Metro Again: My latest Experience in Delhi

My latest metro experience

I was in Delhi last week. Staying at Gurgaon, I had opportunity to use metro services more than 6 times during my stay. I mainly travelled on ‘Yellow’ line and also on ‘Blue’ and ‘Violet’ lines during peak as well as non-peak hours. My experience was not very good.

Delhi metro trains are usually running behind schedule by at least 3 upto 15 minutes. Reasons for running late are strange.

I found the doors of trains work on their own.

At some busy stations they many a times refuse to open for more than 2 minutes.

At some stations they get closed without warning in just 12-13 seconds.

At other not so busy stations they refuse to get closed and remain open for as long as 3 minutes.

Some times to make the doors open the train has to again start and move a few meters to stop again and try opening of door again.

Obviously this behavior is scary and also delays the movement of train.

Near Gurgaon between two stations – Guru Dronacharya (This is name of the station and not person) and Arjangarh stations there is a hump in the elevated line. Train gets slowed down and reaches the top of the hump. Once it reaches there the power supply to the train apparently gets cut-off. Half the number of lights in train go off and motors get quiet (means put off). Train starts rolling down the slope by gravity, like a roller coaster and after half a minute supply resumes, lights are back, motors start humming and after a while train again peaks up speed.

This I observed every time (6 times) I passed that stretch. I was told by co passengers that sometimes supply does not resume and train stops for a while, after it loses momentum. This is surely scary situation.

The train compartments are not as large and wide as Mumbai local compartments and get full very soon. At Rajiv Chowk station there are guards posted near each door who push the people in to pack the train like can of sardines.

Something is surely wrong.

Airport express line is ready for months but is not getting permission to operate. It is not considered safe. I heard – it is same as other lines in terms of safety but it will be operated by Relience and not by DMRC. Reliance does not have charismatic figure as its head, like DMRC has, to push the authorities to give them permission to operate.

Seeing all this make me worried about what we have in store.

Attempt to amend Architect's Act

I hope you all are aware of that Ministry of Human Resources Development has tabled a bill in the Rajya Sabha to amend the Architects' Act 1972. http://164.100.24.167/newcommittee/press_release/bill/Committee%20on%20HRD/archtct.pdf

this is the link for you to read the text.

Also read the Objections from Council at http://www.constructionguru.in/documents/kanvinde/doc/264

Reading the text and talking to people it appears that the sole purpose of this bill is to get powers to the government to remove as per its whims and fancies elected representatives on the council.

I have come to know that this amendment is with an aim to remove Ar. Vijay Sohoni from the post of President, on behest of some unhappy members of architects' fraternity and elements in MHRD.

Like all human beings, Vijay Sohoni is not immortal. Some day, if not now, he will be replaced by someone else. May be if MHRD conducts elections, which it is supposed to conduct, he may even choose not to contest. Who knows? So to achive a short term personal goal of some babu from MHRD, the amendment will permanently compromise the autonomy of council. Council will loose its democratic nature and MHRD will dictate terms to Council irrespective of whether it is in the interest of profession of Architecture or not.

I am sure the same people who are against today's council and who are instigating MHRD babus against the council, if get to power in Council tomorrow, will repent.

I have learnt from the office of Council that it has requested to MHRD to conduct elections 3 years ago. The ministry has also appointed returning officer twice in the past. But the officer for reason not known has not conducted elections. (Can we call it lapse in Duty?)

Now if this amendment comes through Council will be puppet in the hands of Babus of MHRD. Council will have no role to perform other than follow the dictats of MHRD all the time. Council will surely become another AICTE.

We all need to resist this amendment and support council to remain autonomous and democratic.

Bahot Khush Hoge tum.. by Shirish Kembhavi

Shirish has written this nice piece and has kidly agreed to place it on Blog.

Please read..

