The Ghaziabad-Aligarh Expressway has achieved a remarkable feat of laying Bituminous Concrete over a distance of 100 lane kilometre in just 100 hours, creating history in the process.
The milestone has been undertaken by the Ghaziabad Aligarh Expressway Private Limited (GAEPL) which maintains the 118-km toll road project from Ghaziabad to Aligarh on NH 34.
The milestone has been undertaken by the Ghaziabad Aligarh Expressway Private Limited (GAEPL)
Bituminous Concrete is a type of construction material that is used to build highways, driveways, and parking lots.
It is composed of a binding agent and a mixture of stone and other types of aggregate materials. This binding agent is known as “bitumen,” and it is produced as a residue of petroleum refining. When heated, it has a thick, sticky texture similar to tar, and when dry, it forms a dense solid surface.
World Record
Earlier in June 2022, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had created a Guinness World Record by laying 75 km of bituminous concrete in a single lane on NH-53 between Amravati and Akola districts in Maharashtra in 105 hours and 33 minutes (approximately five days).
The Amravati to Akola section is part of NH 53 and this is an important east-east corridor which connects major cities like Kolkata, Raipur, Nagpur and Surat.
The previous Guinness World Record for the longest continuously laid bituminous was for building 25.275 km of road that was achieved in Doha, Qatar in February 2019 and that task was completed in 10 days.
Green Technology
In order to promote sustainability and reduce cost, the Ghaziabad project has implemented the use of Cold Central Plant Recycling (CCPR) technology.
This innovative green technology involves utilizing 90 per cent of the milled material (i.e. recycled asphalt), which amounts to nearly 20 lakh square meters of road surface. Consequently, the consumption of virgin materials has been reduced to a mere 10 per cent.
The CCPR-based approach has significantly reduced fuel consumption and the associated greenhouse gas emissions, thereby making a substantial contribution to lowering of carbon footprint
The Ghaziabad-Aligarh section of NH-34, spanning 118 kilometers, plays a vital role as a transportation link between the densely populated regions of Ghaziabad and Aligarh in western Uttar Pradesh.
This project traverses various towns and cities in Uttar Pradesh, including Dadri, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Sikandrabad, Bulandshahr, and Khurja. It serves as a critical trade route, facilitating the movement of goods and contributing to regional economic development by connecting industrial areas, agricultural regions, and educational institutions.
Going full-steam ahead on infrastructure, the government is currently working on 144 tunnel projects across national highways (NH) in the country, Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday (17 May).
“144 tunnel projects spanning 357 km across national highways (NH), amounting to Rs 2-lakh crore, are currently underway in the country,” Minister Gadkari said at a conference organised by industry body FICCI on emerging trends and opportunities in tunnel construction.
The Minister pointed out that 30 tunnels, covering 45 km, are in operation, while another 60 tunnels, adding up to around 120 km, are under implementation and set to be completed within the next one to two years. Besides, 54 tunnels are under the Detailed Project Report (DPR) stage.
Road Tunnels
A road tunnel is an alternative vehicular transportation system to cross a water body or traverse through physical barriers such as mountains, existing roadways, railways; or to satisfy environmental or ecological requirements.
There are three main shapes of highway tunnels — circular, rectangular, and horseshoe or curvilinear. The shape of the tunnel is largely dependent on the method used to construct the tunnel and on the ground conditions.
Conventional techniques such as the drill and blast method (DBM) continue to play a dominant role in the execution of tunnel construction projects. Techniques such as tunnelling boring machines (TBMs) and the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM) are also being increasingly adopted. Lately, contractors are also exploring modern techniques such as sequential excavation and ground freezing.
Modern tunnels are also being equipped with advanced features including fully transverse ventilation system, uninterrupted power supply (UPS), tunnel emergency lighting, CCTV monitoring, variable message signs (VMS), traffic logging equipment, overheight vehicle detection and tunnel radio system.
In Pipeline
Tunnel construction activity in India has seen significant growth in the past few years owing to development across key infrastructure sectors, including urban rail, roads and highways, hydropower and water.
