NAGPUR: Even though successful trial run of at grade stretch of Nagpur Metro rail was conducted on September 30 last year, commercial operations are yet to begin. Chief minister
Devendra Fadnavis had in 2016 set a target of opening the Metro rail by November 2017.
The delay is due to casual attitude of Research Design and
Standards Organization (RDSO) and Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS). The first visit of CMRS was held on January 16 and the second one was promised in first or second week of February. However, CMRS team is yet to give a date for Nagpur visit.
Mahametro officials downplayed the delay and said that CMRS team would visit Nagpur between March 10 and March 15. “The commissioner has sent us a few queries regarding the at grade stretch. We have sent our reply. We expect the team here after it is satisfied with our response,” a senior official said.
Without waiting for RDSO team to conduct tests, Mahametro officials had conducted the oscillation trial. The results were sent to RDSO, which approved them and issued a speed certificate after a long wait. A RDSO team had earlier inspected the at grade stretch.
The certificate was sent to CMRS in November 2017 and the commissioner was requested to visit Nagpur for inspection. He finally arrived on January 16 and conducted the first inspection.
The time taken by RDSO and CMRS poses a threat to Mahametro’s target of completing Nagpur Metro Rail project by December 2019. The agency may do its job properly but unless the two certifying bodies show urgency in issuing the necessary permissions, Mahametro will not be able to start commercial operations. RDSO and CMRS will inspect all the stretches of Nagpur Metro before their commercial operations.
The at grade stretch from
Airport South to Mihan depot will be opened for joyrides once CMRS gives the go ahead. Mahametro knows that commercial traffic is not possible in such a short stretch. Trains will run only during mornings and evenings and during the day the track will be used for transporting various materials to the viaduct on
Airport South-Sitabuldi section.
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