आज खुश तो बहोत होगे तुम! ( दिवार मधील अमिताभच्या तोंडचा देवळातला फेमस डायलॉग. समोर साक्षात "भगवान महेश"! )
आमचाही आवेश तोच फक्त आशय वेगळा आणि भाषा आपली माय मराठी.
आज खुश तो बहुत होगे तुम ! अखेर तो "डीप्या" एकदाचा वरच्या वर्गात ढकलला गेला आणि वर्ग शिक्षकाचा जीव भांड्यात पडला. गेल्या वर्षभर त्याने फारच छळल होता. खरतर असा वांड विद्यार्थी एखाद्या वर्गाशिक्ष्काच्या नशिबी येणे हे वाइटच. मुळात हा "डीप्या" इथवर पोहोचलास कसा हेच खरं कोड होतं. बहुदा आठवी पर्यंत सगळेच पास असा नियम झाल्यामुळे हे घडले असावे. तसे पहिल्या सत्रात हा "डीप्या" फारसा कोणाच्या नजरेत आला नाही किंबहुना तशी सोयच केली होती पण दुसऱ्या सत्रात कोणीतरी खिडक्यांना पारदर्शक काचा लावल्या आणि हे महाशय एकदम झोतात आले. त्यात external परीक्षकांनी तर त्याला सगळ्या विषयात नापासच केलं. गणित, भूगोल, शास्त्रच काय सामान्य ज्ञानातही हे बालक त्यांच्या प्रश्नांना उत्तरं देऊ शकत नव्हतं.
खरं तर वर्ग शिक्षकांचा परीक्षे वर मुळी विश्वासच नव्हतं. परीक्षा घेणे म्हणजे वेळ वाया घालवणे असे त्यांचे स्पष्ट मत होते त्यातून परत पुढच्या वर्गात गेल्यावर तिथले शिक्षक परीक्षा घेणारच असताना आपण का परीक्षा घ्यायची हा त्यांचा साधा सवाल.
वर्ग शिक्षकांची फारच पंचाइत झालेली. एक तर हे चिरंजीव एका नामांकित असामीचे अपत्य ( planned का चुकून झालेलं कोणास ठावूक) .
त्यातून त्याला पुढे ढकलण्यासाठी येत असलेले दडपण. तरी बरं इथे फक्त इंटर्नल मार्किंग वर निकाल होत असल्या मुळे काहीतरी करता येणा शक्य होतं. इतर शिक्षकांनी पण त्याला चांगला हातभार लावला. बऱ्याच शिक्षकांनी पेपर न तपासताच त्याला वरच्या वर्गात ढकलण्याचे मुळी ठरवलेच होते नव्हे तसे त्यांना त्यांच्या धन्याचे आदेशच होते ( धन्याचे + आदेश = धनादेश ?) . काही शिक्षकांनी तर त्याला सर्व विषयात नापास केलं तरी त्याला वरच्या वर्गात ढकलण्याची शिफारस केली.( नाही तरी हा ATKT चाच जमाना आहे ) .
काहींनी तर कमालच केली ते म्हणाले की ह्या वर्षाचाही अभ्यास पुढच्या वर्षी च्या वर्ग शिक्षकांनी करून घ्यावा पण "डीप्याला" पुढच्या वर्गात धाडावा !काही विरोधी मतं असलेल्या शिक्षकांनी दिलेले गुण मोजायचेच नाहीत असेही वर्गशिक्षकांनी ठरवून टाकले.
अशा पद्धतीने हा "डीप्या" एकदाचा वरच्या वर्गात ढकलला गेला आणि वर्ग शिक्षकांचा जीव भांड्यात पडला . आता तो जाणो आणि पुढच्या वर्गाचे शिक्षक. काय घालायचा तो गोंधळ घालू दे. आता "डीप्या" पुढच्या वर्गात जाईल तिथले वर्ग शिक्षक किती कडक असतील कोणास ठावूक. ते पण ह्याला अशाच प्रकारे पास करून पुढच्या वर्गात ढकळणार का काय हे ही कळेलच.
पण मुळात हा असा अर्ध शिक्षित "डीप्या" जेव्हा कामाला लागेल तेव्हा तो काय राडा करेल ह्याचा विचार कोण करणार? उद्या हे व्रात्य कार्टजेव्हा समाजात धूडघूस घालेल तेव्हा त्याला कुठल्या शिक्षकांनी कसा काय पास केलं हे तपासलं तर काय होईल ? पण त्याचा विचार कोण करणार? आणि कशाला?
तेव्हा "आज खुश तो बहुत होगे तुम !" तुमची जबाबदारी संपली !
आता एकच इच्छा आहे निदान पुढच्या वर्गात तरी ह्या "डीप्या" ला कडक वर्गशिक्षक भेटावेत जे त्याच्या दोन कानाखाली आवाज काढून त्याच्या कडून नीट अभ्यास करून घेतील त्याची खरीखुरी परीक्षा घेतील आणि मगच त्याला पास करतील . अहो वर्गशिक्षका कडून हीच तर अपेक्षा असते . शेवटी वर्गशिक्षक आणि पोस्टमन ह्यांच्यात काहीतरी फरक असायला हवा की नको !