Some of the landmark tunneling project which have been completed in recent years include:
Atal Tunnel: Certified as the world’s longest tunnel at an altitude above 10,000 feet, the 9.02-km-long Atal tunnel runs under the ‘Rohtang Pass’ on the Manali-Leh Highway. It has reduced the road distance by 46 Kms between Manali and Leh and the time by about 4 to 5 hours, providing all-weather connectivity on the Manali – Leh axis.
Chamba Tunnel: Built by BRO, the 440-metre-long tunnel below the busy Chamba town on Rishikesh-Dharasu road Highway (NH 94) has further eased the movement of pilgrims on Char Dham yatra.
Nechiphu Tunnel: The 500-metre-long tunnel, at an altitude of 5,700 feet, is located on the Balipara-Charduar-Tawang (BCT) Road in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh and has been made to accommodate two-way traffic.
Chenani- Nashri Tunnel: This 9-km tunnel is the longest such state of art tunnel in the country, connecting Udhampur to Ramban in Jammu. Constructed at a cost of Rs 2500 crore, it cuts down 31 km of travel distance and reduces the travel time between the two points by about two hours.
Rewa-Sidhi Tunnel: The six-lane, 2.28 km long, tunnel situated on NH 75 was inaugurated in Dec 2022 and has reduced distance between Rewa and Sidhi districts in Madhya Pradesh by 7 kilometers, besides reducing commute time by at least an hour.
There is currently a pipeline of 144 tunnel projects on national highways, in various stages of development — either completed, under implementation, or under planning stage.
Apart from this, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is expected to build 350 more tunnels at a cost of Rs 1 lakh crore going ahead.
“Gradually, we have to build at least 350 tunnels at an additional cost of ₹1 lakh crore and these numbers are separate from the tunnels built by railways or hydropower. They have different tunnels,” Gadkari said in his address at an event organised by industry body ASSOCHAM on Thursday (20 May).
Strategic Significance
While many a tunnel under pipeline are being built to improve road connectivity, a large number of them have been planned from a strategic point of view and will not only come as a boost for the security forces, but will also ease travel for civilians.
Most of these strategic tunnels are coming up in Jammu and Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh – 19 tunnels are being constructed in J&K at a cost of Rs 25,000 crore.
The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL), a unit of the Road Transport Ministry, is implementing six such tunnel projects, worth Rs 18,539 crore, The Print reported.
Four of the six tunnels are coming up on NH 244, connecting Jammu to Anantnag. They are the Khellani tunnel, the KM 83 tunnel, the 8 km Sudhmahadev-Dranga tunnel and the 10.3 km Singhpora-Vailoo tunnel. Once the four tunnels are ready, travel time between Jammu and Anantnag will reduce from the current 11-12 hours to 6 hours.
The remaining two tunnels on NH-1 — the strategically crucial Zojila and Z-Morh — will provide all-weather road connectivity between Srinagar and Kargil.
The Zojila tunnel holds strategic significance as Zojila Pass is situated at an altitude of 11,578 feet on the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh National highway and remains closed during winters due to heavy snowfall, cutting off Ladakh region from Kashmir.
Alignment map of Zojila Tunnel
The 13.14 km-long tunnel, constructed by the Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Ltd (MEIL), has a horseshoe shape and passes under the mighty Zojila, connecting Ganderbal in Kashmir and Drass town in the Kargil district of Ladakh.
At present, 28 per cent work of the Zojila Tunnel has been completed and is expected to be opened by 2026.
Similarly, the strategically-significant Sela Tunnel project in in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, upon completion, will boost all-weather connectivity to the Line of Actual Control with China.
The project, being executed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), includes two tunnels and a link road will provide an alternate axis to the Sela pass, which is at 13,700 feet.
Laying the project’s foundation stone in February 2019, the government had highlighted its three benefits: “All weather connectivity to Tawang and forward areas”; reduction in “more than one hour of travel time from Tezpur to Tawang” and travellers avoiding “dangerous snow-covered Sela top at a height of 13,700 feet”.
The project is close to completion and is expected to be opened by June 2023.
In view of the ever-increasing number of air passengers, the construction of new terminal building at Kanpur Airport has been completed and will be inaugurated on 26 May by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
The information was shared by Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who is also likely to take part in the inauguration ceremony.
Built in an area of 6,243 sq-mt, the new terminal building of the civil enclave is designed to process 300 passengers during peak hours. The terminal is equipped with all modern facilities for the passengers with eight check-in counters, three conveyor belts and a parking space for as many as 150 cars.
