Urban Transport Infrastructure July 2020 by Urban Transport News

#urbanTransport ISSN 2581-8023 // COVER PRICE INR300.00 // PAGES 60

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VOL. II / ISSUE 10 / BI-MONTHLY / JULY 2020

infrastructure

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Urban Transport Infrastructure / JULY 2020 / Vol. II / Issue 10

REGULAR COLUMNS

Editorial Advisory Board

Editor’s Note

Subscription Form

Round Up – May & June 2020

Urban Rail Progress Report

Major Contracts Awarded in 2020-21

Leaders Feedback

INTERVIEW 23 33

Dr. Mangu Singh

Managing Director, Delhi Corporation Limited (DMRC)

Metro

Rail

Mr. S. N. Subrahmanyan

MD & CEO, Larsen & Toubro Limited

18 EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE 18 25

Metro Route 2020: Dubai launched Euro 2.6 billion Dubai Metro Route 2020 By RTA, Dubai

Smart Mobile Ticketing: The Answer to COVID-19 Crisis By FAIRTIQ India

Urban Transport Infrastructure // JULY 2020

33 NEW ANNOUNCEMENT

Winners of Rail Infra and Mobility Business Digital Awards 2020 (RIMBDA 2020)

Virtual Exhibition & Summit on Rail Infra and Mobility Business 2020

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CONTENT 

42 Fresh entries for the next Edition “September 2020” is opened till 20 August 2020.

WHITEPAPER

COVID-19 SPECIAL

Transit Oriented Development as a solution to Indian Cities Maithreyi Nair, Architecture Student

RAIL MARKET INSIGHTS 42

Impact of COVID-19 to various types of Rolling Stock Market Performance up to H1 2020 Market Research Specialist, Indonesia

Public transport in the time of COVID-19

Arun Bothra, IPS & Managing Director, Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT)

The Way Forward for Public Transport amidst the COVID-19 Crisis

Siddharth Sinha, Young Professional & Transport Specialist, NITI Aayog, Govt. of India

INDUSTRY EVENTS

Intelligent Transport System (ITS)

Need of Advanced/Integrated ERP Solution for Indian Public Transport Operators Dr. Amudhan Valavan, Public Transport Expert

Event Calendar 2020

Editorial Calendar 2020-21

We’ve completed two years in media business. Thank you readers for all your efforts and accomplishments! Urban Transport News  WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

JULY 2020 // Urban Transport Infrastructure

Urban Transport Infrastructure Magazine

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Our distinguished advisory board has been assembled to guide Urban Transport Infrastructure journal to become even more representative of urban mobility & infrastructure industry. Members have been invited from the highest levels of the industry and academic/research institutions to ensure high quality content so that the journal can continue on its path of success.

Dr. Vinay Maitri Professor & Dean School of Planning & Architecture, New Delhi

Dr. Richa Chowdhary Associate Professor University of Delhi, New Delhi

Karuna Gopal Smart Cities Advisor Foundation for Futuristic Cities, Hyderabad

Dr. Annapoorna Ravi Media & Comm. Expert Public Affairs Centre (PAC), Bangalore

Dr. Surabhi Singh Associate Professor Institute of Management Studies (IMS), Ghaziabad

Ar. Priyanka Kumar Urban Planner Regional Centre for Urban & Environmental Studies, Lucknow

Dr. Vivek Vaidyanathan Urban Transport Scientist Center for Study of Science, Technology & Policy (CSTEP), Bangalore

R. Sethuraman Sr. EPC Advisor Chennai

Sudhanshu Mani, IRSME Urban Rail Expert Ex-GM/ICF, Indian Railways, Chennai

Dr. Kamal Soi Road Safety Expert Member-National Road Safety Council, New Delhi

Dr. Valavan Amudhan Public Transport Expert Executive Director-TECHSACS

Ishan Chanda Dy. Manager DIMTS, New Delhi

Mehjabeen Economist & Policy Expert Hyderabad

Sanjam Gupta Director Sitara Shipping Limited, Mumbai

Urban Transport Infrastructure // JULY 2020

Ad. Sanndhya Pillai Maritime Lawyer SSS Maritime Services & Consultancy (P) Ltd., Mumbai

MC Chauhan, IRSEE Railway Expert Ex. Chairman â&#x20AC;&#x201C;KMRC, Ex. GM/NCR, Indian Railways

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Vol. II / Issue 10

JULY 2020

Managing Editor’s Message

Mamta Shah Managing Editor Vinod Shah Head - Communications Surya Prakash Circulation In-charge Anushka Khare Associate Editor Naomi Pandya Digital Media & Design Executive Krishtina D’Silva Sr. News Editor (Global News) Urban Transport Infrastructure Magazine is published bi-monthly by:

Urban Transport News F-35, First Floor, Pankaj Grand Plaza, Mayur Vihar Phase-I, New Delhi-110091 Tel: 011-4248 4505, +91-9716 4545 05 E-mail: editor@urbantransportnews.com Web: www.urbantransportnews.com Subscriptions: Urban Transport Infrastructure Magazine is sent without obligation to professionals and key opinion leaders working in urban transport industry in India and other countries. However, publisher reserves the right to limit the number of copies. Cover Price: Print ₹ 300.00, Digital- ₹100.00 Annual: Print ₹ 1800.00, Digital: ₹ 500.00 All subscriptions payable in advance. Print circulation available in India only. © All rights reserved. Contents of this publication may not be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. For reprint, circulation in outside India, please contact: editor@urbantransportnews.com Edited and published digitally by Mrs. Mamta Shah, Managing Editor from F-35, First Floor, Pankaj Grand Plaza, Mayur Vihar Phase I, New Delhi-110091, India.

