A Metro here and a Mono there!

By Accommodation Times (www.accommodationtimes.com)

Mumbai – The year 2012 could well prove historical for the Mumbaikars and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). The Authority is poised to change city’s traveling habits and the city is ready to break into a Metro and Mono ride!
A great progress is being witnessed as far as the 11.4 km. Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro corridor is concerned. The Railways have accorded all permissions and also the much required mega-blocks for the construction of the 180-meter steel bridge that will take Metro from the western side to the eastern side. The two out of the four critical pillars which will shoulder the steel bridge are fully ready and the remaining two are at advanced construction stages. The progress of the cable-stayed bridge coming up over the jog flyover on the western express highway is only seen to be believed.
The work of erecting the overhead electrification system on viaduct has crossed more than half-way mark, the station construction is progressing on war footing and three sparkling trains have already arrived in the city.
As far as the 9.75-hectare DN Nagar Car Depot is concerned the same is equipped to provide parking for 21 Metro trains and house an Operation Control Centre, a Training Center and a Power Station, a Receiving Traction substation and a full fledged administrative facility
“With the kind of services that will be made available at the Car Depot, we are, in fact, tempted to call it a Metro parlour!” exclaimed Mr. Dilip Kawathkar, Joint Project Director (P.R), MMRDA. “The construction of the Depot also threw up many challenges. The depot land was low lying with huge deposits of marine clay and required major ground improvement which spanned over a period of almost twenty months. It also comprises of the sharpest curves and interface constraints between the operational building and underground utilities”, said Mr.Kawathkar further.
The parking lot provides for a unique wash ramp facility which very few Metros in world boast of. The operation control center will be the nerve centre of the Metro network. It is designed for safe operation and efficient management of Rolling Stocks, Traffic Control, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System and Signaling and Telecommunication System. The playback training room – equipped with simulators – will necessarily provide for all Metro relevant training which in turn is expected to improve Metro service from time to time. The Receiving Traction substation will facilitate provision and generation of power for the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar corridor.
The Depot Structure of the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro corridor is unmatched by any other structure across the world till date.
More significantly, the simultaneous work on many a key front, makes the possibility of Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro corridor running this year a reality!
India’s first Mono Rail too is fast catching up with the finish line. The Mono Rail project is being implemented in two phases – Chembur to Wadala and Wadala to Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk. There are seven stations in Phase-I of the 9-km Mono Rail corridor – Chembur, V.N.Purav Marg, Fertiliser Colony, Bharat Petroleum, Mysore Colony, Bhakti Park and Wadala Depot. “While more than 75% of the guide way beams have been laid on the route, the construction of all the seven stations in Phase-I is approaching completion. The construction up to the concourse levels of all stations has been completed and the construction of the platform levels is in progress on most stations what with the roof of Bhakti Park station is catching everyone’s eye presently!”, said Mr.Kawathkar further.
With four Mono Rails – two cool blue and two refreshing green – already in the city, the stage is set to bring a smile on Mumbaikars’ face with the Mono ride!
Like Metro, there will be parking facility of 21 Mono Rails in the Car Depot with Operation Control Centre, a Training Center and a Power Station, a Receiving Traction substation and a full fledged administrative facility in the 6.5 hectare Car Depot.
The MMRDA is going all out to ensure that the Mumbai Metro and Mono trains will be at its innovative best, being fully equipped with state of the art technology and a slew of glittering features like advanced passenger driver communication, CCTV cameras etc. It would not be out of place to state here that both Metro and Mono projects are Green projects as none uses any fossil fuel. “On the operational front, Metro and Mono Rails use regenerative braking which means when the train brakes, it passes on the electric power back to the system which can be used by other trains running on the system at that time. This is about 25% saving in power”, concluded Mr. Kawathkar.
Mumbaikars’ have really suffered hard during the construction of both the projects but supported them with their typical never-say-die attitude. Now, it’s all coming their way. What a way to be rewarded for their patience!