The facade of the terminal has been adorned with art depicting local heritage inspired from famous Juggilal Kamlapat temple of Kanpur.
Juggilal Kamlapat Temple, Kanpur
Background
Kanpur, once known as ‘The Manchester of East’, is one of the most vibrant cities of India. Nestled on the banks of Ganga, Kanpur stands as one of north India’s major industrial centres with its own historical, religious and commercial importance.
Kanpur Air Force Base is an airport that was originally designated for the Indian Air force. In the 1970s, flights operated from this airport regularly to Delhi, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Banglore, Chennai, Pune and Mumbai.
The Civil Air Terminal of Kanpur Airport was reopened in December 2004 and since then regular flights are operational on this airport.
Situated in Chakeri, the airport is at a distance of 10 km from Kanpur city and serves Kanpur, Unnao, Etawah, Kanpur Dehat, Hamirpur and Fatehpur districts in the state.
Considering the growth in passenger traffic, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) has undertaken development work of the civil enclave at Kanpur Airport with enhanced facilities for passengers at a project cost of Rs 143.6 crore.
The development project includes the construction of a new terminal building, and an apron suitable for the parking of three A-321 type of aircraft.
The AAI sources said that the new terminal has the option of expanding to allow six aircraft to be accommodated at one go at the airport simultaneously.
Night Landing Facility
Official sources said that the instrument landing system (ILS) at the airport will also become functional on the inaugural day.
The ILS guides pilots land aircraft even in case of minimum visibility. It consists of a localiser, glide path and distance measuring equipment. ILS is a standard International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) precision landing aid which is used to provide accurate descent guidance signals to aircraft for landing on the runway under normal or adverse weather conditions.
In Kanpur, the ILS facility would make night landing possible, which will lead to increase in domestic flights.
“With the ILS facility planes can take off and land even when visibility is low, at night and in foggy weather conditions. The ILS-2 trial of the Airforce has been successful and the Airport Authority has been authorized for its operation. This ILS will control commercial flights as well as Airforce aircrafts,” sources added.
The development of civil enclave of Kanpur Airport with enhanced capacity will improve the connectivity to this city, giving impetus to the overall growth of the region.
Louis Berger, a US company, has been chosen as the consultant to draft a detailed Techno-Economic Feasibility Report (TEFR) for Chennai’s second airport planned at Parandur in Kancheepuram district, The Hindu reported.
In December last year, the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) had released a request for proposal (RFP) in an effort to hire a consultant for the project.
Based on this, four firms had submitted bids for doing the consultancy work, out of which the construction management firm Louis Berger was awarded the contract.
It was in August 2022 that Chief Minister M K Stalin announced that a greenfield airport would be built in Parandur, located around 15 km northeast of Kanchipuram, at an investment of Rs 20,000 crore with a capacity to handle 100 million passengers per annum.
As a first step, the TIDCO filed the application for site clearance for airport at Parandur to the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s steering committee and also issued the RFP for the detailed techno-economic report.
The TEFR report will comprise everything from a master plan, survey, financial model to social impact study, environmental management plan and environmental impact assessment for the second airport.
High-Level Committee
The project with a total area of 4,791 acres covering about 13 villages has seen vociferous protest with residents consistently objecting to it as they will have to give up their land, severely affecting their livelihoods.
Also, out of the total land area required for the airport, more than 50 per cent (2,605 acres) are wetlands. Many activists and experts, apart from the villagers, had voiced their dissent, fearing that it may cause serious damage to the environment.
To put things into perspective, residents of Ekanapuram village, one of the 13 villages to be affected by the Parandur airport passed a resolution against the project during a gram sabha meeting held on 26 January this year — this was the fourth time such a resolution was passed.
Subsequently, the state government had assured the setting up of a technical committee to analyse and recommend measures for mitigating the impact and conserve water bodies and also find an effective solution for the land acquisition issues for the villagers, including the farmers.
Following this, in March 2023, a seven-member high-level committee (HLC) was constituted to look into the environmental and land acquisition issues.
