Metro’s service the best, cops’ the worst, Delhiites say

September 2, 2013

TNN |

Metro’s service the best, cops’ the worst, Delhiites say
NEW DELHI:  Delhiites are happiest with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) followed by the electricity department and unhappiest with the Delhi Police and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) among all the public services.This was revealed during focus group discussions done as part of a perception survey done for the Delhi Human Development Report 2013. In the survey, people were asked to rate their dealings with government officials of various departments with whom they came into frequent contact. In this rating, Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and bus services were also given a decent rating.About 79% of respondents rated their interaction with DMRCpersonnel as good. Only about 10% said their interaction was good with Delhi Police and MCD, while over 40% actually rated their interaction with these agencies as poor. While women did not like the city’s transport system in general, they were appreciative of the Delhi metro.

When asked which was the most problematic service or issue, about a third of the respondents across all income categories rated sanitation services as the worst, though the concern was highest in the lower-income settlements. This was followed by water supply, which was rated the worst by a higher proportion of respondents in the three lowest income brackets indicating the problems faced by them with regard to availability of water in their localities. This revealed the wide disparities in the provisioning of basic services in terms of both quality and quantity. A sizeable proportion also rated bad roads and safety as problems in their areas.

Children cited lack of open spaces to play and quality of education and schools as their most pressing problems. For the elderly, the greatest concern was lack of pension and income security. The men surveyed disliked the city’s poor sanitation, open sewers and drains and water supply the most, while women listed safety, alcoholism and transport hassles as the things they disliked the most in Delhi.

The survey revealed that vulnerable sections like women, elderly, scheduled castes and the uneducated are more dissatisfied, which ties in with the survey showing how poorer localities and weaker sections are more deprived of basic services, safety and security.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation awarded IMS certification for operation, maintenance

September 2, 2013

PTI|

 

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation(DMRC) has been awarded Integrated Management System certification which is in accordance with international standards.

The certification and audit body from KBS Certifications Services assessed the IMS in Delhi Metro and found it to be in accordance with the requirements of the standards of International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and the International Occupation Health and Safety Assessment (OHASAS) series.

“It has been found that DMRC is in accordance with the ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004 & OHSAS 18001:2007 standards,” a DMRC spokesperson said.

The scope of this certification entails Operation & Maintenance of Line 2 comprising 34 Metro Stations from Jahangirpuri – HUDA City Centre Metro corridor.

This also includes the Khyber Pass and Sultanpur depots catering to the operational and maintenance requirements of the Rolling Stock (Metro Trains) on the line.

ISO certification implies fulfilment of Quality Management System (QMS) in achieving customer satisfaction for passenger service while OHSAS demonstrates the conscious determination of the organisation to safeguard its employees and the environment from harmful incidents and potential hazards within an organisation.

Earlier this year, the O&M Wing of Delhi Metro had adopted ISO 50001-2011 Energy Management System (EnMS) which provided a framework for developing strategies that help organisations to effectively manage their energy use.

 

 

Source-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation likely to clear UP, Haryana plans

September 2, 2013

Dipak Kumar Dash, TNN |

 

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) board is likely to clear extension of two Metro lines -one in Noida and another in Faridabad – on Friday. Government sources said extensions of the Metro line from Noida City Center to Sector 62 and YMCA Chowk in Faridabad to Ballabhgarh have been included in the board’s agenda.The two projects are on the table a few weeks after Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit objected to DMRC taking up new projects outside the national capital claiming that the agency has a lot of work to finish within the city.

Early this week, a sub-committee had cleared both the Noida and Faridabad projects. “Once the board clears them, work will start. Extension of Metro is essential for the entire NCR. Centre has already made this clear,” a Union urban development ministry official said.

Though DMRC officials did not divulge estimated costs of the two projects, ministry sources said in these cases, 80% of the investment will come from state governments – Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

The 6.7km Noida City Centre-Sector 62 link would be completely elevated. The route will have six stations at sectors 34, 52, 59, 61, 62 and Electronic City (NH-24, Ghaziabad border).

The authority had also proposed another extension route – 3.9km stretch between Kalindi Kunj and Botanical Garden having two stations.

In the case of Faridabad, Haryana has pushed for extension of the Metro track by 3.2km from YMCA Chowk to Ballabhgarh for better connectivity. At present, the work on 14km Badarpur-YMCA Chowk stretch is on and it is likely to be operational by 2016 when Delhi Metro’s Phase-III will be completed.

