Mar 08 2015 : The Times of India (Pune)
Bapat, Sreedharan part of panel to study Pune metro corridor-II
Pune
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Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said the state government will immediate ly approve and start building Pune metro corridor-I, which would connect Pimpri Chinchwad and Swargate.
The CM's assurance came folowing a meeting of elected representatives, state urban development department of ficials, members of NGOs and officials of Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporations to discuss the metro project.
Fadnavis also appointed a committee under the district guardian minister to study alternative alignment for corridor­II, between Vanaz and Ramwadi.
The committee will submit its report within a month, following which a final call on the route will be taken. The state will appoint a committee under Pune guardian minister Girish Bapat to study alternative alignment for the second metro corridor between Vanaz and Ramwadi.
“Today , I heard the views of experts and elected representatives. We have made two decisions. First, everyone has agreed that there is no dispute on the first corridor and there is agreement (to start the work). Hence, it was decided that the first corridor will be approved (by the state) and work will be started,“ said chief minister Devendra Fadnavis while speaking to reporters following a meeting with elected representatives, state urban development department officials, members of NGOs and officials of Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporations to discuss the metro project.
The CM said the state government will give final approval to the first corridor and send it to the central government, requesting immediate implementation. “Another decision taken in the meeting was about appointing a committee to study alternative alignment for the second corridor. There is a view that alignment of this corridor must change. Experts have suggested alternative alignment and the committee will study its viability and take a decision within a month. The final decision on (starting work) for the second corridor will be taken after the committee submits its report.“
The committee will be headed by Pune guardian minister Girish Bapat and comprise principal secretary of the state urban development department, PMC commissioner, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation managing director and representatives of civil society, including Vijay Kelkar.
Fadnavis said the state government will request E Sreedharan to be part of the committee as he was heading the DMRC when Pune metro report was prepared.Experts doubt viability of state's decision
Some experts and state government officials who at tended the meeting are not convinced with the chief minister's decision. “The state government will have to redo the entire Detailed Project Report (DPR). The surveys incorporated in the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) report are based on the 1997 report submitted by RITES.There is no scientific background to the DPR and the state government must not start work on any corridor without detailed study. It would be a wastage of taxpayers' money ,“ said urban planner Aneeta Benninger­Gokhale.
Some experts and state officials, requesting anonymity, said the central government is unlikely to approve one corridor of the DPR. “The government has to either approve the entire DPR or reject it. It is highly impossible the Centre will approve DPR in phases.The project must be considered in totality and one corridor cannot be built in isolation,“ said a state official, adding that even the first corridor was not viable.
Cost factor will change
State urban development department principal secretary Nitin Kareer said the project cost would change in case there is realignment of the metro routes. “The central government has insisted on immediate approval of the project so that it does not lag behind other projects. If the alignment is changed and major portion in underground, the cost factor will change,“ he said. The total estimated cost of two corridors with the central and state taxes has jumped to Rs 8,918 crore, while the completion cost escalation at 7.5 % per year (without state taxes) would be Rs 10, 869 crore.
Kareer suggested that suburban transport could be considered as one of the solutions to traffic and transport problem on the first corridor.Elected representatives present for the meeting said the state must take quick decisions to avoid further cost escalation.
FSI not debated
The meeting did not come up with any conclusions on the controversial proposal of allocating 4 Floor Space Index (FSI) on the metro corridor.The DMRC has proposed 4 FSI on either side of the corridor to achieve greater population density through vertical development of residential and commercial properties.
Activists have opposed the provision on the grounds that the draft DP earmarks a metro influence zone of 32.95 sq km, taking into account 500m along both sides of the corridors. The proposed land use for residential purposes is 30%. Hence, 30% of the metro influence zone would mean around 10 sq km. An FSI of 4 will result in built-up area of 40 sq km or 400 lakh sq m. However, the meeting did not debate the proposal as the focus was on building consensus on approval of first corridor.