The committee headed by a retired IAS officer has hydrogeological experts from IIT Madras and Anna University and officials from the State government including Water Resources Department, TIDCO, Kancheepuram Collectorate and Commissionerate of Land Administration
The expert committee has started examining the detailed data submitted to them regarding the land, the number and extent of water bodies and other factors impacting the environment.
Subsequently, the HLC will conduct further meetings and field-level inspections before submitting its report within six months.
The second coach of RAPIDX — the rapid rail between Delhi and Meerut — will be reserved for women to ensure a safe and comfortable travel for them.
The reserved coach will have a seating capacity of 72 and will be over and above the additional 10 seats reserved for women in other coaches of the train.
“India’s first regional rail RAPIDX will have a dedicated women’s coach on every train. We have been working tirelessly to improve accessibility and to ensure a secure and smooth travel for women,” said an official of National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), which is executing the project.
The idea behind having a reserved coach is to create an environment where women felt secure travelling in the public mode of transport, whether alone or with a companion.
On Lines Of Delhi Metro
The Delhi Metro, since 2010, has reserved the first coach of the train for women. The reserved ladies’ coach is the first after the driver’s cab in every train.
With this, Delhi Metro became the second metro in the world to reserve special coaches for women after the Dubai new age transport system.
Other Novel Features
RAPIDX is India’s first regional rail service being constructed in the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut route. The train will cover a distance of 82 km in 55 minutes.
Some of the special features on the train include:
The first coach of the RAPIDX train will be a premium coach. It will be equipped with many modern amenities, including comfortable cushioned reclining seats, mobile and laptop charging ports, luggage racks, and magazine holders, among others.
A train attendant will be stationed in the premium coach in every RAPIDX train, to assist the commuters in need.
Platform screen doors (PSDs) at every station.
Dedicated space for wheelchairs/stretchers in the train and lifts at every station.
RAPIDX stations will showcase the blue and beige colours of the peacock feather, drawing inspiration from the national bird.
In order to access the business coach at the platform level of the station, dedicated automatic fare collection (AFC) gates will be installed separately. Passengers opting for ordinary coaches will need to tap and enter the AFC gate located on the concourse. This is the first time in the country that a double-tap system is being used in any public transportation system.
The ‘Mumbai Eye’, a replica of the hugely popular tourist attraction in London, the London Eye, may soon be a reality
In order to implement the Giant Observation Wheel Project, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has floated a request for proposal (RFP) to appoint a project management consultant who will help the authority carry out technical feasibility study and manage the bid process for selection of the developer.
The proposed Giant Observation Wheel planned at the Bandra Reclamation is envisaged to provide views of the city’s picturesque skyline, the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, of the Arabian Sea till its horizon and of the upcoming Ambedkar’s Statue of Equality.
Once operational, the ‘Mumbai Eye’ Giant Observation Wheel is envisaged to provide a change to the city’s tourism scenario and become an icon of the city’s progress.
On Lines Of The London Eye
Mumbai has a number of tourist destinations. A city which is special in itself and a dynamic symbol of India, Mumbai, sets itself as a perfect location to host the structure of the of the Mumbai Eye — Giant Observation Wheel, envisaged on the lines of the London Eye.
At 135-metre, the London Eye is the world’s tallest cantilevered observation wheel; a feat of design and engineering it has become the modern symbol representing the capital and a global icon. The experience showcases breathtaking 360-degree views of the capital and its famous landmarks and has been the number one visitor experience in the city for the past decade.
“Once operational, it is expected to boost tourism in Mumbai and the whole of Maharashtra. It will help to generate employment and create iconic waterfront development. The Mumbai Eye shall attract global attention and pride for the whole country,” read the RFP.
Adjacent To Bandra-Worli Sea Link
‘Mumbai Eye’ Giant Observation Wheel is proposed to be located over an area of approximately 5-6 hectares at Bandra Reclamation in Bandra West.
Map of site at Bandra Reclamation in Bandra West, Mumbai
The site adjoins the approach road to Bandra-Worli Sea Link and the Promenade with proximity to the International Finance and Business Centre at BKC and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.
The site is in proximity to the under-construction Metro Line 2B and Metro Line 3, accessible through Bandra Suburban Train Station and is connected by road to the city extents by the Bandra Worli Sea Link and the Western Express Highway.
