Namaskar,
City
Slippery tiles slow down WR's rush hour commuters
Many fear they will slip on Churchgate's new shiny tiles while hurrying towards platforms to catch trains
Posted On Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 06:11:48 AM
|
While the installation of white floor tiles is on in full swing at Churchgate station, commuters are worried they will cause many of them to slip, and some may even end up with broken bones.
Officials from WR too expressed their surprise about the flooring. "It is very strange as we see people running from the subway towards the platform to catch trains, and the new flooring has an extremely smooth surface that could cause them to slip." Officials also added that this was not the part of the proposed beautification work, which is aimed at giving a makeover to one of the busiest stations on WR. A section of officials are also raising eyebrows over the fact that the expensive 4 feet by 4 feet tiles were being used to replace old tiles that had withstood the test of time for over a decade and still had some more years of life in them. However, another official said in time the shine on the tiles will wear off and they will be safer to use. Chief PRO for WR Sharat Chandrayan said, "Good quality vitrified tiles that are also used in malls as well as houses. Any flooring used at our stations is skid proof and even this will be. Commuter safety is of prime concern for us. We will still carry out checks to ensure there is no problem." |
Metro is whistle-ready
Tracks, trains, stations gear up for commercial run on Reach 1
It takes just 13 minutes and 16 seconds to reach M.G. Road from Byappanahalli with 30-second halts at the four stations en route for Namma Metro. And unlike normal trains, there is no rattling on the city's much-awaited, hassle-free public transport system except for a mildly unsettling screech while negotiating a curve.
Time-saver
Chances are a good many Bangaloreans on this route would jump on the Namma Metro ride, which will shave off at least half an hour of valuable time without much stress.
Ahead of the safety inspection by the Commissioner for Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) for the scheduled mid-September launch, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd., (BMRCL) authorities took a team of journalists to metro stations on Reach 1 to show the progress.
This exercise came in the wake of Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda's Wednesday directive to BMRCL to be transparent in its functioning following complaints from reporters.
Ready for operations
While the metro trains have been making trial runs between Byappanahalli and M.G. Road for the last few months, there were worries about the readiness of the stations.
However, Thursday's run revealed that civil works are almost complete and workers were giving finishing touches to the stations.
The ticket counters and entry/exit gates are located on the ground floor at M.G. Road Station whereas in other stations (except Byappanahalli station which is at the ground level) they are on the first floor. Escalators are ready to take passengers to the platforms.
Signage in place
Signage, public announcement system, security guards, clearly marked platforms, train fares, pass details and so on are in place.
The air-conditioned train, which comprises two driver-motor coaches flanking a trailer coach, has adequate facilities for travelling passengers, seated as well as standing.
Disabled-friendly
Every coach has a multiple passenger information display system to announce the next station in three languages — Kannada, English and Hindi. The first door immediately behind the metro train pilot's coach is wide enough for a wheelchair-bound passenger, whom the pilot can help board and alight.
While the speed certificate issued by the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) caps it at 75 kmph, the train's average speed will be between 32 and 35 kmph because of the halts.
Inspection
A BMRCL spokesperson said that the Railway Board has to declare Namma Metro open for public carriage, after which the CMRS will conduct the safety inspection. "We have forwarded the application to the board," he said.
>>>
Namaskar,
More no brainer glass and steel monstrocities to be dumped on MumabiWhen the World is going back to retain, restore, rehabilitate its old heritage structures, here we have all the old is gold buildings being torn down to come up with stereotypical, me too, anywhere look, non descript glass and steel monstrocities, thinking they are what the World looks up to.Take a look at similar redevelopmentsNone of them demolished buildings to come up with such self styled iconic structures, remember MMRDA's Wadala Tower.Instead. they rehabilitated, renovated, and reused the old buildings with truly imagiinative and innovative facilities.In the area they are talking about, there are any number of historic buildings, all waiting to be be resurrected.The Cotton Exchange.The Indian Air Force Station.The Kala Chowkie Police Chowkie.The Cotton Green godowns.The erstwhile goods warehouses.Even the residential quarters.
With that, the local residents will also not be dis housed nor relocated.
In fact it would benefit the City, as well.Imagine the consulates in individual buildings which also look the part of that history.
And imagine the faceless buildings like in the Bandra Kurla Complex which is now the face of faceless Mumbai.
The new airport coming up at Sahar is also as faceless as Mumbai.
Just imagine if the international airport at Sahar gave the impression of landing in Maharashtra, maybe stone, maybe fortress like, maybe even like the Gateway.Instead, glass, steel, space frame.Faceless metro rail stations.