शिरीष केंभावी

Munnabhai on Metro..by Shirish Kembhavi

Shirish has written a beautiful dialouge between Muunabhai and Circuit. Very interesting to read. Shirish has kindly permitted me to post this here. Thanks to Shirish.

Please read..

भाई : ए सर्किट अरे आपुन अब मिनिस्टर हो गयेला है तो अपनेको अपने शहर के वास्ते कुछ करना मंगता है.
सर्किट: हां भाई सही है .
मुन्ना भाई : ए सर्किट आपुन के दिमाग मी एक आईडिया आयेल्ला है. साला आपुन अपने शहर मे मेट्रो बनायेगा.
सर्किट: भाई मेट्रो कायको?
मुन्ना भाई : अरे आपुन परसो दिल्ली गया था तो मेट्रो मे मस्त घुमा. साला मजा आ गया. साला सब बडे शहरो मे मेट्रो है. तो अपने शहर मे भी होनेको मांगता है. वैसे भी अपुनके शहर का पब्लिक वो खटारा बस मे घुमती है.
सर्किट: भाई फिर एक दो चार सौ बस मंगा लेते है ना? सस्ते मे काम हो जायेगा .
मुन्ना भाई : अबे सर्किट तू एकदम मामू है रे. अभी बस का जमाना गया. मुन्ना भाई देगा तो मेट्रो देगा. पब्लिक भी क्या याद करेगी . और उससे बोलेतो अपने शहर की बहुत शान बढेगी!
सर्किट: हा भाई ये बात भी सही है. पर भाई ये मेट्रो बनायेंगे कहा?
मुन्ना भाई : तू एक काम कर. अपुन के शहर का नक्षा लेके आ.( सर्किट नकाशा आणतो).
मुन्ना भाई : अब मैं आंख बंद करके एक जगे उंगली रखता हुं. तू भी वैसा ही कर.
सर्किट : हं रखा भाई.
मुन्ना भाई : अब देख इधर से इधर मेट्रो बनानेका.
सर्किट : भाई लेकीन इधर से उधर जायेगा कौन?
मुन्ना भाई : कौन बोलेतो अबे मेट्रो जायेगी!
सर्किट: पार भाई, लोग इधर से उधर नही जाते है.
मुन्ना भाई: अरे सर्किट एक बार मेट्रो तो जाने दे फिर लोग भी जायेंगे. अछछा एक बात बोल वो दिल्ली का मेट्रो कोन बनाया?
सर्किट: कोई दिल्ली का बाबू है भाई. उठा के लाऊ क्या?
मुन्ना भाई : अबे उठा मत साले. तू उसको फोन लागा. उसको बोल अपुन के शहर मे मेट्रो बनानेका है. फटाफट काम शुरू करो.
( काही काळा नंतर).
सर्किट : भाई ये देखो.
मुन्ना भाई : ए सर्किट तू ये किताब लेके क्या कर राहा है? क्या स्कूल वूल जॉईन किया क्या ?
सर्किट: नही भाई ये किताब वो दिल्ली का बाबू भेजा है. बोलता है मेट्रो कैसे बनानेका सब इसमे दिया है.
मुन्ना भाई : अरे तेरी तो. उसको मेट्रो बनाने को बोला किताब लिखने को नही.
सर्किट : हा भाई और इसका दो करोड मांगता है.
मुन्ना भाई: क्या बोलता है ! ए सर्किट वो अपुन को मामू तो नही ना बनारेल्ला ? तू पढा क्या उसमे क्या लिखा है ?
सर्किट: कुछ समजता नही भाई . पर दिल्ली का बाबू ने बनाया तो सहीही होगा भाई.
मुन्ना भाई : अच्छा तो उसको पुछ काम कब शुरू करेगा?
सर्किट: पुछा भाई. वोह बोलता है बहुत खर्चा आयेगा. कर्जा भी लेना पडेगा.
मुन्ना भाई : तो ठीक है कर्जा लेलेंगे.
सर्किट : भाई कर्जा देनगा कौन ? और उसको लौटायेगा कौन?