ISSN 2581-8023 Disclaimer: The facts and opinions expressed by the authors/contributors here do not reflect the views of editorial team or editorial board of Urban Transport News/Urban Transport Infrastructure Magazine.

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Dear Readers, While we're delighted to celebrate the second anniversary of Urban Transport News with some insightful reminiscences, our focus this year is, as always, on the current state and future of urban rail and transportation industry. When it comes to marking anniversaries, publications can sometimes mire themselves in the past. Well, while we're delighted to note and celebrate the 2nd anniversary of Urban Transport News with some insightful reminiscences, our focus this year is, as always, squarely on the current state and future of the transportation industry. In a world where innovation, managing change and new skills and knowledge are demanded, innovators are in the process of researching and developing solutions in view of ‘new normal’ and they need all the most current information they can get. This will help them make a wise, forward-looking decision. So, again this year, we're offering an exciting mix of features, plus real-time updates that will, we hope, give new professionals the useful advice and helpful information that they'll need as they engage in their professional life for the first time. I'd like to thank everyone involved in this year's edition (with a special thanks to our highly skilled editorial advisory board members). Without their efforts, and the work of those who have launched and sustained our news portal and this journal over the last years, we'd have nothing to celebrate, so please enjoy! Apart from this, I congratulate to all winners of the first edition of Rail Infra and Mobility Business Digital Awards 2020. The names of the winners also featured in this edition to record their achievements. Kindly share your valuable feedback so that we can improve and provide more useful information to our readers in future editions. Stay Safe and Stay Happy! Mamta Shah Managing Editor editor@urbantransportnews.com

JULY 2020 // Urban Transport Infrastructure

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ROUND UP 

HIGHLIGHTS MAY-JUN 2020 May 2020 MMRC completes tunnelling works for CSMT-Mumbai Central stretch of Mumbai Metro Line 3 | Metro Rail Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRC) completed the tunnelling work for 4 km long Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT)-Mumbai Central stretch for the Mumbai Metro Line 3 Project (Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ). Two firms submit bids for environmental management services for Kochi Water Metro project | Water Metro ABC Techno Labs India Private Limited and WAPCOS Limited submitted bids for providing environmental management services for the Kochi Integrated Water Transport Project. Metro Rail Construction work resumes in several cities in India | Metro Rail The construction work on metro projects in several cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi, Nagpur, Bengaluru, Pune, Kanpur and Chennai has resumed. NCRTC seeks funds from AIIB for Delhi-Meerut RRTS Project | Regional Rail (RRTS) National Capital Region Transport Corporation Limited (NCRTC) sought funds worth US$500 million (approx. Rs 37,850 million) from Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) for the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS Project. MMRDA seeks funds from AIIB for Mumbai Metro Line 5 | Metro Rail Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) sought funds worth US$ 236 million (approx. 17,865.5 million) from Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) for the Mumbai Metro Line 5 (Kalyan-Bhiwandi-Thane). Construction work resumes on metro projects in Kolkata | Metro Rail The construction work has resumed on Noapara to Barasat via Airport (Biman Bandar) corridor of the Kolkata Metro Expansion Project and Phase II of the Kolkata East-West Metro Project. About 82 per cent tunneling works completed on Mumbai Metro Line 3 | Metro Rail About 82 per cent of the total 56 km tunneling works have been completed for the Mumbai Metro Line 3 Project (ColabaBandra-SEEPZ). Civil works commences on Sabarmati terminal under Mumbai-Ahmedabad HSR | High Speed Rail The construction works commenced on Sabarmati rail terminal under the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor Project. Centre grants security clearance for implementation of Jewar International Airport | Airport The Union Government has granted security clearance to Flughafen Zürich AG for implementation of the Greater Noida Greenfield Airport Project.

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JULY 2020 // Urban Transport Infrastructure

ď ľď ˇ ROUND UP RITES signs agreement for acquisition of equity stake in IRSDC | Stations Redevelopment RITES Limited has signed an agreement for acquisition of 24 per cent equity stake in Indian Railway Station Development Corporation Limited (IRSDC) for redeveloping railway stations across India. NCRTC commences pre-construction work on Delhi-Alwar RRTS | Regional Rail (RRTS) National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) has commenced pre-construction work on Sarai Kale KhanPanchgaon stretch of the Delhi-Gurgaon-Rewari-Alwar Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) Project. CMRS grants safety clearance for Thykoodam-Petta stretch of Kochi Metro Phase-I | Metro Rail The Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) granted safety clearance for 1.33 km long Thykoodam-Petta stretch of the Kochi Metro Rail Project- Phase I on May 26, 2020. NIAL, YIAPL to sign concession agreement for Jewar Airport by August 17 | Airport The Noida International Airport Limited (NIAL) is likely to sign concession agreement with Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL) for the implementation of the Jewar (Greater Noida) Greenfield Airport Project by August 17, 2020. Oberoi-A&M Infra consortium to provide funds for Chembur-BKC stretch of Mumbai Metro Line 2B | Metro Rail The Oberoi-A&M Infra consortium along with RCC Infra Ventures Limited is likely to provide funds worth Rs 1,000 million for Chembur-Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) stretch of the Mumbai Metro Line 2B Project (DN Nagar-MankhurdMandale).

