All those who are available on 26 July 2008, Attend and Extend your support to the cause. Spread the Word.

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Dear all,

It has been decided to hold a Public Hearing on Hyderabad Metro rail project.

Date: Saturday, 26 July 2008

Time: 10.30 to 13.30 hrs

Venue: Sundarayya Vignana Kendram, Baghlingampally, ( very close to Sundarayya park )

This is to request you all to block the date, spread the word around and help in mobilizing larger numbers.

Best regards,

Dr. C. Ramachandraiah

************************************************

Thanks

Ananth

Email me at : scr.mmts@gmail.com for any clarifications.

Hi All,

Please post your ideas for the birthday celebrations of MMTS,

started on August 9 2003.

Regards,

ananth

I visited the ghatkesar station yesterday to check for any interesting developments. The approach to the station leaves a lot to be desired, the renovation/construction work not withstanding.

The level of the platform on the down line to KZJ has been raised by about 4-6 inches at most places. Perhaps, this was done to ready the station for MMTS ? The other platform is yet to be raised. I inquired and found out that ” I can expect MMTS but not in the near future”. Whatever that word ” near future” means, it sounds very ominous. Nevertheless, I was excited that something is happening on the MMTS front in this line.

A bit of earthwork/ platform tiling, FOB construction is also in progress.

I took the late running pushpull service back to SC today. It was a near-cinematic last minute dash to the platform :). A pleasant and quick ride home. Considering a representation to delay the pushpull by about 40 mins from scheduled time so that many college faculty and others in offices can take the train home, saving time on the journey.

]]> http://mmts.wordpress.com/2008/07/02/mmts-to-ghatkesar/feed/ bluesky http://mmts.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/mass-transit-options-for-hyderabad/ http://mmts.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/mass-transit-options-for-hyderabad/#comments Tue, 01 Jul 2008 19:12:39 +0000 ananthsaradhi http://mmts.wordpress.com/?p=100

Taken below, with due verbal permission, is a two page note on transport issues in Hyderabad.

Many thanks are due to Dr. C. Ramachandraiah and his team for their efforts.

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Mass Transit Options for Hyderabad (and the Region)
by Dr. C. Ramachandraiah, Associate Professor,

(Citizens for a Better Public Transport in Hyderabad)

Introduction:

In the city region, the APSRTC carries about 3 million passengers everyday. About 53% of the passengers travel less than 8 km, 73% upto 12 km only. MMTS (Multi-Modal Transit System) trains are becoming popular with the Phase-I carrying about 1.2 lakh each day.

Hyderabad is a large city without footpaths. There is No Public Transport and Management Policy.

Public transport should provide a cheaper and faster mode of travel by giving a high priority to public transport vehicles, pedestrians and bicycles on the roads. It will improve air quality and promote public health, decongest the city, and strengthen the city with the region around.

Public transport should not be viewed as a profit-loss venture.

Elevated metro rail:

• It covers 71.5 km in three corridors (Miyapur-Chaitanyapuri, Nagole-Shilparamam, and JBS-Falaknuma) with 66 stations.

• It is highly expensive (costs about Rs. 9700 crore, i.e. about Rs. 136 crore per Km as on today). Will escalate by 30-50% at least? Likely to reach Rs. 200 cr per km. Private financing to be 60%.

• It needs largescale demolition of buildings in the core areas. About 5000 commercial and 2000 residential properties going to be affected. About 3000 sq.yrds required for each station.

• About 30 stations or so to be developed as shopping malls for the private developers. These malls should come up in the middle of the roads. It is basically a construction and real estate project.

• Metro rail fares will be highly expensive compared to MMTS and buses.

• Elevated Metro Rail is an Externally Driven project. A combination of Indian and foreign construction companies, foreign coach manufacturers, foreign consultants, DMRC (Delhi Metro Rail Corporation) etc. are pushing this project.

• The Transportation Engineering Departments of the JNTU, Hyderabad and NIT, Warangal have not been involved at any stage in the formulation of this project. It may be noted that the REC, Warangal has done a comprehensive study for under the leadership of Prof. Raghavachari and submitted a report in 1988. Most of the recommendations of that study have not been implemented.

• With the elevated Corridors and stations at 12 metres height (about 4^th floor level), the skyline of the city will get defaced permanently. Assembly building, and several historical heritage precincts (viz., Mojamjahi Market, Salarjung Museum, Clock Tower etc.) will lose their grandeur. One heritage building near Sultan Bazar may have to be demolished. Sultan Bazaar as a landmark will disappear.

Therefore, THIS Metro rail project should be SCRAPPED.

Mass transit models should be city specific. HYDERABAD IS NOT DELHI.

We have BETTER & CHEAPER ALTERNATIVES

Our alternatives - Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) with a combination of modes for

Hyderabad city and the metropolitan region.

FOR HYDERABAD CITY

MMTS on DEDICATED TRACKS:

· With dedicated tracks along the existing railway lines (about 110 km or so), frequency of the MMTS trains can be increased significantly covering the routes of Lingampally-Nampally, Lingampally-Secunderabad-Falaknuma- Shamshabad, Sec’bad to Medchal, Sec’bad to Ghatkesar (SCR General Manager, Mr. D.N. Mathur, has said on record that dedicated tracks can be laid along the existing tracks. Railway lands are available for this. Land acquisition is required at some places).