मुन्ना भाई: अरे कर्जा देने वाले बहुत मामू मिलेंगे रे. तू चिंता मत कर. और लौटाने के लिये अपनी पब्लिक है ना रे!
सर्किट: पर भाई अपुनको फिर पब्लिक के साथ बात करना मांगता है.
मुन्ना भाई: येडा हो गया है क्या? अरे पब्लिक ने वोटे दे के अपुन को जीतायेला है. अभी अपुन सोचेगा बोलेतो पब्लिक ही सोच राहा है ना! तू चिंता मत कर.
(काही दिवसां नंतर)
सर्किट: भाई एक लफडा हो गया है. कुछ लोगो के हाथ वोह किताब लग गयी है. वो बोलते है उसमे बहुत लोचा है.
मुन्ना भाई: साला ये कुछ लोगो की आदतही होती है मचमच करने की. उनको क्या समझता है? साला खाली पिली वक्त बरबाद करते ! तू एक काम कर. उन लोगो की एक मीटिंग बुला. और वो जो बोलते वोह लिख ले.
सर्किट : और फिर?
मुन्ना भाई: फिर क्या ? अपने को जो करना है वोहीच अपुन करेंगे.
सर्किट: फिर भाई वोह मीटिंग कायको?
मुन्ना भाई: अरे सर्किट. सबका बात सुननेका और खुदको जो करने का है वोइच करनेका इसको डेमोक्रेसी बोलते डेमोक्रेसी ! समझा क्या?
सर्किट: कुछ कुछ समझ मे आ राहा है भाई!
मुन्ना भाई: अब सुन. तू आगे की तय्यारी कर.
सर्किट: आगे की बोले तो. मुन्ना भाई: अरे भूमिपूजन की रे. अपने को १२ तारीख को भूमी पूजन करने का है. सब टी वी वाले, अखबार वाले सब को खबर कर. साला अपुनके शहर के लिये कितना बडा दिन होगा वो !
(१३ तारखेला सर्किट मुन्ना भाईच्या घरी)
मुन्ना भाई : अरे आ सर्किट आ. देख साला पेपर मे क्या मस्त फोटो आयेला है. देख तू भी किधर किधर दिखरहेल्ला है. टी वी पे तो कल रात से ही चालू है. सब अपुन की तारीफ करेल्ले है !
सर्किट : भाई भूमी पूजा तो हो गया अब आगे क्या करना है? पुब्लिक पुछ रही है मेट्रो का काम कब शुरू होगा?
मुन्ना भाई : अरे ये पब्लिक भी ना बहोत घाई करती है. अभी अपुन ने भूमी पूजा किया है तो एक ना एक दिन मेट्रो भी शुरू हो जायेगा ! उनको बोल चिंता नही करनेका. तू उसको छोड मेरे दिमाग मे नया आयडिया आया है.
सर्किट : कौनसा भाई?
मुन्ना भाई : अरे परसो अपुन कश्मीर गये थे उधर साला आजू बाजू के पहाडो पर क्या मस्त बर्फ गीरेल्ला था. कितना सुंदर दिखता था! साला आपुन के शहर के आसपास भी कितने पहाड है पर किसी के उप्पर बरफ नही. वैसा होगा तो अपुनके शहर की कितनी शान बढेगी ! अपुन साला वो करेगा. सब पहाड पे बरफ का बंदोबस्त करवायेगा .
सर्किट : पर भाई अपने यहा के गर्मी से बरफ पिघल नही जायेगा ?
मुन्ना भाई : अबे सर्किट तू तो मामू का मामू ही रहेगा. अबे सब पहाडी पे बरफ रहेगा तो इधर भी थंडी पड जायेगी ना ? फिर कैसे बरफ पिघलेगा?
सर्किट : सॉलिड भाई क्या आईडिया निकाला है !
मुन्नाभाई : तू एक काम कर वो दिल्ली वाले बाबू को बोल अपुन को पहाडी पे बर्फ चाहिये. वो कैसा करने का उसका एक किताब बनाके भेज दे. पिछली बार क्या मस्त किताब बना के दिया था उसने.....................!

