The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) hosted a one-day strategy workshop to analyse options for the operations and maintenance of the Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ Metro 3 corridor, which is scheduled to become operational in the year 2020.
Conceptualised as a meeting point where administrative, technical, legal, financial and statutory aspects of the Metro corridor could be discussed, the workshop studied the functioning of Metro Rail Corporations from Bangalore, Chennai, Navi Mumbai Metro and also featured a presentation made by Vikas Kumar, executive director of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).
Kumar pointed out that the DMRC was the third highest revenue making network globally, coming in right behind the Hong Kong and Rio de Janeiro networks. He also mentioned that the DMRC was a complete in-house operation with regard to maintenance and day-to-day functioning and has emerged as an extremely successful model of operating Metro rail networks.
The workshop was attended by, among others, the Japan External Trade Organisation, rake manufacturers Hitachi and Bombardier, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) and Mtero Rail Corporations from various parts of the country.
“While the traffic scenario on roads in a city like Mumbai necessitates mass transit modes, we have to look at alternatives available to operate and maintain them”, said UPS Madan, Metropolitan Commissioner, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). “We also have to look at what type of mode is safe, financially viable and efficient. Worldwide metros are operated and maintained privately and by government. However, we have to analyze what suits our conditions and take the crucial decision. I think today’s workshop will help us take such an informed decision”.
Concurring with his views, Ashwini Bhide, Managing Director of the MMRC stated, “There are various options which are adopted to run metro operations world over. A few metros are operated and maintained entirely by government and a few others are by private parties. The intent of the workshop was to consider and examine which options could be suitable to operate Metro-3 and other upcoming metro projects in the country. The workshop in that sense was very useful and will prove to be a guiding factor for us”.
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