“Our endeavour has been to improve connectivity of our cities with Delhi for greater economic activity. Smart and seamless connectivity pushes development across the region, which is our focus of taking up the case for extending Metro link to Ballabhgarh,” said Haryana CM’s son Deepender Singh Hooda, who is also the MP from Rohtak.

 

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation takes over Airport Express

September 2, 2013

TNN |

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation took charge of Airport Express Metro on Monday. Even though DMRC is responsible for the management of the airport line hereafter, Reliance Infra staff will continue to provide technical support. Around 500 employees from Reliance will now work for DMRC until a new plan is rolled out to make the IGI line financially viable.DMRC officials said the project is running at a loss of about Rs 4 crore. “Balance sheets of Reliance Infra show the Metro line is being run at a cost of Rs 7 crore monthly but the income from it is only about Rs 3 crore,” Sharat Sharma, DMRC director (operations), said.

On Monday, DMRC showcased the Metro line to media by taking reporters on a ride from Shivaji Stadium to Dwarka Sector 21. Most stations on the line were deserted. “We are happy DMRC has taken over. This is our second ride on this line and it’s very comfortable. We don’t even mind the high fares,” said Manju V, an accountant who boarded the train from the airport. Other passengers, too, said that the line should continue but more stations should be added.

While DMRC will have an equally tough time running the 22.7km line at a loss of about Rs 4 crore, officials said they are brainstorming ideas to help make it profitable. “We have not arrived at a decision. We have just taken over operations so that there is less inconvenience to commuters,” added Sharma. He said it’s too early to comment on if there will be a change in fares.

The line, which is the nation’s first public-private partnership in the Metro sector, has been beset by controversy ever since it began operations in February 2011. Services were suspended from July 7, 2012, to January 22, 2013, due to technical problems and, after reopening, the speed was cut to 50kmph, resulting in a fall in ridership from anything between 20,000 and 21,000 per day to about 10,000.

 

Metro Phase III to go over rail tracks, flyover

September 2, 2013

TNN |

NEW DELHI: DMRC, in Phase III, will attempt to construct over a railway line as well as two loops of a flyover. The elevated corridor (or viaduct) of the under-construction Janakpuri West-Botanical Garden section of Delhi Metro will pass over the Delhi-Mumbai railway tracks as well as the Modi Mill flyover. The flyover is located between the turning to Okhla Phase III and Ishwar Nagar Metro stations.The challenge, says Delhi Metro spokesman Anuj Dayal, is the acute lack of space for construction at this location. “Between these two Metro stations, which will be located about 1km from each other, our engineers are going to encounter two major construction-related challenges: crossing the busy Delhi-Mumbai railway corridor and the two important loops of the Modi Mill flyover,” said Dayal.

The DMRC is planning to install a steel bridge to cross the railway corridor, which has five tracks. “The installation of a steel bridge will cause minimal disruption to the railway operations below. This bridge will cross the tracks at a height of about 17m,” said Dayal, adding that the Delhi Metro is still awaiting permissions for starting the construction over the railway lines.

After crossing the rail tracks, the viaduct will pass over two loops of the Modi Mill flyover which lead to the two sides of the Mathura Road below — towards Ashram and Badarpur. “The construction work over both these crucial loops will be carried out without causing any disruption to the traffic below,” said Dayal. While the length of the span crossing over the first loop towards Ashram will be 34m, the length over the second loop towards Badarpur will be 37m.

“The construction of this portion of the viaduct has already started. This stretch of the viaduct — over the two loops of the Modi Mill flyover — is expected to be completed by the end of October,” Dayal added.

Delhi Metro launches mobile application

September 2, 2013

Indo-Asian News Service |

New Delhi: Delhi Metro today said its commuters using smartphones can get to know fares and train timings with the help of a new mobile application that can be downloaded from its web site.”The application will provide information about nearest metro station, fare, timings of last and first train at stations, travel time, route information, metro map and parking availability on the station premises,” Delhi Metro managing director Mangu Singh said.

The mobile application can be downloaded by commuters who have iPhone and android phone. The users can also find tourist spots near metro stations.

Source_http://www.ndtv.com

Delhi Metro second largest in southeast Asia in ridership

July 31, 2013

New Delhi: Delhi Metro is now the second largest metro service in southeast Asia in terms of the passenger load it carries, next only to Hong Kong, its chief said Monday.The metro service, which started in 2002, has surpassed Singapore and Taipei metros in per day average ridership, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) chief Mangu Singh said.

