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Day after minister questions metro projects, Maha-Metro expresses optimism about success in Pune, Nagpur
PUNE A day after Maharashtra minister for water resources Jayant Patil said that metro project in cities may turn out to be ‘white elephants’ in ten years and eventually
PUNE A day after Maharashtra minister for water resources Jayant Patil said that metro project in cities may turn out to be ‘white elephants’ in ten years and eventually add to the state’s financial burdens, Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (Maha-Metro) has expressed its optimism over the project in Pune and Nagpur.
Speaking at a college event in the city on Friday, Patil had said, “Very few people commute via the metro line… in Nagpur. Similar is the state of affairs in other cities. Within ten years, the metro services, including the one under construction in Pune, will prove to be white elephants and add to the state’s financial burden.”
Currently, in Nagpur, out of the four lines in both the corridors, two are open for public use. Maha-Metro is working on both Pune and Nagpur projects.
A senior Maha-Metro official on condition of anonymity said, “Almost 86 per cent of the project is complete and currently we are witnessing about 10,000 estimated footfalls daily. On January 26, Nagpur metro witnessed a maximum footfall of about 25, 000. As per the Development Project Report for Nagpur metro, we estimate about two lakh ridership daily once the entire project comes into place.”
The officer said that for end-to-end connectivity Maha-Metro has tie-up agencies to provide e-cycles, e-rickshaws, pedal cycles, LPG rickshaws and bus services. In some areas, it has already started. At MIHAN (Multi-Modal Hub and Airport at Nagpur), a cluster of industries, have come forward to offer this station to workplace connectivity to their employees.
Brijesh Dixit, managing director, Maha-Metro, said, “Just like any other project, the metro will also receive a response from people eventually. The two lines functioning in Nagpur currently are half in length and also in the number of stations. Every month we are adding one or two stations are per the plan. As the project progresses more people will start using the metro. The frequency of metro trains is also low as the coaches are yet to arrive. Every week the ridership is going up by at least five to six per cent.”
Dixit also said that just like Nagpur metro, Pune metro too will have end-to-end connectivity to ensure that every metro passenger reaches the destination without any hassle.
He said, “We are in touch with agencies to provide cycles, buses and maintaining parking facility which will start once Pune metro comes up in full fledge. We are also in touch with PMPML to provide buses for last-mile connectivity. Also, we have a direct connection to three railways stations namely Pune junction, Shivajinagar and Kasarwadi wherein passengers can directly enter the platform through metro footover bridges (FOB). A similar structure will come up for Bus rapid transit system (BRTS) connectivity.”
Activists, however, are sceptical about Maha-Metro’s end-to-end connectivity. Pranjali Deshpande, architect and sustainable transport practitioner said, “Pune needs basic, but high-quality mobility infrastructure before jumping on an expensive metro rail system. High-quality footpaths, cycle tracks, PMPML buses are need of an hour. Metro cannot solve the mobility problem without a high-quality walk, bus and cycle infrastructure.”
“We should not forget that PMPML carries 11 lakh passenger, but experts doubt if Pune metro will carry even ten per cent of it and we are spending 20 times more the cost of BRT on it,” Deshpande added.