Earlier in 202O, the Uddhav Thackeray-led state government had revived its 13-year-old plan to construct the Mumbai Eye as a major tourist attraction. Following this, the MMRDA had floated a tender for expression of interest (EOI) in which 23 bidders across the globe had expressed interest.
However, the bidders raised concerns over the proposed site for development. The agency has now decided to appoint a consultant before appointment of a contractor for the project work, said an MMRDA official.
It was in 2006, when the then Shiv-Sena led Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), for the first time, made budgetary provisions for the construction of a 630-foot Mumbai Eye. But the plan was shelved by the BMC, which was facing financial constraints at the time.
In 2011, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation revived the plan and proposed to construct it on public-private-partnership model. This, too, failed to take off.
The Haryana government on Monday (15 May) gave its approval to the Delhi-Gurugram-Shahjahanpur-Neemrana-Behror-Alwar and Delhi-Panipat Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) projects.
The approval came during the RRTS meeting chaired by chief secretary Sanjeev Kaushal in Chandigarh on 16 May.
Delhi-SNB Project
The Delhi-Gurugram-SNB (Shahjahanpur-Neemrana-Behror Urban Complex) RRTS corridor will be elevated for 70 km and the remaining 37 km underground. It will feature six underground, nine elevated, and one at-grade station. A depot is being planned at Dharuhera.
The length of the corridor passing through Delhi, Haryana, and Rajasthan are 23 km, 83 km, and 2 km, respectively.
The proposed stations on the Delhi-SNB corridor include Sarai Kale Khan, INA, Munirka, Aerocity, Udyog Vihar, Sector-17, Rajiv Chowk, Kherki Daula, Manesar, Panchgaon, Bilaspur Chowk, Dharuhera, MBIR, Rewari, Bawal and SNB.
The 107-km-long Delhi-SNB RRTS corridor is part of the Delhi-Arwal RRTS line. One of the three RRTS corridors prioritised for implementation, Delhi-Gurugram-Alwar is planned to be implemented in three stages.
Delhi-Alwar RRTS Alignment
Under the first stage, a 106.5 km stretch will be constructed from Sarai Kale Khan (SKK) in Delhi to SNB Urban Complex, just ahead of Bawal (Haryana), enroute touching various regional nodes such as Gurugram, Manesar, Panchgaon and Rewari.
Alignment OF SKK-SNB RRTS Corridor
The line would be extended from SNB Urban Complex to Sotanala (33.3 km), with Shahjahanpur, Neemrana, and Behror in between, under the second phase. SNB to Alwar (58 km) extension is proposed under the third phase.
This corridor will be interoperable with the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor, facilitating commuters to travel between one corridor to another without the need to change the train.
Similarly, with an intent to incentivise the use of Public Transport, RRTS stations on this corridor will be seamlessly integrated with other modes of transport — Metro rail, railway station and ISBT at Sarai Kale Khan; Metro rail at INA, Aerocity, Udyog Vihar in Gurgaon, Kherki Duala, and Panchgaon and IGI airport at Aerocity.
The corridor is planned to be constructed in about five years’ time, excluding one year of pre-construction activities at a base construction cost of Rs 37,987 crore, funded by government of India (20 per cent), concerned state governments (20 per cent) and bilateral/multilateral funding agencies (60 per cent).
The centre has already received the approval with financial commitment of government of Haryana and government of Rajasthan for Delhi-SNB RRTS corridor. However, the Delhi government has not agreed to provide funds for the RRTS corridor connecting the national capital with Rajasthan and Haryana.
In a big boost to the project, the Centre in Feb 2023 included the Delhi-Gurugram-SNB corridor under the ambit of PM Gati Shakti masterplan — this is likely to result in faster approvals and expeditious completion of the much-delayed project.
Delhi-Panipat RRTS Corridor
The Delhi-Panipat RRTS corridor of 103-km-long alignment would have an elevated length of 11.5 km and 91.5 km underground.
Delhi-Panipat RRTS Corridor
It would have two underground, 14 elevated, and two at-grade stations. Two depots have been planned at Murthal and Panipat. The length passing through Delhi and Haryana are 36.2 km and 66.8 km, respectively.
RRTS
The RRTS is a new, rail-based, dedicated, high capacity, comfortable commuter service. With a design speed of 180 kmph and an average speed of 100 kmph, it aims to connect regional nodes in NCR.
