No traffic jams, no accidents, no sweat
By Praveen Chandran | 25 Feb 2002
Mumbai:
The Konkan Railway Corporation (KRC) has proposed its
newly-invented mass rapid transit system (MRTS), Sky Bus
Metro Railway, to two more states Kerala and Andhra
Pradesh. KRC had already given this new MRTS concept to
the Maharashtra government and it is in an advanced stage
of implementation.
KRC,
in association with Marshals Corporate Group of Bangalore,
will prepare a detailed project report to establish the
techno-economic feasibility of the proposed Sky Bus Metro
service in Kochi, Kerala, while in AP, the state government
is planning to implement the project in the city of Hyderabad.
In Kerala, KRC officials said a memorandum of understanding
between the state transport department, the Kerala State
Industrial Development Corporation, KRC and MRG will soon
be signed in this regard.
The implementation of the project, estimated to cost Rs
900 crore, will be considered only after the establishment
of feasibility and subject to getting the requisite clearances
from the state government.
The Kochi project will be taken up in two phases the
first one costing Rs 600 crore and the second Rs 300 crore.
In Mumbai, KRC is planning to offer Rs 100 crore from
the private sector to implement its first Sky Bus project
between Andheri and Ghatkopar. The Mumbai Metropolitan
Region Development Authority has already offered Rs 100
crore to this project.
Says KRCs B Rajaram: "We are confident of commissioning
the project within 30 months from now. We will meet the
requirement of additional funds by issuing tax-free bonds
worth Rs 200 crore soon." The total cost of the project
is estimated at over Rs 400 crore.
Officials say KRC is also planning to implement this project
in other cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahemadabad,
Pune and Bangalore. Sky Bus is an MRTS under which commuters
are transported in coaches suspended on overhead cables.
The infrastructure will be installed over roadways and
on road dividers and requires practically no extra acquisition
of lands. Further, the project causes no displacements,
hence speeds up the process of formal clearance and permissions.
Sky Bus Metro has the ability to roll at an average speed
of 45kmph.
The project will be operational with just 50 per cent
of the cost of an elevated rail system and only 25 per
cent of the underground metro, offering the same performance
standards.
Commuters can avail of several benefits from this mode
of transport. While eliminating any probability of vandalism
or an accident, Sky Bus Metro can handle 15,000 to 50,000
persons per hour in one direction. There will not be any
traffic jams, and the project will bring air-conditioned
travel at just Rs 250 for a month.