June 2020 Six firms submit bids for depot works for Delhi-Meerut RRTS Phase-I | Regional Rail (RRTS) A total of six firms have submitted bids for construction of depot cum workshop near Duhai station [including architectural finishing, pre-engineered building (PEB), electrical and mechanical (E&M) and road works] under Package 5A for the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) Project. Kerala Govt approves DPR for Kerala Semi-HSR | Semi High Speed Rail The Kerala cabinet has approved the detailed project report (DPR) for the Kerala Semi-High Speed Rail Corridor Project (Silver Line). Five firms submit bids for civil works for Delhi-Meerut RRTS Phase-I | Regional Rail (RRTS) A total of five firms have submitted bids for construction of elevated viaduct from Sarai Kale Khan station to New Ashok Nagar down ramp including Jangpura entry ramp and two elevated stations viz., Sarai Kale Khan and New Ashok Nagar (including pre-engineered steel roof structure but excluding architectural finishing of stations) under Package 6 for the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) Project. Four firms submit bids for construction of terminals for Phase I of Kochi Water Metro | Water Metro A total of four firms have submitted bids for construction of terminals for Phase I (Stage II) of the Kochi Integrated Water Transport Project. State resubmits project report for Bengaluru Suburban Rail in Karnataka | Suburban Rail The Government of Karnataka resubmitted the project report for the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (Bengaluru Commuter Rail System) to the Central Government for approval. UMTA approves Comprehensive Mobility Plan and Ropeways for Uttarakhand | Ropeways The Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA) approved the Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) for Uttarakhand on June 11, 2020. CMRS inspects underground stretch of Kolkata East-West Metro | Metro Rail The Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) conducted safety inspection on underground stretch of the Kolkata EastWest Metro Project on June 12, 2020.

Urban Transport Infrastructure // JULY 2020

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ROUND UP ď ˇď ľ Nine firms submit bids for provision of consultancy for Corridor IV of Chennai Metro Phase-II | Metro Rail A total of nine firms have submitted bids for provision of general consultancy (GC) services for Corridor IV (Lighthouse to Poonamallee Bypass) of the Chennai Metro Rail Project Phase-II. CMRS grants safety clearance for underground stretch of Kolkata East-West Metro | Metro Rail The Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) granted the safety clearance for underground stretch of the Kolkata EastWest Metro Project on June 17, 2020. State commences land acquisition process for Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor | Intercity Rail The Haryana government has commenced the process to acquire land for the Haryana (Palwal-Sonipat) Orbital Rail Corridor Project. Five firms submit bids for provision of consultancy services for Mumbai Metro Lines 5, 9 | Metro Rail A total of five firms have submitted bids for provision of general consultancy (GC) services for system works for the Mumbai Metro Phase II Line 5 Project (Kalyan-Bhiwandi-Thane) and the Mumbai Metro Line 9 Project [Dahisar-Mira Road-Bhayander and Andheri (E)-CSMIA]. Five firms submit bids for provision of consultancy services for implementation of RRTS in NCR | Regional Rail A total of five firms have submitted the bids for provision of consultancy services for establishment of Project Monitoring and Strategic Support Unit (PMSSU) for implementation of the Regional Rapid Transit Systems (RRTS) in National Capital Region (NCR). Three firms submit bids for provision of consultancy services for Washermenpet-Wimco Nagar Metro | Metro Rail A total of three firms have submitted bids for provision of independent safety assessment (ISA) services for signalling and train control, platform screen doors and rolling stock subsystems for the Chennai Metro Rail Project Phase-I Extension (Washermenpet to Wimco Nagar). K-Rail to raise loan from financial institutions for Kerala Semi-HSR | Semi High Speed Rail Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL) has initiated the process to raise a loan worth Rs 337 billion from international financial institutions for the Kerala Semi-High Speed Rail Corridor Project (Silver Line). Two firms shortlisted for provision of consultancy services for Delhi-Meerut RRTS | Regional Rail Consultants for Rural area Development linked Economy and Centre for Market research and Social development Private Limited have been shortlisted as technically qualified for engagement of resettlement implementation support agency (RISA) for implementation of resettlement plan for the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS Project. Two firms submit bids for provision of consultancy services for Delhi-Meerut RRTS | Regional Rail AECOM India Private Limited and Egis India Consulting Engineers Private Limited have submitted bids for provision of external monitor consultancy services for implementation of environmental management system for the Delhi-GhaziabadMeerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) Project. Seven firms submit bids for depot works for Patna Metro Phase-I | Metro Rail A total of seven firms have submitted bids for construction of new inter-state bus terminal (ISBT) rail depot including earth filling, boundary wall, depot buildings, workshop, inspection shed, plumbing, drainage, external development, architectural finishes, road works, design and construction of pre-engineered building (PEB) works etc. for the Patna Metro Rail Project. Three firms submit bids for provision of consultancy services for Delhi-Alwar RRTS | Regional Rail A total of three firms have submitted bids for engagement of detailed design consultant (DDC) for civil, architectural and electrical and mechanical (E&M) works for design of seven elevated stations [Panchgaon, Bilaspur, Dharuhera, Manesar Bawal Investment Region (MBIR), Rewari, Bawal and Shahjahanpur-Neemrana-Behror (SNB)], one depot at Dharuhera, stabling lines at Manesar and elevated viaduct from Kherki Daula toll plaza to SNB (62 km) and detailed planning of proposed five underground stations for Sarai Kale Khan-SNB stretch of the Delhi-Gurgaon-Rewari-Alwar Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) Project.

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JULY 2020 // Urban Transport Infrastructure