• A new railway line (underground/elevated/surface) from Nampally to Malakpet to LB Nagar to Hayatnagar. Then a circular inner rail network will form connecting Nampally-Malakpet-Kacheguda-Secunderabad-Begumpet-Nampally. It will reduce a lot of load on the roads.

BRTS (Bus Rapid Transit System):

• Runs on the existing roads on dedicated bus lanes. This system will have compulsory footpaths and cycle paths (unlike in the metro project) as a package. Roads are redesigned for this. It can be expanded easily into several routes.

• The cost is estimated at Rs. 12-17 crore per km.

• Passenger fares will be less for BRT than Metro rails. It is operating in over 35 cities in the world.

Develop transit hubs in the city: Lakdikapool, Ameerpet, Secunderabad, Mehdipatnam, Kothi/Gowliguda etc

FOR THE METROPOLITAN REGION

There are a number of medium towns in the 50-150 km range from Hyderabad along the existing railway routes. Shamshabad, Hayatnagar, Ghatkesar, Medchal and Patancheru/Lingampally/Shankarpally (or where the ORR intersects the railway line) should be developed as transit hubs.

People living in the towns of the neighbouring districts should be able to commute by high- speed trains to one of these five transit stations along the ORR and change into the city-based trains. In course of time, those towns/districts will develop and also decongest the city.

]]> http://mmts.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/mass-transit-options-for-hyderabad/feed/ bluesky http://mmts.wordpress.com/2008/06/14/talking-points/ http://mmts.wordpress.com/2008/06/14/talking-points/#comments Sat, 14 Jun 2008 17:37:48 +0000 ananthsaradhi http://mmts.wordpress.com/?p=99

Hi All,

It has been some time since I posted anything. Now, here is something that our regular visitors can contribute. The regular views are good and comments are most welcome.

Talking points:

1. MMTS Phase II

2. Route passes from Hitec City ( Mishra ji !! )

3. Security issues for ladies in the Ladies compartments

4. Extension of MMTS on SC- KZJ mainline upto bibinagar(?)

5. Timings : They may change from July 1, 2008. Any inputs on the current/future timings for the services

Please post your views on these topics and any others that you may have in mind as comments to this post.

All your suggestions will help shape the agenda for the next meeting with the officials.

Today SC Rly Announced 3 more MMTS Servics from April 16th.

Timings of these services are as follows:

* SH - Starts at Sec’bad @ 6.20 PM and reaches Hyd’bad (Nampally) @ 6.50PM

* HL - Starts at Hyd’bad @ 7.15 PM and reaches Lingampally @ 8.00

* LH - Starts at Lingampally @ 8.30 PM and reaches Sec’bad @ 9.15 PM

Courtesy : LV Satish K , MMTS Travellers

Update on RTC buses:

Excerpts from emails to MMTS Travellers:

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From: Suresh_Reddy

Subject: RE: Update on RTC Services.

Dear All,

News is good but only for few people. I asked them to consider Satyam employees who are around 500 in number working in 3 diff offices in Hitec City. I will check if they are operating buses which I proposed as per the attachment. Route No.3 is very important and they have to consider.

Thank You.

Regards

SURESH REDDY BANDI

IMS - Network & Systems

Satyam Info City

HYDERABAD - 500 081.

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Hi,

News from RTC. RTC has increased the number of services from 12 to 64.

JNTU to VBIT Bus No 194H

1 bus for every half an hour from JNTU to VBIT.

The first bus starts @ 5.40 AM from JNTU and

the last Bus is at 8.00 PM.

The first bus starts @ 6.15 AM from VBIT and

the last Bus is at 8.35 PM.

These services are with effect from Monday i.e., 24th March 2008 onwards.

VBIT to Hi-tech City Station

From Morning 8.00 AM to 11.30 AM and Evening 4.00 PM to 7.00 PM for all the connecting trains.

Sources: A Venkateswara Rao. Secunderabad RTC Regional Manager.

S. Nagaraju, Hyderabad RTC Regional Manager.

Mallesh. Reporter Andhra Jyothi.

Special Thanks to the RTC Staff & Mallesh.

Here is the email from vijay  about the possibility of difficulty in feeder services at hitec-city  due to implementation of one way traffic.

Regards,

ananth

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Hi,

As you are all aware, there is going to be one way traffic being implemented from tomorrow around cyberabad area. As a result of that, it will be not be possible for feeder services to come to HiTec City station tomorrow after 8 AM.

We have made a representation to the DCP reg. this, since most of the commuters travel between 8.45 and 10.30 AM and they need pick up services during that time.

Probably tomorrow, you might find it difficult to get the feeder services.

We will be meeting the DCP tomorrow reg. this to work out a solution to allow company cabs and RTC buses to ply upto HiTec City station.

Probably from Thursday, we could see some change in the stance of the police reg. this one way.  I will keep you posted on this.

Thanks

Vijay K

Electronic display on MMTS - Near Future ?