‘Two-thirds of metro proj energy needs will be met with solar panels’

‘Two-thirds of metro proj energy needs will be met with solar panels’

Pune: With 27 per cent of the metro project completed in two years, the heads of both Pimpri-Chinchwad and Pune municipal corporations have lauded the commendable work done by the MahaMetro authorities. 
On completion of two years of MahaMetro in Pune, the agency organised a panel discussion at Nehru Auditorium on Wednesday. 

Pune Municipal Corporation Commissioner Saurabh Rao, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation Commissioner Shravan Hardikar, PMPML  Chairman & Managing Director Naina Gunde, Dr PK Grant of Ruby Hall Clinic, MahaMetro Managing Director Brijesh Dixit and other dignitaries were present for the discussion. 

Speaking at the event, Rao said any infrastructure project comes across difficulties and MahaMetro has handled these difficulties with expertise. “We must understand that while the project is causing temporary inconvenience to people, it will pay in the long run to the city. People should have a sense of belongingness with the metro. MahaMetro has done great work as although they are two years old in the city they have done the work in 12 to 14 months,” added Rao.

Gunde said they get frequent requests from MahaMetro to change locations of bus stops  and bus timings and the PMPML is always ready to support the agency. “Both the agencies are in the same business of helping people commute and we look at the metro as a complementary agency and not a competitor,” added Naina.

The panelists appreciated the environment-friendly initiatives and transparency maintained by the 
MahaMetro.
 
Thyssenkrupp HR Director RS Nageshkar said there are many people who stay in Pune and travel to Pimpri-Chinchwad. “The metro will help reduce the number of private buses and vehicles,” he said.

MahaMetro MD Brijesh Dixit said people should aspire for beautiful urban transport in the city. “In initial days, people were a bit pessimistic towards the project, but slowly we have been able to change their perception. Now with 27 per cent work done, we are hopeful to be able to gain more confidence from people. I am thankful to each one of them and the 10,000 people who are working with me on the project. Year 2019 is indeed challenging for us when our workforce will have to do their best,” added Dixit.

About environment-friendly initiatives, Dixit said the agency is proud they have not cut even a single tree for the project. “We will try to generate two-thirds of the energy needs of the project through solar panels which will be installed on metro stations, trains and depots. According to a research study, in India 90 per cent of the projects are delayed due to overbudgeting, quality deficiency and other reasons,” added Dixit.

Metro project
PCMC-Swargate: 14 stations 
Vanaaz-Ramwadi: 16 stations

Status of metro work 
PCMC-Shivajinagar stretch 

  • Work of erecting pillars from PCMC to Dapodi will be completed soon, followed by track laying, metro station building, signalling, installing rolling stocks, telecom and electric work, audit of the stretch and dry run of the metro. Work of building the depot at Agriculture College is in progress. The block is land acquisition between Dapodi and Shivajinagar pending at some places.

Shivajinagar-Swargate underground metro 

  • Work of constructing the shafts started at Agriculture College and Swargate. Geo-technical and other surveys for the project are in progress. This work will be followed by building segments in yard at Deccan College, tunneling for the underground metro, constructing metro stations, signalling, electric work and telecom work followed by dry run.

Vanaaz to Civil Court

  • Work of erecting pillars is in progress. Priority stretch is from Vanaaz to Garware College. Work of building metro stations and Nal Stop two-deck flyover is in progress. 

Civil Court to Ramwadi

  • Work of soil excavation and foundation laying for pillars is in progress from Civil Court to Bundgarden and some areas of Kalyani Nagar.

Extensions planned in DPR stage

  • Nigdi-Pimpri and Swargate-Katraj

Extension demands

  • Nashik Phata-Chakan and Ramwadi-Kharadi-Wagholi

3 incidents of dereliction of duty from contractors

  • MahaMetro demolished part of a pillar constructed in Mutha river bed near Deccan Gymkhana in May 2018 due to lack of proper concretisation.
  • Two MahaMetro engineers were suspended after honeycombing was observed in one of the pillars in Phugewadi in September 2018.
  • A crane collapsed while the metro work was in progress at Nashik Phata in January. The crane operator was sacked and the contractor fined Rs 5 lakh by the agency.

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