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Karnataka high-speed rail plan hits legal roadblock
Written By Sanjeev - 16 November, 2010
Bangalore Analysis HSRL Transportation public transport Commuter rail
A high-speed rail link (HSRL) project connecting Bangalore to its new international airport, proposed at a cost of Rs 6,000 crore and intended to reduce commuting time from the present one hour to 20 minutes, has hit speed breakers over the legal framework the project is to be implemented under. In 2006, the Karnataka government proposed to implement the project under the Mysore Tramway Act 1905, but with the new airport located outside the jurisdiction of the city corporation or the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagar Palike, where the Act is not applicable, the government has been forced to stall the project indefinitely while it pursues a legal resolution.
The Karnataka government, not keen to implement the project in association with the Indian Railways, is pursuing the Central government to delegate powers under the Metro Railway (Construction) Act of 1980 to enable implementation of the HSRL project beyond the present Bangalore city limits.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/karnataka-highspeed-rail-plan-hits-legal-roadblock/711787/
Now project gets delayed further and cost will go up, so the Travell cost by HSRL too. We can expect the HSRL by 2016 only. Mean time we should enjoy paying the Toll for NH-7 too.
Now its high time for State & center to come forward on Commuter Rail and get the project sanctioned. In between HSRL can take its own sweat time to get life.
COMMENTS
Delhi Airport Express gets safety approval
Vasanth - 11 January, 2011 - 05:52
Delhi Airport Express gets safety approval and services will be launched this week. It was originally designed for 120kph, but railway safety committee has asked to run trains at 105kph.
For 22 kms, it costs whooping 38,000 crores and traverses it in 20 minutes from Delhi Railway Station to Airport..
Isn't it a white elephant?
srinidhi - 11 January, 2011 - 06:36
such projects mostly cater to the egos of a select few and do hardly any good for the public..
The main point raised for not having metro is that it does not generate enough ridership now..since the route is not populated enough..however with all the plans to industrialize the airport belt..the ITIR etc..the numbers will easily grow..its like what comes first..infra follows development or infra leads development..I find the latter a better way..cos it costs cheaper!
About money..if metro can be done on PPP in hyd..whats the big deal for doing it for blr?
Vasanth - 11 January, 2011 - 07:26
Yeshwantpur - Devanahalli train leaves YPR at 10:40 and reaches DHL at 11:45. Add 10 more minutes to reach City Station, so it takes 1 hour 15 minutes. This has got so many stoppages and no A/C coaches intended by hi-tech plane passengers.
If this train itself could be tuned further, by reducing the stops , having only at Yeshwantpur and Yelahanka, travel time could be reduced to 40-50 minutes.
A loop line linking Devanahalli Airport with a station in Airport would cost less than 100cr including hi-fi LHB coaches capable of 150 kph capable rolling stock.
To this, add a dedicated track from YPR to Devanahalli. Distance is 30 kms. At 8crore per km, at 240 crores, we could get a new dedicated track all the way.
Loop track will also enable cargo movement from planes to other cities by goods trains.
Problem is, SWR is not interested in intracity trains.
In case of Devanhalli, State wants HSRL, not the SWR
Sanjeev - 11 January, 2011 - 09:01
@Vasanth,
what you say is common sense and our politicans or state officials do not care for this.
Technically also HSRL will not be High speed, its METRO with less stops. As our Railways Shatabdis can run at 150KM / h using LHB coaches, whats big deal in operating speed of 100 KM / h of HSRL.
Public will realise over the period its not High speed like Shatabdi. Cost of the project will touch 10000 crore soon and fares can be Rs 1000 / on single trip.
Over the period, we have realised that state govt wants connectivity to BIAL thru' HSRL only and does not want to use existing lines of SWR.
One can see the events how its unfolded :
1. Report of CTTP2007 was ensured that Local Trains / Commuter Rail is not included the Devanhalli streatch.
2. Subsequently when SWR has asked for land at Bangalore city and Biyyappanahalli, State is not keen on giving this land, as they may want to give it some influencial person.
3. Look at the status of Biayyappnahalli station :
The railways require about 50 acres of land, which is available with the NGEF. However, the State Government, which owned the NGEF, has demanded Rs. 200 crore security deposit and the railways doesn't have the money.
http://www.hindu.com/2011/01/10/stories/2011011050390300.htm
4. Same is the case with Binny Mill Land handing over to Railways :
BBMP has decided to hand over nearly 1.5 acres of Binny Mills land in return for the railway land required for the Okalipuram signal free corridor
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/127838/land-swap-put-signal-free.html
Land is only 1.5 acers, where as available Binny mill land is in 30 acers. See the news report
The acquisition of the 30-acre land will fall perfectly into the Railways’ plans of expansion, that it sorely needs.
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/99421/rlys-may-acquire-binny-mills.html
5. State Govt : IDD has refused to pay the amount for YH-1 / YD-1 rakes ie Rs 10 crore even after agreeing to pay the amount.
6. State Govt offcial or Politicans do not have time to meet Railway Board or Railway Minister at Delhi, but they have all the time to save their skin or blame others in the public forums. Karnataka MP's / MLA's are not united when it comes to demanding at center, they look at which party is doing lobby.
It looks we are at mercy of our own elected representative who do not care for the public, they care where the honey is available.
Cabbies take Volvos for a ride to Devanhalli
Sanjeev - 20 November, 2010 - 08:37
Need to reach the airport as fast as you can, but is that fat taxi fare bothering you? Relax, there’s a perfect solution -- obliging cabbies who’ll make the dash to Devanahalli easy on your purse.
The economics is simple. Cabs, particularly those assigned by hotels to collect passengers from the airport, have to make an empty trip to the airport. Cashing on the situation, several cabbies make quick bucks by luring passengers waiting for a bus with a cheaper fare.
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/114366/cabbies-take-volvos-ride.html
As the running cost of Cabs is high for BIAl like parking fee at BIAL Terminal, distance & to Cabsneed to make money to pay the vechile loan.
We will see competition going up but will create traffic mess similar to Autos on the street at BIAL Terminal, this my experience at night flights landing at BIAL.
This effect will be seen even on HSRL when it happens.
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