 ROUND UP HRIDC plans to borrow funds from AIIB for Haryana Orbital Rail corridor | Intercity Rail The Haryana Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (HRIDC) has planned to borrow funds worth USD 400 million (Rs 48,226 million) from Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) for the Haryana (Palwal-Sonipat) Orbital Rail Corridor Project. Two firms shortlisted for conducting EIA study for Coimbatore Airport | Airport ABC Techno Labs India Private Limited and EQMS India Private Limited have been shortlisted as technically qualified for conducting environment impact assessment (EIA) study for construction of new domestic departure terminal building and associated works, construction of new air traffic control (ATC) tower-cum-technical block and admin block for the Coimbatore Airport Expansion Project. MoF grants approval for implementation of Bengaluru Suburban Rail | Suburban Rail The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has granted approval for implementation of the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (Bengaluru Commuter Rail System). Three firms shortlisted for manufacture, supply of rolling stock for Kanpur, Agra Metro projects | Metro Rail A total of three firms have been shortlisted as technically qualified for design, manufacture, supply, testing, commissioning and training of 201 standard gauge cars including signalling and train control (S&TC) system for the Kanpur Metro Rail Project-Phase I and the Agra Metro Rail Project. Five firms submit bids for construction of viaduct, stations for Patna Metro Phase-I | Metro Rail A total of five firms have submitted bids for part design and construction of elevated viaduct, viaduct connection to depot including elevated ramp for depot, stabling and extension of viaduct for Corridor 1 at Khemni Chak stations, special spans, elevated ramp at Malai Pakri and five elevated stations viz. Malai Pakri, Khemni Chak (interchange station), Bhootnath, Zero Mile and New ISBT [excluding architectural finishing and pre-engineered building (PEB) works of stations] from chainage 8.02 km to 14.12 km of Corridor 2 of the Patna Metro Rail Project - Phase I. Commercial operation on Washermenpet-Wimco Nagar Metro to commence by December 2020 | Metro Rail The commercial operation on the Chennai Metro Rail Project Phase-I Extension (Washermenpet to Wimco Nagar) is likely to commence by December 2020. Bids cancelled for survey works for six HSR corridors | High Speed Rail National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has cancelled bids for final alignment design including aerial Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) survey and other related works for six high speed rail (HSR) corridor projects.

V I R T UA L E X H IB IT IO N A N D S U M M I T O N

RAIL INFRA AND MOBILITY BUSINESS 2020 NOV 15 – DEC 31

2020

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URBAN RAIL PROGRESS REPORT 

India’s Urban Rail Network AT A GLANCE

OPERATIONAL NETWORK System

# As on 30th June 2020

Network Length (km)

Metro Rail

677.4

Monorail

19.5

Tram

38.0

Suburban Rail

2593.5

Regional Rail (RRTS)

High Speed Rail

Total Network:

3328.4

UNDER CONSTRUCTION System Metro Rail

Network Length (km) 1060.18

Metrolite

Suburban Rail

Regional Rail (RRTS)

188.15

High Speed Rail Total Network:

508 1637.84

NEW APPROVED System

Network Length (km)

Metro Rail

626.67

Metrolite/MetroNeo

69.85

Suburban Rail

252.96

Regional Rail (RRTS)

103

High Speed Rail Total Network: WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

0 1052.48 JULY 2020 // Urban Transport Infrastructure

 URBAN RAIL PROGRESS REPORT UNDER CONSTRUCTION METRO PROJECT

METRO RAIL PROJECTS

Project

OPERATIONAL METRO RAIL NETWORK Project

Network (km)

Kolkata Metro (West Bengal)

102.2

Ahmedabad Metro (Gujarat)

6.5

Mumbai Metro (Maharashtra)

180.0

Bangalore Metro (Karnataka)

42.3

Meerut Metro (Uttar Pradesh)

20.0

Chennai Metro (Tamil Nadu)

45.0

Nagpur Metro (Maharashtra)

76.5

Nashik Metro Neo (Maharashtra)

32.0 11.0

Delhi Metro (Delhi)

347.6

Gurgaon Rapid Metro (Haryana)

11.7

Navi Mumbai Metro (Maharashtra)

Hyderabad Metro (Telangana)

69.2

Patna Metro (Bihar)

31.39

Pune Metro (Maharashtra)

39.92 40.35

Jaipur Metro (Rajasthan)

9.6

Kochi Metro (Kerala)

23.8

Surat Metro (Gujarat)

Kolkata Metro (West Bengal)

33.2

Total Network:

Lucknow Metro (Uttar Pradesh)

22.9

Mumbai Metro (Maharashtra)

11.4

Project

Mumbai Monorail (Maharashtra)

19.5

Dholera Metro (Gujarat)

100.0

Nagpur Metro (Maharashtra)

24.5

Delhi Metrolite (Delhi)

40.85

Noida Metro (Uttar Pradesh)

29.7

Mumbai Metro (Maharashtra)

Kolkata Tram (West Bengal)

38.0

Nagpur BG Metro (Maharashtra)

Total Network:

734.9

Network (km)

Agra Metro (Uttar Pradesh)

NEW APPROVED METRO PROJECT Network (km)

87.6 268.63

Thane Metro (Maharashtra)

29.0

Total Network:

UNDER CONSTRUCTION METRO PROJECT Project

1060.18

29.4

526.08

UNDER CONSIDERATION METRO PROJECT Project

Network (km)

Ahmedabad Metro (Gujarat)

95.32

Coimbatore Metro (Tamil Nadu)

147.0

Bangalore Metro (Karnataka)

80.0

Ghaziabad Metro (Uttar Pradesh)

11.0

Bhopal Metro (Madhya Pradesh)

28.0

Gorakhpur Metro (Uttar Pradesh)

27.5

Chennai Metro (Tamil Nadu)

118.9

Gurugram Metro (Haryana)

30.0

Delhi Metro (Delhi)

103.9

Jewar Airport Metro (Uttar Pradesh)

90.0

Hyderabad Metro (Telangana)

3.1

Indore Metro (Madhya Pradesh)

31.5

Jammu Metro (J&K)

23.0

2.3

Srinagar Metro (J&K)

25.0

Jaipur Metro (Rajasthan) Kanpur Metro (Uttar Pradesh) Kochi Metro (Kerala)

Urban Transport Infrastructure // JULY 2020

32.4 2.0

Noida Metro (Uttar Pradesh)

Varanasi Metro (Uttar Pradesh) Visakhapatnam Metro (Andhra Pradesh)

3.8

19.35 80.0

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URBAN RAIL PROGRESS REPORT 

HSR/SEMI-HSR/RRTS PROJECTS HIGH SPEED RAIL NETWORK Project

Network (km)

