro it will be disastrous to close a section for repairs of elevated superstructure. For roads you can divert the traffic to save the situation but what you can do with railways?
What’s the solution?
BURY the METRO
Looking at growth pattern and projections for next 100 years metro rail is also inevitable and logical solution. However, it must essentially be a integrated solution with Metro rail, buses and other supplementary modes like walking, cycles, etc.
The current proposal appears very shortsighted and only looking at today’s expanse of the city.
Metro rail needs to reach – Loni, Saswad, Khed Shivapur, Khanapur, Pirangut, Maan, Hinjawadi, Rajgurunagar, Kharadi, etc. that are future urbanisable areas and the corridors leading to these places are already under pressure.
On the Lonawala-Pune-Daund corridor simply quadrapuling the existing lines would take care. No point running third option of Metro parallel to exiting road and rail corridor. That will be quick and economical.
Running metro on elevated corridor is not right solution on many counts. For Pune it will be worst as road widths are narrow. If you have road width more than 90 Mtrs it can possibly accommodate elevated metro. In lesser widths it is just impossible to accommodate stations. See what is happening along metro corridors in Delhi.
The elevated corridors also ruins the urban image forever. See what has happened most parts in Delhi and to MG road of Bangalore. Elevated metro also leads to decrease in property prices abutting Metro corridor. Nobody wants to be next to metro. This is evident is entire West Delhi.
In tropical climate, particularly in Pune where variation in day and night temparatures is high, life of Concrete is question. We have seen that many road bridges had to be -built or extensively repaired within 20-25 years of making them.
It is quite likely that elevated structures for Metro will soon get deteriorated and will need repairs. After 40 years when city will be highly dependent on Metro it will be disastrous to close a section for repairs of elevated superstructure. For roads you can divert the traffic to save the situation but what you can do with railways?
What’s the solution?
BURY the METRO
Underground metro will have many advantages.
It will link various parts of city within shortest possible time. (Being shortest route)
Can reach any and every point desired to be served. Need not follow road network.
Average speed could be higher as not much change in grade.
No major land acquisition required, no eating precious road space.
Expansion in future is easier.
In case of external emergencies these tunnels can serve as shelters.
No major repairs required in future.
Initial cost may be little high but on long run (100 years time) total cost of ownership could be less than elevated metro.
Machinery to build underground, I heard, is readily available with many Indian and international agencies at very low rent.
In short - Look at it with long term perspective and in the interest of the city just BURY it.
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