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City buses likely to go CNG way

Saturday, 19 September 2009 12:23 administrator
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The New Indian Express 19.09.2009

City buses likely to go CNG way

S Bachan Jeet Singh


HYDERABAD: With the new station at Shameerpet nearing completion, by the looks of it, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) could finally make a foray in the Twin Cities. As per the latest orders from the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB), CNG would be introduced in Hyderabad city in another few months time.

Sources revealed that the new gas station, which was built on land allotted by the State government would commence operations by December this year. Owned by Bhagyanagar Gas Limited (BGL), representatives from the company reportedly have urged the State Government for allotment of an additional 2,000 square metres of land near Secunderabad. The location, at Monda Market would be utililsed to set up a City Central Station. In this connection, the United Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA) committee is likely to inspect the site shortly, since the land is currently under the Agriculture Market Committee.

The company will supply the CNG to various parts of the city through gas pipelines from the City Central Station. While permission for laying around 170 km pipes has already been sought, the company sought permission for laying an additional170 kms of gas pipeline from Shameerpet to various parts of the city. Meanwhile the concerned District collectors have been asked to look into the issue.

The BGL informed that as many as 12 more new filling stations would be established by March 2010, while the APSRTC would be asked to come up with an action plan to convert its fleet into the CNG mode.

The Transport Department has already taken up the issue with concerned agencies about the standardisation of CNG kits.

Company officials noted that in the first phase from Shameerpet to Hyderabad via Medchal Depot, the company would be able to give connectivity to Medchal by March 2010.

The company is also proposing to set up a Booster Station Facility at Hakeempet Depot, to be commissioned around March next. In this regard, they have urged the APSRTC for induction of CNG buses at Hakeempet by March 2010.

As far as the other depots are concerned, connectivity would be made as the pipelines progresses from Sikh Village towards Hyderabad and the pipelines would be laid to cover all the RTC depot in the Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

Meanwhile, the gas company requested the APSRTC to provide lay out drawings of Medchal, Cantonment and Hakeempet Depots as RTC is preparing to procure and induct CNG buses for above three depots.

Last Updated on Saturday, 19 September 2009 12:24
 

BEML delivers first standard gauge coaches for Delhi Metro

Saturday, 12 September 2009 05:22 administrator
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The Hindu 12.09.2009

BEML delivers first standard gauge coaches for Delhi Metro

Special Correspondent

“Future of urban public transport lies in developing metro rail network”

— Photos: K. Murali Kumar

At left is India’s first indigenously-developed standard gauge Metro Car at the Bharat Earth Movers Limited factory in Bangalore on Friday. Above, the interior of the coach.

Bangalore: Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa said here on Friday that the future of urban public transport lay in developing the metro rail network in Indian cities.

He was speaking after flagging off the first set of standard gauge coaches manufactured by BEML for the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). Mr. Yeddyurappa said metro rail networks were “a safe and comfortable mode of transport in cities such as Bangalore, which suffer from severe traffic congestion.” Referring to the Value Added Tax concessions extended to BEML by the government, he said, “The measure has yielded rich dividends, resulting in world class infrastructure and manufacturing capability within the State.”

Indigenous

Union Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa symbolically handed over the first indigenously developed 80-tonne aluminium wagon developed by BEML to the National Aluminium Company Ltd. (NALCO).

Union Minister of State for Defence M.M. Pallam Raju said BEML had displayed the capability of diversifying its product range. He pointed out that the company had bagged the contract for supplying 150 coaches for the Bangalore metro project “despite stiff global competition.”

DMRC chairman E. Sreedharan said BEML would supply 196 standard gauge coaches for Phase II of the Delhi Metro. This may be followed by “an additional order for about 60 coaches when the Delhi-Faridabad line is ready for operations.”

“Experimental order”

The DMRC planned to increase the length of its train from four to six cars. It had placed an “experimental order” for eight coaches with BEML to run these trains.

“If the experiment is successful, we plan to extend the length of 70 trains to six cars,” he said.

Mr. Sreedharan said tax concessions extended to BEML by the State government had enabled it to keep the costs low. More such measures were required to enable BEML to remain competitive. While pointing out that the metro coaches were “still expensive,” he complimented BEML’s move to develop low-cost coaches. BEML had played a significant role by developing indigenous capability. “When we established the DMRC we never imagined that metro cars would roll out of a facility like the BEML,” he said.

“Special incentives”

Chairman and Managing Director of BEML V.R.S. Natarajan said Chinese metro car manufacturers, aided by “special incentives,” had developed export capabilities significantly. “Permanent VAT and Customs Duty exemptions would enable BEML to compete effectively with Chinese manufacturers,” he pointed out.

BEML’s research and development centre for designing and developing low-cost coaches is likely to be inaugurated soon in Bangalore.

The aluminium wagon, developed by BEML and NALCO, is meant for use in the high-speed freight corridors that are being developed by the Railways.

Mr. Natarajan said the companies had “acted proactively because the high speed freight corridors are not yet operational.”

Last Updated on Saturday, 12 September 2009 05:30
 

Ombudsman directive on Corp vehicles

Friday, 11 September 2009 12:48 administrator
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The New Indian Express 11.09.2009

Ombudsman directive on Corp vehicles

Express News Service


THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Ombudsman for Local Self-Government Institutions has directed the Secretaries of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kochi, Thrissur and Kozhikode Corporations to submit the list of vehicles owned by the Corporations.

This should have details on date of expiry of insurance, fitness certificate, tax and so on. The order has also asked the Corporations to take steps to renew any of these (if not done so far) and report the matter at a special sitting which will be held at Thiruvananthapuram on November 10.

The case was registered suo motu by the Ombudsman based on newspaper reports about one of the vehicles of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, which had no fitness certificate, getting involved in a motor accident.

S.A. Rahim, belonging to Aruvikkara, was knocked down by a Corporation tipper lorry, which did not possess a fitness certificate. In this case, the Corporation section officer had informed the Judicial Magistrate Court I on Wednesday that only 42 Corporation vehicles, out of 164, had fitness certificates. The heavy financial burden that the procedures incurred was cited as the reason for this negligence.

The court had directed the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation to renew the fitness certificates of its vehicles as soon as possible.

Last Updated on Friday, 11 September 2009 12:55
 
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