Executing Agency

Mumbai-Ahmedabad HSR corridor

534.0

NHSRCL

Under construction

Mumbai-Nagpur HSR corridor

753.0

NHSRCL

DPR under progress

Mumbai-Hyderabad HSR corridor

711.0

NHSRCL

DPR under progress

Delhi-Varanasi HSR corridor

865.0

NHSRCL

DPR under progress

Delhi-Ahmedabad HSR corridor

886.0

NHSRCL

DPR under progress

Chennai-Mysore HSR corridor

435.0

NHSRCL

DPR under progress

Delhi-Amritsar HSR corridor

459.0

NHSRCL

DPR under progress

Delhi-Mumbai HSR corridor

1384.0

HSRCIL

Feasibility study completed

Mumbai-Chennai HSR corridor

1334.0

HSRCIL

Feasibility study under progress

Chennai-Kolkata HSR corridor

1670.0

HSRCIL

Pre-feasibility study under progress

Delhi-Kolkata HSR corridor

1447.0

HSRCIL

Feasibility study under progress

Mumbai-Kolkata HSR corridor

1961.0

HSRCIL

Pre-feasibility study under progress

Delhi-Chennai HSR corridor

2184.0

HSRCIL

Feasibility study under progress

Total Network:

Status

14623.0

SEMI HIGH SPEED RAIL NETWORK Project

Network (km)

Executing Agency

Status

Ahmedabad-Rajkot Semi HSR corridor

227.0

G-RIDE

Pune-Nashik Semi HSR corridor

231.7

MAHARAIL

DPR completed

Thiruvananthapuram-Kasargod Semi HSR corridor

530.6

K-RAIL

DPR completed

Total Network:

989.3

Feasibility study completed

REGIONAL RAIL TRANSIT SYSTEM NETWORK Project

Network (km)

Executing Agency

Delhi-Meerut RRTS Smart Line

82.15

NCRTC

Under construction

Delhi-Panipat RRTS Smart Line

103.0

NCRTC

DPR approved

Delhi-Alwar RRTS Smart Line

106.0

NCRTC

Under construction

Total Network:

WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

Status

291.15

JULY 2020 // Urban Transport Infrastructure

 INFRA BUSINESS REPORT

MAJOR CONTRACTS AWARDED IN 2020-21 Project Name

Contractor

Tender Value

Work

RRTS

L&T Infrastructure Engg.

₹6.75 Cr.

Consultancy services for design of three RRTS stations (Udyog Vihar, Sec-17, Rajiv Chowk) of Delhi-SNB-Alwar RRTS corridor

Patna Metro

AECOM JV

₹34.14 Cr.

Detailed Design Consultancy for Civil Construction of Corridor 1 & 2 of Phase I of Patna Metro Rail project

Patna Metro

Systra MVA

₹1.44 Cr.

Detailed Design Consultancy for Traction System of Corridor 1 & 2 of Phase I of Patna Metro Rail project

Delhi Metro

Systra MVA

₹21.16 Cr.

CBTC Consultancy for operation of RS10 Metro trains in Line 7 and Line 8 of Delhi Metro Rail network

Visakhapatnam Metro

UMTC

₹5.33 Cr.

Preparing DPR and providing transactional consultancy services for 33.5 km Visakapatnam Metro Rail project

Pune Metro

Honeywell Automation

₹76.33 Cr.

Supply of Telecommunication Systems for Pune Metro Rail project

RRTS

GR Infraprojects

₹592.17 Cr.

Construction of elevated viaducts including 3 stations (Udyog Vihar, Sec-17, Rajiv Chowk) of Delhi-SNB-Alwar RRTS corridor

Pune Metro

Swastik-URC-FabriykaBertolotti JV

₹110.0 Cr.

Supply of M&Ps for Vanaz and Range Hill Metro Car Shed for Pune Metro Rail project

Bangalore Metro

Siemens

₹250.90 Cr.

Supply of CBTC Signalling Solutions for Phase II of Bangalore Metro Rail project

RRTS

Bombardier Transportation

₹2577.0 Cr.

Supply of 210 Rolling Stock coaches and Depot M&Ps for DelhiMeerut RRTS corridor

Mumbai Metro

J. Kumar Infraprojects

₹174.76 Cr

Construction of balance civil work of package 1 of Mumbai Metro Line-7 of MMRDA

Urban Transport Infrastructure // JULY 2020

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INFRA BUSINESS REPORT  Project Name

Contractor

Tender Value

Work

Bangalore Metro

ISGEC Heavy Engineering

₹150.83 Cr.

Construction of Metro Depot Structures, Site development works at Kothnur in Reach-6 of Bangalore Metro Rail Project Phase-2

₹18.47 Cr.

Supply of 3000 MT 60E1 (UIC 60) , 1080 grade head hardened (HH) rails as per IRS-T-12-2009 for Pune Metro Rail project

Pune Metro

Jindal Steel & Power Ltd.

Pune Metro

Mitsui & Co., Ltd

₹19.30 Cr.

Supply of 3000 MT 60E1 (UIC 60), 1080 grade head hardened (HH) rails as per IRS-T-12-2009 for Pune Metro Rail project

Pune Metro

Voestalpine VAE VKN India

₹21.86 Cr.

Design , manufacturing and supply of standard gauge 60E 1 (UIC 60) turnouts for Pune Metro Rail project

Noida Metro

LKT Engineering Consultants

₹2.18 Cr.

Providing detailed design consultancy (DDC) of Noida – Gr. Noida Metro corridor.

Kochi Metro

LKT Engineering Consultants

₹0.9 Cr.

Providing detailed design consultancy (DDC) of SN Junction – Thiripunithra of Kochi Metro Rail project Phase 1B.

