Broad gauge Metros to be promoted: Puri

Nagpur: Along with standard gauge Metros that run on separate tracks, high speed broad gauge Metros that run on railway tracks would be promoted to connect big cities with nearby towns, said Hardeep Singh Puri, union minister for housing and urban affairs.
“In Delhi we already have drawn up plans to connect the capital with towns like Alwar, Meerut, Panipat, etc. The total length of the network will be 370km,” said the minister while addressing the inaugural session of Urban Mobility India conference in city on Friday.

Puri further said that manufacturers were ready to invest in such systems and they would definitely succeed if fares were reasonable. Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari has already initiated the process of connecting Nagpur with Ramtek, Katol, Wardha and Bhandara through broad gauge Metro.

Turning to conventional Metros, Puri said, “State government can’t step in every time and provide funds. Local bodies have to raise their own finances through municipal bonds and securitizing their land.”

Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari said that Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) had a share of 5% in Nagpur Metro. “However, its financial condition is poor and its share will be generated by commercial utilization of its land. If the entire NMC land in the city is commercially utilized it can generate Rs4,000 crore. This amount will be divided between NMC, MahaMetro and Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT),” he added.

Crude oil was a problem for India as its by-products created pollution and its purchased needed foreign exchange. “We will promote electric buses and cars. In the coming months 1,000 electric buses will be launched in the state,” said Gadkari.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said that Maharashtra was on the forefront of developing Metros. “We have planned 570km Metro lines of which 400km have already been approved. Work has already started on 260km,” he added.

“In Mumbai we are integrating modes of public transport. We have firmed up plans to start water transport. We will launch a mobile application in which a commuter will be able to see how to reach his destination using various modes of public transport,” he further said.

Martin Ney, German ambassador to India, and Alexandre Ziegler, French ambassador to India, also expressed their views.