plans, slow progress
planned rapid implementation of metro and monorail projects in India? There is not much to be optimistic about, going by the progress made so far. Phase I of the Bangalore Metro, launched in April 2003, has completed construction of just 6.7km out of a total length of 33km so far at a rate of 1.21km per year. The
Is there more hype than substance to the planned rapid implementation of metro and monorail projects in India? There is not much to be optimistic about, going by the progress made so far.
Chennai, Kolkata east-west line, Mumbai and Hyderabad metros (launched in 2008, 2004, 2004 and 2003 respectively) have yet to complete a single section of line. Phase I of the Delhi metro was
constructed at a rate of 8.13km per year, while the pace of construction was ramped up under Phase II to 19.6km per year. In contrast, the Kochi metro
was started in July 2005 and re- launched in July 2012, but has not yet completed a single stretch of construction.
The Mumbai monorail project has not started, with the concessionaire on the verge of backing out, while Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) appears disinterested in funding the Kolkata east-west corridor, as the route is considered unviable. “Only the Hyderabad metro project, which has L&T Metro Rail as the concessionaire, seems to show hope at this stage,” an expert said. Issues are as much about financing as about technology and political will. While state governments are generally keen on metro projects, some schemes including the Kolkata metro have not made progress because of inter-party rivalries.
But MoUD secretary Mr Sudhir Krishna exudes hope. “Innovative financing mechanisms (as envisaged for Delhi metro Phase III) are being worked out for all metro projects,” he says. “This involves not only financing from multilateral financing institutions like Jica, but also domestic borrowing duly facilitated by government guarantees. Interest subsidy is proposed to be
serviced through land-value capture along the metro corridors.” The potential for building metros in India is truly huge. Cities and towns contribute more than 60% of the country’s GDP at present. In 2001, 28% of the total population lived in urban areas accounting for 286 million people, but by 2011 the proportion had increased to more than 31% or 377 million people. It is projected that by 2031, about 40% of the total population - 600 million people - will be living in urban areas. There were 35 cities in India with a population in excess of one million in 2001, but by 2011 the number had grown to 53.
The Planning Commission has stipulated eligibility guidelines for state governments wishing to construct and operate metros during the 12th plan period (2012-13 to 2016-17). The guidelines state that state governments can seek approval for metro projects in cities which are projected to have peak traffic ridership of 15,000 passengers/h/direction by 2021, and the average distance travelled by each passenger must be more than five minutes. This could pave the way for many more projects. IRJ
Indian metro projects City
Ahmedabad Bangalore Bhopal
Chandigarh Chennai Delhi
Hyderabad Indore Jaipur Kochi
Kolkata
Lucknow Ludhiana Mumbai
Navi Mumbai Nagpur Pune
Raipur Total (km) 213 415
Indian monorail projects Kozhikode
Thiuruvanantthapuram 26.2 7 54 189.8 140
71.16 9.25
25.6 14.7
53.9 11.1
115 30
25.9 73.8 29.4
34 103
10.35 40
31.3 45.1
736.69
14.2 25.2
Open Under construction Planned Total 58.27 75 30
35.3 35.57
58.27
117.3 30
35.57 54
444.8
71.16 30
35.15 25.6
114.7 34
29.4 156.9
21.45 40
31.3 45.1
1374.7
14.2 25.2
31
Photo: Paul Bigland
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