Faceless Churchgate revamp leaving the staff inside cut off from natural ventilation and light, then increase energy consumption for air conditioning, and lighting.Faceless and thoughtless Borivali station East revamp, shiny, slippery granite flooring forcing people walk very carefully in rains and even in dry seasons.Meanwhile traffic outside totally unregulated, uncontrolled, indisciplined, ill disciplined.What the heck is happening.To ruin Mumbai, let MMRDA, MSRDC, MCGM, MTP, and other such agencies like GVR, MMOPL, take on the work.To save Mumbai, improve it, let concerned well wishing Citizens do it.Jagdeep DESAI
SecretaryFounder TrusteeForum for Improving Quality of Life in Mumbai Suburbs>>>>>>Cover Story
Poor d'mello set to become posh d'mello
The largest south Mumbai makeover - the road now flanked by rundown godowns and cheap hotels to have iconic buildings housing consulates and art & culture hubs
Yogesh Naik
Posted On Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 03:58:38 AM
P D'mello Road, which connects Chhatrapati Shivaji Museum in the south to Kaala Chowkie in Parel in the north, is set for a makeover that could transform it from one of Mumbai's most ignored roads to possibly its plushest.
State government's think tank on urban regeneration -- Mumbai Transformation Support Unit -- has drawn up a plan to not only widen the road and connect it to the under-construction Eastern Freeway through an elevated road, but also flank it with plush buildings that could house consulates, convention centres and art and culture arcades.
P D'mello Road, under the new plan (see graphic above), will be widened and connected to the Eastern Freeway by a flyover At present, P D'mello Road mostly has run-down godowns on one side and cheap hotels and restaurants on the other. The good news is that the Mumbai Port Trust, that owns most of the land on both sides of road and has for many years resisted all attempts to use it to unclog south Mumbai, is on board this time.
Shipping secretary K Mohandas met Chief secretary Ratnakar Gaikwad recently and gave his go ahead to the new plan with a caveat that the Port Trust's ownership of the land must remain unchanged.
While the widened road in the new design with its three-metre median, wide walkways and greenery all around looks stunning, the centre piece of the new plan is a multi-storeyed building which will have an arm of the elevated road running through it. Quite aptly, it's been christened Gateway Tower.
A committee headed by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority commissioner Rahul Asthana, who was until recently Port Trust's chairman, is the brain behind the P D'mello Road makeover plan.
An artist's impression of the proposed Gateway Tower, that will house consulates on P D'mello Road
The new plan was discussed at a meeting of the state's Empowered Committee about two weeks back in Mantralaya.
As part of the revamp plan, the godowns will be razed, and the road will be widened from 90 ft to 120 ft.
Plans are also afoot to construct an elevated road from St George's hospital up to Wadi Bunder (near Railway Police Commissioner's office).
Close to the point that the elevated road ends will begin the eastern freeway which extends up to Chembur.
Mid-way, near Masjid Bunder overbridge, the elevated road will have a diversion towards Crawford Market.
A map charting the path along which the elevated road is proposed to come up
Most neglected road
The P D'Mello Road was one of the neglected patches in the city until few years ago. With several shanties along the road, motorists dreaded driving down this road.
The state rehabilitated the slumdwellers under the slum rehabilitation project. However, godowns of the Mumbai Port Trust on this road have become a hub for anti-social elements.
"At their recent meeting held a few months ago, the state Chief Secretary and Union Shipping Secretary decided to explore the possibility of exploiting Port Trust land," said a senior Mumbai Port Trust official (MbPT). "For the first time, the Shipping Ministry has given an in-principle nod for the same."
Consulate hub
The estimated cost of the entire project is still to be worked out. Some commercial and residential development is also being planned to generate revenue for Mumbai Port Trust and for the financing of the project.
MbPT's additional chief engineer Mohan Patwardhan said that after getting the go-ahead, they were working out the modalities.
The Dockyard railway station on the harbour corridor of the Central Railway, which is close to P D'Mello Road, is also a part of the makeover. The Mumbai Transformation Support Unit (MTSU), the state government's think-tank for Mumbai Makeover, has been assigned the task of drawing up the plan.
The road dotted with slums which have now been razed
"Consulates in Mumbai are scattered. A few consul-generals even operate from their residences. The proposed Gateway Tower can be Mumbai's answer to Delhi's Chanakyapuri that houses consulates," said an MTSU official. "The elevated road will also pass through the Gateway Tower. One arm of the elevated road will proceed towards Crawford Market."
The state Urban Development Department is, however, opposed to usage of this land for housing purposes. "Allowing housing projects can lead to a mess. We are against giving the port land for housing purposes. They can utilise it for commercial purpose and get more revenue," said a senior official of the state Urban Development Department.
No comments:
Post a Comment