In the first phase of the project, three corridors, namely, Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut, Delhi-SNB-Alwar and Delhi-Panipat are under implementation.
RRTS Phase-I Map
In the next phase(s), five additional RAPIDX lines will be developed.
These are Delhi–Faridabad–Ballabgarh-Palwal, Ghaziabad–Khurja, Delhi-Bahadurgarh-Rohtak, Ghaziabad-Hapur and Delhi-Shahdara-Baraut.
RRTS Route Map
The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), which works under the administrative control of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and is executing the RRTS project is a joint venture of the Government of India (50 per cent) and state governments of Haryana (12.5 per cent), NCT Delhi (12.5 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (12.5 per cent) and Rajasthan (12.5 per cent).
NCRTC is aiming to commission the 2-km-long Delhi-Meerut corridor for the public by 2025. Before that, it will operationalise a 17-km long Priority Section between Sahibabad and Duhai in 2023, before the scheduled time.
The Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation Ltd (HMRTC) has received bids from three firms to carry out the detailed design work for Gurgaon Metro’s 28.5 km line connecting HUDA City Centre and Cyber City, reports the MetroRailGuy.
The new metro corridor will form a ring line through Gurugram and Old Gurugram via 27 stations.
The design work comprises detailed design of Viaduct (24.275 km) excluding Stations, all components of 27 elevated stations and proof checking of all components of 0.715 km of special span length alignment
Earlier in March 2023, the HMRTC had floated second round of bids for the selection of detailed design consultant — the original round of bidding in August 2022 had to be cancelled due to poor participation.
Two Operational Lines
At present, there are only two metro lines operating in the city — a 7 km portion of the Delhi Metro’s Yellow Line and a 12.85 km Rapid Metro corridor.
The five stations — Guru Dronacharya, Sikanderpur, MG Road, IFFCO Chowk and HUDA City Centre — on the Yellow Line provides connectivity between Gurugram and Delhi.
Similarly, the Rapid Metro is a fully elevated rapid transit system owned by HMRTC and operated by DMRC. With 11 stations, the Rapid Metro eases the commute between Cyber City and Golf Course Road and also has an interchange facility with Delhi Metro’s Yellow Line at Sikanderpur Station.
The plan to extend the metro facility from Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) City Centre to various important locations in Gurugram has been under consideration for several years, during which officials have deliberated upon various routes.
It was in August 2020, however, that the state government accorded approval for a detailed project report (DPR) of a 28.8-km metro link between HUDA City Centre and Old Gurgaon at a cost of Rs 6,821.13 crore.
However, due to some issues raised by the Centre, a revised DPR, incorporating the changes sought, was sent to the Centre again.
The project based on the revised DPR was cleared by the Public Investment Board (PIB) under Union Ministry of Finance in November last year. The Union Cabinet’s nod is now waited for the Rs 6,400 crore project.
Alignment
The Gurugram Metro line from HUDA City Centre to Cyber City via Old Gurgaon will have a running distance of 28.5 km, including a 1.85 km spur from Basai Village to Dwarka Expressway
The 26.65-km-long main corridor from HUDA City Centre to Cyber City will be an elevated stretch with a total of 27 stations including depot.
Dark blue line represents the rough alignment of the proposed metro corridor
The interchange with the Delhi Metro’s Yellow Line at HUDA City Centre will provide direct connectivity to a large part of Gurugram with Delhi.
Also, this line is likely to have an interchange with the 106 km Delhi-SNB-RRTS line at Udyog Vihar which will provide connectivity up to Sarai Kale Khan (SKK), New Delhi on one side and Shahjahanpur, Neemrana and Behror (SNB), Rajasthan on the other side.
These linkages will enhance the efficiency of transportation system in National Capital Region (NCR).
The metro line will cover the entire city of Gurugram and would give efficient and environment-friendly transport system to the public of Haryana especially living in Gurugram and its vicinity.
It should be noted that Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar while presenting the state budget for the fiscal 2023-24 had said that the construction of HUDA City Centre-Cyber City Line would commence in 2023-24 after approval from the Union Cabinet.
