Thiruvananthapuram Metro

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Thiruvananthapuram Metro
Overview
Native nameTMC
OwnerGovernment of Kerala
LocaleThiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
Transit typeRapid Transit
Number of lines1
Number of stations19 [1]
Operation
Began operationTBD
Operation will startTBD
Operator(s)Kerala Rapid Transit Corporation Limited
CharacterElevated
Train length3 Coaches
Technical
System length21.821 [2]
No. of tracks2
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification750 V DC third rail
Top speed80 km/h (50 mph)

Thiruvananthapuram Metro is a proposed rapid transit[3] system in the city of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of the Indian state of Kerala.

History[edit]

Thiruvananthapuram's first attempt to build a rapid transit system for the city failed, when its proposal to build a metro rail system was rejected by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) in the 2000s.[4] The Government of Kerala, then entrusted the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (NATPAC), an autonomous research body under the State Government, to conduct the feasibility study of the proposal to build a monorail system in Thiruvananthapuram. The feasibility study was conducted by a core team comprising five scientists of NATPAC and various survey teams. Topographic studies, identification of stations and surveys were the main components of the study.[5]

The state government had initially asked the state transport department to prepare a detailed project report (DPR).[6] However, the DMRC was later entrusted with the task. DMRC principal advisor E. Sreedharan submitted the DPR to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on 11 December 2012.[7] A special purpose vehicle (SPV) was created in October 2012.[8] The Thiruvananthapuram Monorail project was assigned to the KMCL on 26 November 2012. The government had handed over the Kozhikode Monorail project to the KMCL prior to that.[9]

On 12 June 2013, the state cabinet gave clearance for an agreement to be signed between KMCL and DMRC.[10] The DMRC will receive 3.25% of the ₹ 55.81 billion (₹ 35.90 billion for Thiruvananthapuram and ₹ 19.91 billion for Kozhikode) in general consultant fees.[11] The agreement was signed on 19 June 2013.[12]

Global tenders were floated for the Thiruvananthapuram Monorail.[13] The deadline for technical bids was extended from 1 October 2013 to 15 October.[13] However, a consortium led by Bombardier Transportation was the only firm that expressed an interest before the deadline. Pre-bid queries had also been made by Japanese firm Hitachi, Malaysian firm Scomi,[14] and firms from the United Kingdom, South Korea, and China.[15] The tender for the proposed project only received one bid, so a second tender had to be issued.[16] The deadline for bids was extended again to 15 April.[17][18]

Bombardier Transportation, Hitachi, Afcons, Scomi, and Larsen and Toubro expressed interest in the second round of tender submissions. A pre-bid meeting was held in New Delhi on 20 February 2014.[18] Bidding on the Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram projects was delayed by the model code of conduct coming into effect prior to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.[19]

On 28 August 2014, the State Government decided to use Metro, instead of Monorail, in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode, mainly due to cost overruns. Though slightly costlier, Metro has several advantages, such as easy raising of capacity, DMRC's expertise in the field and more companies who can bid for the project.[20][21][22][23]

Plan[edit]

The Thiruvananthapuram line will start from Technocity and terminate at Karamana covering a distance of 22.537 km with 19 stations, along the old NH 47. Slight accommodations were made for the proposed flyovers at Kazhakuttam, Sreekaryam and Ulloor. Special spans are proposed where the line crosses the railway line at Railway Km 221/6-8. The car depot is located on a 12.5 hectares of Government land near the CRPF Camp at Pallipuram.[24]

The project will be built in 2 phases.

Phase 1[edit]

Route Terminals Length (km) Stations Opening date
Route 1 Technocity Pappanamcode 7 TBA
Route 2 Kazhakoottam Killipalam 8
Total 22.20 37 2025

Phase 2[edit]

Route Terminals Length (km) Stations Opening date
Route 1A Technocity Attingal 7 TBA
Route 1B Pappanamcode Neyyattinkara 8
Route 2 Killipalam Vizhinjam 8
Total 22.20 19 2030

Cost[edit]

The cost of the project, based in April 2012 prices, was ₹27.0256 billion (US$340 million) excluding taxes of ₹4.75 billion (US$59 million).[24] The cost to construct each kilometre of the metro was estimated as ₹ 1617.1 million.[25] The Design, Build-Operate-Transfer (DBOT) mode was proposed.[26] The State and Union governments were to each pay 20% of the cost, and the rest was to be paid by other investors such as banks.[27]

In the 2012 State Budget, finance minister K. M. Mani, allotted ₹200 million (US$2.5 million) for the Thiruvananthapuram project.[28] The project will be financed in part by a 5% state government surcharge on petrol and diesel sales. The surcharge is expected to bring in ₹ 2.50 billion per year.[29]

The operation and maintenance costs are divided into three major parts - staff costs, maintenance cost which include expenditure towards upkeep and maintenance of the system and consumables, and energy costs.[24]

In 2015, the cost for the Technocity - Karamana section was revised to ₹ 4,219 crore.[30]

Rolling stock[edit]

Each train will be made up of 3 coaches on the formation - leading car / intermediate car / leading car. The length and width of the cars will be 18m and 2.7m respectively. The total length of train will be approximately 54 m.[30]

Track Elevation development[edit]

The Trivandrum City Corporation faced huge challenges for elevated Viaduct in the city. This caused as most of the suburbs of the cities have roads that don't have broader length. In July 2019 Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan addressed that the route will not bound the NH 66 (Kovalam Bypass) it will enter the Thampanoor through Sreekariyam, Kesavadasapuram and Pattom one of Trivandrum's most busiest suburbs