Visakhapatnam Metrolite

Urban Mass Transit Company

₹3.38 Cr.

DPR Consultancy for 60.2 km Metrolite (Tram) project in the Visakhapatnam city

Kolkata Metro

ITD Cementation (India)

₹292.63 Cr.

Completion of balance civil work Line-6 (Airport Line) of Kolkata Metro Rail Project

Kanpur & Agra Metro

Technica Y-Italferr SpA JV

₹260.63 Cr.

General Consultancy Services for Kolkata and Agra Metro Rail project

Kanpur & Agra Metro

Bombardier Transportation

₹2051.0 Cr.

Supply of 201 metro coaches and providing Signalling Solution for Kanpur & Agra Metro Rail projects

Kochi Metro

Aarvee Associates Architects Engineers

₹17.59 Cr.

Project Management Consultancy services for Petta to Tripunithura section of Kochi Metro Phase I Extn. Project

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JULY 2020 // Urban Transport Infrastructure

 COVER STORY

COVER STORY 

Metro Route 2020 UAE launched Euro 2.6 billion Dubai Metro Route 2020

n 7th July 2020, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has officially inaugurated the Dubai Metro Route 2020 Project. Speaking on the occasion, he said that the UAE’s journey towards sustainable development is backed by quality projects and an infrastructure that is globally acclaimed for its efficiency and reliability. Developed by Emirati talent with the support of international expertise, these projects meet the highest global standards as part of the objective of providing a superior quality of living and services for everyone.

The UAE has exceptional goals and ambitions. Today, we are moving with confidence, determination and a clear vision to attain the highest levels of excellence in various fields. Our objective is to provide people with everything that ensures their wellbeing, stability and happiness and establish a prosperous future for the coming generations. “The world is today entering a new phase which brings unprecedented challenges that some may not be prepared to deal with. However, we have a strategy designed to tide over unforeseen challenges and create a positive future," Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid said. Our nation is equipped with the plans, competencies and expertise needed to navigate these challenging global circumstances. We have the ability to overcome all obstacles while sustaining our progress and generating new opportunities,” he added.

Urban Transport Infrastructure // JULY 2020

The Dubai Metro Route 2020 project involves the 15 km extension of the Dubai Metro Red Line from Jebel Ali Station to Expo 2020 Station. The AED11 billion Route 2020 project, which links seven stations, will be open to the public in September this year. Upon arrival at Jebel Ali Metro Station, Sheikh Mohammed was welcomed by His Excellency Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). At the station, Sheikh Mohammed and his entourage watched a movie about the Route 2020 Project built as part of the leadership’s vision to promote the sustainable development of the emirate. The project was focused on building globally benchmarked infrastructure and services that meet the UAE’s aspirations themed ‘Towards the Next 50 Years’. The project is part of RTA’s master plan WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

COVER STORY  to provide integrated multi-modal mass transit systems comprising of the metro, tram, buses and marine transport. The movie shed light on the communities served by Route 2020, such as The Gardens, Discovery Gardens, Al Furjan, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai Investment Park and the Expo 2020 site; which have a combined population of about 270,000. The track extends 15 km (11.8 km elevated track and 3.2 km underground track) and links seven stations (one Interchange station with the Red Line, one iconic station at EXPO 2020 site, three elevated stations and two underground stations). The project offers safe and smooth transport for Expo visitors and residents of Dubai communities. It is also viewed as a vital future link between several Dubai communities and Al Maktoum International Airport. The new project serves as a symbol of sustainability, progress, and innovation for present and future generations. Train Journey His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and the entourage toured Jebel Ali Station, an interchange station that spans 8,800 square metres in area with a total capacity of 320,000 riders per day. He boarded the new metro train, which features some modifications to the interior design of the metro carriages.

Expo 2020 Station The train stopped at Expo 2020 Station, which boasts a unique design featuring the wings of an aircraft, signifying Dubai’s future drive towards greater innovation. His Highness and his entourage toured the station which spans 18,800 square metres in area, with a total capacity of 522,000 riders per day in both directions at a rate of 29,000 riders per hour in both directions. The station has three passenger platforms and three routes. It is linked on the eastern side with the Expo exhibition and Expo COEX, and on the western side with the EXPO Mall and urban complex. The station design enables its integration with public transport means with spaces for buses and taxis stands. Sheikh Mohammed unveiled the memorial of Expo 2020 station, an artwork inspired by the phrase “I believe in God” written in Arabic and taken from His Highness’s poem “The Beginning of the Fifty”. The poem, which encapsulates faith in God and wisdom, motivates the youth to make achievements and raise the standing of the homeland. The memorial, designed by the international artist El Seed, is decorated in blue to match the predominant colour of the station. The monument measures 1.5x3.5 metres and is placed on a 1x4 metre base. The selection of the colour

blue symbolises stability, loyalty, trust, intelligence and peace. His Highness posed for a photo with the project team supervising the construction of Route 2020. Guided by the Leadership Mohammed Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, stated that Dubai Metro as a whole and Route 2020, in particular, was a brainchild of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He noted that His Highness was keen to ensure the project featured a superior infrastructure, which reflects his belief that a metro system serves as the backbone of transit systems connecting key areas of Dubai. Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, said: “Route 2020 was blessed by the support and direct follow-up of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed together with His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Their Highnesses were key drivers of the project from the time of its conception. They closely followed up on the progress of the design and construction phases and launched milestones of the project all the way to the official opening.” “Route 2020 has a capacity of 46,000 riders per hour in both directions (23,000 riders per hour per direction). RTA’s studies expect the number of riders using Route 2020 to reach 125,000 per day in 2021, and 275,000 riders per day by 2030. Studies also reveal that Expo 2020 Station is expected to record about 35,000 daily Expo visitors during weekdays, and the number to increase to 47,000 daily visitors during weekends. This number accounts for 29% of the total expected number of daily visitors of Expo,” explained Al Tayer. Test-Run to continue till September RTA will open Dubai Metro Route 2020 for the public this September and will reveal details of operations later on. Through the metro operator, RTA will continue the operational tests and trials

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JULY 2020 // Urban Transport Infrastructure

 COVER STORY over the following months. The test-run comprises of four phases; the first is the Static Test, where a motionless metro carriage will be placed on the track for carrying out a series of tests. Tests include communication systems, automated operation systems, electrical systems, air-conditioning, onboard electronic devices, lighting systems as well as motoring and braking equipment and the integration between various subsystems and components.

stations. The new designs allow for bigger capacities compared with the existing stations on the Red Line, besides design elements signifying simplicity, modernity and sustainability.