The dream of a ropeway from Rishikesh to the mythical Shri Neelkanth Mahadev Temple, is now expected to be a reality soon.
The Uttarakhand Metro Rail, Urban Infrastructure & Building Construction Corporation ltd. (UKMRC) last week invited bids from private parties to build, maintain and operate a ropeway project from ISBT Rishikesh to Parvati Mata Mandir via Triveni Ghat and Neelkanth Mahadev Mandir in the holy city of Rishikesh.
The “ISBT Rishikesh-Triveni Ghat-Neelkanth Mahadev-Parvati Mata Mandir Ropeway” shall be developed on PPP Model under Design Built Finance Operate and Transfer (DBFOT basis) with an investment of Rs 465.69 Crore.
The 6.48-km-long ropeway will start adjacent to ISBT Bus Stand, Rishikesh with upper terminal Stations at Neelkanth Mahadev, near Neelkanth Mahadev Temple and Parvati Mata Temple at the end.
It will also have an intermediate station at Triveni Ghat, 500 metres away from Triveni Ghat Arti Point.
The proposed alignment is passing above the iconic Rishikesh-Lakshman Jhula Road along Chandrabhaga River and crossing Ganga River and Rajaji National Park and non-Forest area.
According to the bid document, the ropeway has to be based on Mono Cable Detachable Gondola (MDG) technology. The ropeway will have a design capacity to carry 2000 Peak Hour Peak Direction Traffic (PHPDT) with a minimum operation time of 16 hours per day.
The Concessionaire shall construct the ropeway project in 730 days form the appointed date and will have the exclusive right, to operate and maintain the Project for a period of 30 years.
Necessity
Set against the backdrop of the Himalayas and with the pristine Ganga flowing through it, the ancient town of Rishikesh is one of the major tourist and pilgrimage hubs in northern India, where people from across the world arrive in search of peace.
The proposed Ropeway has been planned to connect ISBT Rishikesh with Neelkanth Mahadev and Parvati Mata Temple as well as Triveni Ghat, the three important religious places in and around Rishikesh.
The first proposed station on the ropeway is Triveni ghat – it is the most well-known bathing ghat (stepped banks of a river), where most pilgrims take a holy dip before they visit the temples of Rishikesh.
An amazing sight here is the evening aarti, a ceremony accompanied by lights, drums and chanting, with the entire ghat lit with flickering lamps.
Triveni Ghat
The second stop is the Neelkanth Mahadev Temple, an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Situated at an altitude of 1330 metres, the temple is surrounded by dense forest and is adjacent to the mountain ranges of Nar-Narayan. The temple lies amidst the valleys of Manikoot, Brahmakoot and Vishnukoot and cradles on the confluence of Pankaja and Madhumati rivers.
Neelkanth Mahadev Temple
According to Hindu mythology, this is the place where Lord Shiva consumed the poison that that had emanated during Samudra Manthan. He stopped the poison in throat, due to which his neck turned blue. Thus, Lord Shiva is also known as Neelkanth, literally meaning ‘The Blue Throated One’.
The temple celebrates two fairs that are held annually on the occasion of Maha Shivratri (Feb/Mar) and Shraavana Shivratri (July/Aug) during which the devotees (Kawarias) trek from Haridwar to Neelkanth Mahadev Temple.
Parvati Mata Mandir- the last terminal of the ropeway- is around 2 kms from the Neelkanth Mahadev Temple.
The dedicated personal rapid transit system will not only make the journey comfortable and time saving, but it will also be eco-friendly and energy efficient.
Indian Railways has decided to operationalise at least five pairs of Vande Bharat trains by the end of June with one between Puri and Howrah all set to be launched next week, reports News 18.
The railways has set a target to run at least 75 Vande Bharat trains by August 2023, to mark 75th anniversary of India’s Independence — Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
Therefore, the Ministry of Railways had streamlined the production of the Vande Bharat rakes, and it is all set for the back-to-back inauguration of new trains.
First among these will be the Puri-Howrah Vande Bharat followed by the New Jalpaiguri-Guwahati train. Furthermore, there are plans for another Vande Bharat train to operate between Patna and Ranchi.
There is no official clarity on the remaining two routes.
First Vande Bharat For Odisha
Following the successful trial run of the semi-high-speed train between West Bengal’s Howrah and Odisha’s Puri, the 16th Vande Bharat train is expected to commence operations on 15 May.