Fare[edit]

Proposed fares for the metro vary from a minimum of ₹ 8 for two km to ₹ 30 for 18–24 km. However, the minimum fare projected for 2019 is ₹ 11 and the maximum ₹ 42.[7]

Monorail proposals[edit]

Representatives of Hyundai Rotem proposed in 2012 to use Maglev technology for setting up a mass rapid transport system in the city.[31]

On 28 August 2014, the state government decided to build a conventional rail metro rather than a monorail, as with then under construction Kochi Metro, in both Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode, mainly due to the prohibitive costs cited by prospective manufacturers.[32]

Personal Rapid Transit[edit]

A Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system in Thiruvananthapuram has been proposed by INKEL ltd. A shift of 40% of the car and auto rickshaw travellers to the new system is expected. The PRT will function as a feeder mode of transport to supplement the metro.

The project will be completed in two phases. The first will be from Pallipuram to Thampanoor and the second from Thampanoor to Neyyattinkara. Thirty-five stations are proposed and the track will pass through Vellayambalam, Palayam, Statue, Overbridge, East Fort and Thampanoor.[33]

The approximate cost of the project is ₹ 60  crore per kilometre and it can be completed in 24 to 30 months.[34]

Finance Minister K.M. Mani allocated ₹ 2.5 million in the 2012-13 State Budget for preliminary work on the PRT in Thiruvananthapuram and Kottayam.

The project is expected to be completed in 24 months from date of commencement.[35]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Thiruvananthapuram
  2. ^ "::Kerala Rapid Transit Corporation Limited::".
  3. ^ [1]
  4. ^ Monorail – The Fading Dream - Trivandrum News. Yentha.com (10 September 2012).
  5. ^ Monorail: Feasibility study ends. Ibnlive.in.com (31 January 2012).
  6. ^ "PWD prepares project report for Kozhikode monorail project". The Times of India. 4 January 2012. Archived from the original on 1 November 2013.
  7. ^ a b Radhakrishnan, S. Anil (12 December 2012). "DMRC submits detailed project report for Monorail". The hindu. Chennai, India. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
  8. ^ "Cabinet approves detailed project report of Kozhikode monorail project". The Times of India. TNN. 4 October 2012. Archived from the original on 1 November 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  9. ^ S. Anil Radhakrishnan (27 November 2012). "Monorail project on track soon". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  10. ^ Nod for pact with DMRC for monorail. The Hindu (13 June 2013).
  11. ^ "Agreement with DMRC to be signed on June 19". The Hindu (15 June 2013).
  12. ^ Kerala Monorail, Delhi Metro ink consultancy agreement | Business Line. Business Line. (19 June 2013).
  13. ^ a b Radhakrishnan, S. Anil (17 October 2013). "Global tenders again for Trivandrum, Kozhikode monorail". The Hindu. Chennai, India.
  14. ^ "DMRC may go for another tender to select entities for monorail project". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2 November 2013.
  15. ^ Radhakrishnan, S. Anil (23 October 2013). "Tender norms revised for Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode monorail projects". The Hindu. Chennai, India.
  16. ^ "'Government will go for re-tendering'". Archived from the original on 6 November 2013.
  17. ^ "Paperwork Stage, Still". Archived from the original on 3 March 2014.
  18. ^ a b Radhakrishnan, S. Anil (6 February 2014). "Monorail DPR for Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode to be submitted for nod". The Hindu. Chennai, India.
  19. ^ Radhakrishnan, S. Anil (4 April 2014). "PWD works on the slow lane". The Hindu. Chennai, India.
  20. ^ Radhakrishnan, S. Anil (28 August 2014). "Monorail scrapped, LRTS mooted". The Hindu. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  21. ^ "Kerala drops monorail projects, opts for metro". Business Standard. IANS news. 28 August 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
  22. ^ "Kerala opts for metro, not monorail". Business Standard. IANS news. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
  23. ^ Radhakrishnan, S. Anil (25 October 2014). "Nod for Metro project for Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode". The Hindu. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
  24. ^ a b c KMCL. "EXPRESSION OF INTEREST CUM PREQUALIFICATION FOR PROPOSED MONORAIL PROJECT IN KOZHIKODE AND THIRUVANANTHAPURAM CITIES OF KERALA STATE" (PDF). DMRC. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 November 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  25. ^ "DMRC submits detailed project report for monorail". The Times of India. 12 December 2012. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  26. ^ "UK, Singapore firms express interest in Monorail, SRIP - South India - Kerala - ibnlive". ibnlive.in.com. Archived from the original on 20 September 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  27. ^ "Tender deadline for monorail project extended". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014.
  28. ^ FM allocates more funds for Metro, Monorail projects. Manorama Online.
  29. ^ Kerala citizens to pay for their metro. Deccan Herald. (26 October 2012).
  30. ^ a b "Road ahead for Metro", The Hindu, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, 19 May 2015
  31. ^ Maglev tech-based plan mooted for Thiruvananthapuram - Times Of India. The Times of India. (10 July 2012).
  32. ^ Radhakrishnan, S. Anil (28 August 2014). "Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode monorail projects abandoned - The Hindu". The Hindu.
  33. ^ Radhakrishnan, S. Anil (20 February 2012). "Trivandrum monorail". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
  34. ^ PRT: A feeder to Monorail. Ibnlive.in.com (30 January 2012).
  35. ^ Radhakrishnan, S. Anil (23 March 2012). "Pod-cars to link major work centres". The Hindu. Chennai, India.

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