शिरीष केंभावी

19 May and Metro

Yesterday's Mahacharcha on Metro turned out to be just another meeting.

As expected, none of the political leaders committed anything, except Ujwal Keskar who is unattached. It was clear yesterday from the talks of Vandanatai and Abhayji that NCP and Congress are hell bent on approving proposal for implementation on 19th May. Today's news paper reports also confirmed on this. BJP and Shivsena will support only if amendments are made. Let us see. May be 'Condiderations' of politicians are different than those of citizen.

One thing for sure. If implemented as envisaged in current DPR this project will do permanent, irrevocable damage to Pune city. Once implemented it will also be end of political career of those who supported this. (see what's happening in Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad)

We also should not expect much wisdom from current leadership. Their vision is only towards development of self and not for city. Else they would not have supported and executed all those blunders of development in recent past.

At the same time this project apparently will meet the same fate as Tram, Monorail, Skybus, etc. It has too many hurdles -

Paud phata, Deccan Gymkhana, Pataleshwar, COEP hostels, Sangam bridge, crossing of railways at two locations (near sangam and at Pune Railway Stn).

Going by the history - PMC is struggling to get permissions for widening of Shivaji nagar (Firodiya) and Station (Agakhan) ROBs for decades. Even when our beloved MP Suresh Kalmadi was railway minister he failed to get required permission. So crossing of entire station premises will be a very long battle.

Adding to this will be litigations by all those property owners from Deccan Gymkhana and JM road whose properties will be affected.

Further, finding financer will be a long struggle as This route is not expected to reach optimum ridership in its first 20 years of operation.

So be rest assured that it will be 2026 or 2031 when Metro actually becomes operative.

The after effects..

It will also lead to permanent traffic jams at least at two locations - From Juna Bazar to Maldhakka and at Paud Phata. (other places will have temporary jams lasting 2-3 hrs every morning and evening)

Silver lining will be - properties along metro route will be soon affordable to everyone. You can dream to buy an apartment in the proposed tallest building near paud phata at peanut cost. Rates of properties along Paud road, Karve Road, JM Road and Bundgarden Road will nose dive.

You and me will be too old to see this.. Our children and Grand children will curse us. So will of these politicians. Only happy will be children and grand children of our commissioners who will anyway not be in Pune.

Long live Pune.

Further Update..

Within hours of my last blog 'Update on Metro' I am shocked to read the news that Maharashtra State Government is all set to approve proposal for Vanaz - Ramwadi elevated corridor for Metro.

It appears that our campaign for better Metro has fallen to deaf ears and also the decision makers for some reasons are determined to permenantly damage visual character of Pune. May be some of them are Pune haters who do not want Pune to compete with other cities and emerge as good city to live in so that some other cities gain upper hand and prosper at cost of Pune.

As the fear comes true - additional FSI on Metro corridor is also approved as per the news. Our Commissioner and Hon. Guardian Minister categorically ruled out additional FSI option for finance in our meetings and assured that it will not be done. But the reality appears otherwise.

It is known now that DMRC is pushing for similar overhead Metro in other tier 2 cities also. This is surely very disturbing and detrimental to development of these cities. Learning from Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore experience, elevated metro should be banned permanently. Metro should be either on grade or underground.

Pune Technical Coalition must now explore how can we save Pune from this menace of Elevated Metro.

Update on Metro

Since my blog ‘Bury the Metro’ a lot has happened..

All the associations and institutions related to architecture, building construction, urban design and town planning along with Janwani came together with motive of getting best possible metro network for Pune. A study of small patch carried out by students of PVP College of Architecture came handy. So did a study made by Ar. Nitin Killawala and Ar. Kuldipsingh on Mumbai and Delhi Metro systems.