However, the ministry is yet to announce the timing and routes for the premium train which is expected to cover 500-km distance in around six hours.
This will be the first Vande Bharat train for the coastal state of Odisha as well as for the South Eastern Railway (SER) zone. The demand for Vande Bharat services in Odisha has been long pending.
Earlier in November last year, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had announced that the Vande Bharat Express train will be introduced in Odisha in 2023.
The decision to introduce the train was taken after the entire stretch from Howrah to Khurda Road section was upgraded for a maximum permissible speed of 130 kmph.
Also, this will be the second Vande Bharat train for West Bengal. In December last year, the state had got its first Vande Bharat train between Howrah and New Jalpaiguri.
The Vande Bharat train on the Puri-Howrah route will be a boon for pilgrims and visitors heading to Puri, Lord Jagannath’s residence, the World Heritage Site at Konark, and Chilika Lagoon.
Currently, a Shatabdi train operates on this route with six stops. The train takes eight hours to complete its journey from Puri, while it takes 7 hours and 35 minutes to cover the same distance from Howrah.
First Vande Bharat For North East
The people of the North East will soon have a state-of-the-art Vande Bharat train to ride on, most likely by the end of May with the train operating between Guwahati in Assam and New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal.
While this will mark the debut of the Vande Bharat train in Assam, it will be second such service for the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR).
Also, this would be the third Vande Bharat express train that West Bengal will get, with the first running on the Howrah-New Jalpaiguri route since 30 December, 2022 and the second train to run on Howrah-Puri route by 15 May.
First Vande Bharat For Bihar And Jharkhand
Along with Odisha and Assam, Vande Bharat is also set to be launched in Bihar and Jharkhand this month.
In a first for the neighbouring states of Bihar and Jharkhand, the Vande Bharat train is expected to run between the two capitals — Patna and Ranchi by the end of this month or in June.
The railways will work out the details of the train, once the train rake is received by the Ranchi Division of South Eastern Railway (SER) zone and the train trials are carried out.
The Vande Bharat will cover the distance between Ranchi and Patna in around six hours, which is a major improvement for the corridor, given that trains operating between the stations take over nine hours to complete the same journey.
Five Trains Introduced This Fiscal
The Ministry of Railways has introduced five pairs of these trains across the country, in the ongoing financial year. These include Delhi-Bhopal, Secunderabad-Tirupati, Chennai-Coimbatore, Delhi-Ajmer and Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod Vande Bharat trains.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Delhi-Bhopal Vande Bharat Express in Bhopal on 1 April. The new train between Rani Kamlapati Railway station, Bhopal and New Delhi Railway Station is the first such service for Madhya Pradesh.
Further, Modi on 8 April flagged off the Chennai-Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express in Chennai. It was the second train in the semi-high-speed class to be flagged off on the same day after the Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat Express, which rolled out of the Secunderabad Railway Station in Telangana.
Similarly, Ajmer-Delhi Cantt Vande Bharat Express — Rajasthan’s first Vande Bharat Express train — was flagged off on 12 April.
Redefining railway passenger experience in Kerala, the state’s first Vande Bharat Express between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod was flagged off on 25 April.
The semi-high-speed, fully-air-conditioned train service, covering 11 districts, links capital Thiruvananthapuram in the south to Kasaragod in the north of the state
Earlier, in January, Modi had flagged off Vande Bharat Express between Secunderabad and Visakhapatnam.
Total Tally At 15
The first Vande Bharat (VB) train was flagged off on the New Delhi-Kanpur- Allahabad-Varanasi route on 15 February 2019.
Presently, 15 pairs of Vande Bharat Express are in operation over the Indian Railways (IR) network.
Five VB trains from Delhi to — Ajmer, Varanasi, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, Bhopal and Amb Andaura in Himachal Pradesh.
Three VB trains from Mumbai to — Gandhinagar, Shirdi and Solapur.
Two VB trains from Chennai to — Mysuru and Coimbatore
Two VB trains from Telangana’s Secunderabad to — Visakhapatnam and Tirupati
VB trains are also operational on Nagpur-Bilaspur, Howrah-New Jalpaiguri, and Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod routes.