Work is currently underway on the second phase of mobile testing, which consists of a series of tests on a train in motion without passengers. Tests on the rolling stock cover motors, brake systems, loading, electric current systems, electromagnetic compatibility, automated train systems, rail communications systems, and speed.

The interior designs of the stations feature a contemporary pattern and flow lines derived from the four elements of nature, namely: air (the pulse of life and the source of continuity), the earth (the constant element of nature), fire (the source of energy and strength), and water (the lifeline and source of inspiration), in addition to the design resembling future Dubai.

RTA will shortly embark on Phase 3 of operational tests to verify system reliability and stability. These tests are key phases of the project and start after the completion of tests and integration of the entire systems. During this phase, the system will be running continuously in a mode similar to the normal revenue operation, but without passengers, with the aim of achieving the targeted operational performance indicator (KPI). Phase 4 features a trial run to be conducted by the operator aimed at verifying the readiness of the operator before the start of actual service operations. The trial includes 14 days of operations without riders to test the various components of the metro system in all modes including normal, degraded and emergency.

The areas of elevated stations range from 8,100 to 8,800 square metres, and the areas of the two underground stations range from 27,000 to 28,700 square metres. Expo 2020 Station spans 18,800 square metres.

The design of the new stations enables integration with the public transportation system. Every station has bus and taxi laybys as well as stops for pick-up and drop-off. Link to Two Airports There will be a key train service to link Terminal 1 Station and Terminal 3 Station of the Dubai International Airport with Expo 2020 Station. There will be a bus service for passengers departing from Expo Station to the

Terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport to ease the movement of riders between the two airports. In the near future, Route 2020 will be extended 3.4 km from Expo 2020 Station to Al Maktoum International Airport to ensure a modern metro link between the two airports. Seven Stations on Dubai Metro Route 2020 Route 2020 has seven stations including one interchange station with the Red Line, one Iconic Station at the site of Expo, three elevated stations and two underground stations, as follows: Jebel Ali Station An interchange station connecting with the Red Line with a total area of 8,800 square metres and extending 150 metres in length, Jebel Ali Station can serve 17,000 riders per hour during peak times and 320,000 riders per day. The station has four platforms, four Bus laybys, 17 taxi drop off and seven parking slots designated for people of determination. It also offers eight retail units of 388 square metres for commercial investment. The Gardens Station The Gardens Station is an elevated station spanning 8,100 square metres in area and extending 168 metres in length. It can serve 6,773 riders per hour during

Station Design Themes The exterior designs of Route 2020 stations feature an enhanced version of the architectural design of existing metro stations along the Red and Green Lines. Such designs include four variations. The iconic Expo station features plane wings symbolising Dubai’s future aspirations and its focus on innovation. The interchange station between Route 2020 and the Red Line at Jebel Ali Station has a design similar to that of current metro stations in order to maintain overall design identity. The other two patterns are for elevated and underground

Urban Transport Infrastructure // JULY 2020

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COVER STORY ď ˇď ľ peak times and 125,000 riders per day. The station has two platforms, four Bus laybys, 20 taxi drop off slots and two designated parking slots for people of determination. It also offers five retail units of 161 square metres for commercial investment.

designated parking slots for people of determination. It also offers eight retail units of 315 square metres for commercial investment.

Biggest Station The Jumeirah Golf Estates Station is the biggest metro station in the entire Dubai

Discovery Gardens Station The Discovery Gardens Station is an elevated station spanning 8,600 square metres in area and extending 168 metres in length. It can serve 4,215 riders per hour during peak times and 125,000 riders per day. The station has two platforms, four Bus laybys, 20 taxi drop off slots and two parking slots for people of determination. It also offers four retail units of 149 square metres for commercial investment. Al Furjan Station An elevated station spanning 8,400 square metres in area and extending 168 metres in length Al Furjan Station can serve 4,746 riders per hour during peak times and 125,000 riders per day. The station has two platforms, four Bus laybys, 20 taxi drop off slots and two designated parking slots for people of determination. It also offers four retail units of 149 square metres for commercial investment. Jumeirah Golf Estates Station It is the largest underground station in Dubai with a total area of 28,700 square metres and extending 232 metres in length. It can serve 11,555 riders per hour during peak times and 250,000 riders per day. The station has two platforms, four Bus laybys, 20 taxi drop off slots and two designated parking slots for people of determination. It also offers 14 retail units of 466 square metres for commercial investment. The station has four ticket vending machines for buying and topping-up smart cards.

Dubai Metro Route 2020 Mobility Plan

Expo Station It is the terminal station of Route 2020 that mainly serves visitors of Expo. The station spans 18,800 square metres in area and extends 119 metres in length. It can serve 29,000 riders per hour during peak times and 522,000 riders per day. The station has three platforms, six Bus laybys, 20 taxi drop off slots and four designated parking slots for people of determination. It also offers nine retail units of 264 square metres for commercial investment. The station has eight ticket vending machines for buying and topping-up Nol cards.