“In last six months, the average per day ridership of Delhi metro has risen to 2.01 million per day,” he said.

The highest ridership was recorded on July 1, at a massive 2.36 million on the 190-km long metro line.

According to figures provided by DMRC, the per day average ridership was 18 lakh in the first six months of 2012. It increased to 19.61 lakh per day in the second half of the year.

Singapore had a per day average ridership of 1.94 million in 2012 on its 148.9 km-long network, while Taipei had an average ridership of 1.71 million per day in May 2013. The length of its network is 115.6 km.

Hong Kong metro, meanwhile, had an average ridership of 4 million per day in 2012 on its 115.6 km-long line.

IANS

Source- http://zeenews.india.com

Metro trying to increase ridership in lean hours

July 31, 2013

New Delhi: In a bid to increase its ridership, the Delhi Metro is now trying to attract more people to travel in the lean hours, its chief said Monday.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) managing director Mangu Singh said they are looking for target groups to whom travelling in lean hours can be promoted.”We are evaluating how we can increase the ridership in non-peak hours,” Mangu Singh told reporters here.

The Delhi Metro presently has an average ridership of 20.1 million people per day. However, according to officials 60-65 percent of this is in peak hours – 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Of this, nearly 40 percent ridership is between 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

“The average capacity of a coach is 300 people. However, on an average ,only 78 people travel in every coach each day. This is because the lean hours have very low foot fall,” the DMRC chief said.

“We can get in touch with groups like those going to some gurudwara, temple or mosque, or school, senior citizens etc. to increase ridership in lean hour,” he said.

Giving examples from other countries, the DMRC chief also said that staggered office timings can also help changing this scene.

“Offices can consider staggered timing so that the rush hour can be spread. Those offices which are finding their employees getting late due to metro rush can do so,” he said.

Mangu Singh added that DMRC was also contemplating introducing a system where those who use metro parking but do not travel in the metro will be fined.

“A lot of people park their cars in DMRC parking but do not board the metro. We are contemplating to introduce a system where metro parking would be on the basis of a smart card. Those who do not board the metro in a fixed time will be fined,” he said.

IANS

Source-http://zeenews.india.com

Forgot something in Delhi Metro? Call helpline

July 31, 2013

 

New Delhi: With lost credit cards, driving licences, clothes and lunch boxes piling up in their store rooms, Delhi Metro has now set up a new helpline so that people can inquire about things lost-and-found, an official said on Friday.

“Commuters can call the new mobile number 8527405555 to enquire about the belongings lost while travelling in the Delhi Metro,” the official said.The enquiries on this number can be made from 10:00 am to 5 pm daily, except Sundays.

Apart from this new mobile helpline number, the Lost and Found Office at Kashmere Gate Metro station already has another number 011-23860837, where passengers can enquire about lost belongings.

The passengers can also check the website, www.delhimetrorail.com, which offers a brief description of articles lost-and-found.

“The passenger can approach the respective Metro station within 24 hours of its display on the website to claim the item. After 24 hours, it is moved to the Lost and Found Office at Kashmere Gate station,” the statement said.

According to Metro officials, about 10 items are lost and found on Delhi Metro at its 139 station-network every day.

Delhi Metro, the city’s lifeline, ferries nearly two million passengers on weekdays and makes over 2,800 trips daily.

IANS

Source-http://zeenews.india.com

 

South Campus to get linked by Delhi Metro in Phase

July 31, 2013

New Delhi: Commuting to Delhi University’s South Campus will be much easier for thousands of students as Delhi Metro has decided to construct a station at Dhaula Kuan especially for them.

“By the academic session of 2016, South Campus will have direct connectivity with Metro and it is estimated that 12,000 people will be travelling through this line daily,” a DMRC spokesperson said.

The 59-km long Mukundpur-Shiv Vihar metro line will have an elevated station at Dhaula Kuan, adjacent to Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College of South Campus, the spokesperson said.

“The station will have entry/exit points near the foot over-bridge on the route. It will also help in easing traffic there,” he said.

Apart from South Campus headquarters, seven other colleges are located near Dhaula Kuan, and every year thousands of students take up undergraduate and postgraduate courses here.

Delhi Metro in its 140-km Phase III project is aiming at connecting North Campus to South Campus. Commuters would have to change trains at Azadpur and INA stations to reach their destination.

By 2021, as per estimates, 15,000 commuters will be using this metro line daily.

PTI

Source-http://zeenews.india.com

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