Pune chapter of IUDI complied the presentation with help of other institutions. We made presentation to - ‘Peoples’ representatives – Mohansingh Rajpal (Mayor of Pune), Shri. Ajit Pawar (Guardian Minister), Shri. Suresh Kalmadi, Mrs. Supriya Sule, Shri. Prakash Javdekar (All MPs from Pune), Mrs. Vandana Chavan (MLC), Shri. Arvind Shinde (Chairman, Standing committee, PMC), Shri. Nilesh Nikam (Corporator and House leader, PMC), Shri. Shyam Deshpande (Corporator, PMC), etc.

We also made presentation to Shri. Zagade (Commissioner, PMC) Shri. Bonala (Traffic planner, PMC), etc. also to various NGOs working for better Pune.

Response was not negative except from PMC officials who had reservations on the issue and they appeared keen on putting it elevated. I do not blame them as they are just employees of Pune and in all probabilities Pune is neither their home town nor they are looking forward to make it their home town. Why they should be bothered?

Going though the Detailed project report (DPR) submitted by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) I found it to be mere cut and paste job. Not much study specific to Pune has gone into it. It does not compare options.

Apparently, it is made with the following presumptions. –
Pune cannot afford much. So what is the cheapest option – On grade metro. That is not feasible. What is next cheapest – Elevated? This is feasible, GO FOR IT.

Once you accept this – you have to follow road network. That is further restricted to roads more than 30 meters wide. So your network is easily defined. It may not address the origin destination demand greatly but it may not fully ignore it also. So put it there. Don’t look at other aspects like existing transport network. Anyhow, it does not work. So why bother? And how about visual character of the city and its image?..... What is it?

Any report can be defended and made convenient if you shut yourself of ground realities.

Misnomer – We cannot put it underground because we have rock below! Any tunnel engineer will tell you that Pune has one of the best subsoil strata for underground metro. It will be cheaper in Pune to build it underground because of hard rock than in Delhi which has alluvial soil.

DPR says the elevated station will have footprint of 30 meters X 180 meters but according to our PMC officers in reality it will be much less. I pity such a statement. Simple calculation for width –
Width of Metro compartment 2.9 meters – two tracks make it 5.8 meters.
You need to leave at least 0.7 meters between them makes it 6.5 meters,
add platforms on both sides – at least 4.5 meters clear width + structural members 0.75 meters wide supporting the roof, so add 10.5 meters – 17 meters,
add staircases of minimum clear width of 2.5 meters + structure 0.75 meters, two for each platform, so add 6.5 meters – 23.5 meters.
If the staircase is dog legged (Which is most likely as you need to climb to 10~11 meters height from road – i.e. 70+ steps) you need to add another 6.5 meters to make total minimum width 30 meters.
This is minimum one width needs.

You also need to accommodate elevator for invalids and senior citizen with lobby, concourses (paid and unpaid), ticket office with que area, security check area, electrical equipment rooms, etc. Even most brilliant designer cannot reduce more than a meter or so from above width. Why they want to fool themselves (and us) with such impractical assumption?

Why Pune should accept cheap option? It is already a rich city. It is highest contributor to state exchequer. It can afford to redo its footpaths, roads and medians every alternate year. It can afford to put in place expensive flyovers that are redundant even before they get complete. It can afford to replace PMPML bus shelters with fancier ones every two years, It can afford to replace street light posts with fancy and expensive designs whenever it wants. Why one should think Pune cannot afford Metro? It can certainly afford metro that also underground metro much better designed and built than ‘Delhi Metro’. After all in next 10 years Pune is going to be the premier Global Indian City ahead of Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Bengaluroo. If Pune IPL team gets sold for 1700 crores what money shortage one is talking about?

Our commissioner and the guardian minister categorically told us that the proposal to allot 4 FSI in the corridor 500 meters on both sides of Metro and 200 meters on both sides of BRTS is permanently discarded. However, we did not find any documentary evidence to substantiate their verbal assurance.

Similarly, they had no answer why this proposal is not integrated with Development plan for Pune City. I believe, we must publish this proposal under section 37 of MRTP act and call for suggestions and objections from citizen before we proceed on the proposal.

We never wanted the metro yesterday, for that matter even today. DPR states that optimum ridership does not exist today and on some of the proposed routes the same will not be close to capacity thirty years hence. Good planning and execution of other modes of transport can take care of our needs for next few years. We surely need Metro for future. We need it for our children and grand children. So why hurry? We still have time to plan it properly and build it well and hand it over to our next generation with pride.