Metro network. It serves highly populated communities such as the Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai Production City, and Dubai Sports City through metro bus link. In future, RTA will consider developing the surroundings of the station on the principles of a transitoriented development model. The concept will significantly increase the capacity of the station and boost the number of users. The area to be built spans 360,000 square metres and buildings include residential flats and hotel apartments, commercial retail units and offices.

Dubai Investment Park Station It is the second underground station of Route 2020. It spans 27,000 square metres in area and extends 226 metres in length. It can serve 13,899 riders per hour during peak times and 250,000 riders per day. The station has two platforms, four Bus laybys, 20 taxi drop off slots and two WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

JULY 2020 // Urban Transport Infrastructure

ď ľď ˇ COVER STORY 50 Trains with new interiors The contract of Route 2020 covers the supply of 50 trains (15 trains for serving Expo and 35 trains to improve the level of Dubai Metro service). Several improvements have been introduced to the interior design of the new trains to avail more convenience to riders and increase the capacity of carriages. In the new trains, the last cabin is designated for women and children and part of the first cabin is allotted as Gold Class and the rest are Silver Class. Seats are arranged in a transversal style in the gold cabin and longitudinal pattern in both the Silver Class and women and children cabin.

cover the shape and the number of handles, the use of modern digital display systems, distribution of seats on two sides of the train and enhancement of the gangway connecting carriages. The new carriages ensure ease of use for People of Determination and the smooth boarding and alighting of riders. The exterior design of trains will remain as it is to maintain the design and colour identity of the Dubai Metro. Dubai Metro Benefits

Route

2020

Project

The opening of Route 2020 Projects will

500 metres of the metro stations by 2030%. Costs saved due to easing of traffic congestions is estimated to reach AED3.5 billion in 2022 and AED7 billion by 2030. It will also cut losses associated with traffic incidents by AED130 million in 2022, which is expected to rise to AED260 million by 2030. The project will enhance the competitiveness of Dubai in attracting global investors to the Emirate and in hosting international conventions and exhibitions. Such benefits are expected to bring a value of AED1.7 billion by 2022 and AED2.7 billion by 2030. Train Braking Energy (HESOP) As part of efforts to save power consumption and increase the environmental sustainability of transit means, RTA has applied the HESOP (Harmonic Energy Saver Optimizer) technology which recovers the electrical Energy generated by the trains during braking. This energy is re-used to feed various loads in the Dubai metro facilities such as the ventilation and lighting systems as well as lifts. There are eight HESOPs installed in the new line of the Route 2020 Project and seven HESOPs installed in the existing Red and Green Lines. The implementation of HESOP will reduce operational costs by AED3 million per annum, cut about 3 million kg of carbon emissions per annum, and reduce power consumption by 6.6 million kilowatts per annum.

This distribution will increase the capacity of trains by 8% from 643 to 696 passengers. Improvements also include new designs for handles and lighting, using digital signage (VBSD). They also include an illuminated dynamic map for the metro route and stations, using LED power-saving lighting system, and modifying the design of the luggage compartment to make it usable by standing commuters. Improvements also

bring a host of technical and economic benefits. From a technical perspective, the project will ease the traffic congestions in the areas it serves by 25%, and reduce 100,000 tonnes of carbon emissions by 2022; which will rise to a reduction of 170,000 tonnes by 2030. Economically, the project will appreciate the rental and sales values of residential and commercial properties within 250 to

Urban Transport Infrastructure // JULY 2020

Urban Rail network expands 101 km With the opening of Dubai Metro Route 2020, the total length of the Dubai Metro Red and Green Lines will increase to 90 km. At the same time, the total length of rail networks in Dubai will rise to 101 km (90 km for the metro and 11 km for the tram).

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INTERVIEW 

Interview: Dr. Mangu Singh, Managing Director, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC)

r. Mangu Singh, DMRC’s Managing Director talks about how hard the pandemic will hit the corporation and the public transportation system, in general. As the country goes through a phased opening now, there is still no clarity on when the transportation lifeline of the National Capital Region will be allowed to restart operations. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), India’s largest metro network with a daily ridership of 60 lakh, has been shut since the lockdown began at the end of March. As the country goes through a phased opening now, there is still no clarity on when the transportation lifeline of the National Capital Region will be allowed to restart operations. Mangu Singh, DMRC’s managing director, tells Malini Goyal how hard the pandemic will hit the corporation and the public transportation system, in general. Edited excerpts of the interview:

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What is the current status of metro operations in Delhi?

and getting things in place. The exercise will be useful when we start operations.

Dr. Mangu Singh: Trains have been completely stopped. We run two trains every day but only to check if every system is functional. The government has not given any clearance to start operations. So we don’t have clarity.

Like in India, are metros in other parts of the world also shut or they are operational?

There have been news reports of the DMRC working on some standard operating procedures (SOP). What are those for? Dr. Singh: We prepared an SOP right after Lockdown 2.O was announced. We were getting ready in anticipation of getting a go-ahead from the government. They wanted to have SOPs for all metros in place. Since the Delhi Metro is the biggest metro operator in the country, we prepared an SOP after consulting and a lot of deliberations with other metro corporations. That does not mean we are getting ready to restart operation. The SOP requirements are quite stringent. So we immediately got into action to make those arrangements. From drills to equipment, we started preparing

Dr. Singh: To my knowledge, many metros across the world continue to be run, though the traffic is very low. Most European and American metros are running. In China, they suspended operations for some time but have restarted operations now. Singapore, too, restarted metro service but with a lot of strict guidelines. The level of traffic is very high in India. Our metros are very crowded. The risks involved in restarting operations are much higher. Today, in NCR, there are 2.5 crore smart cards in circulation. Unlike say airlines or trains, the moment you start metro services, you can’t have a restriction on the number of people using the service. How difficult has the lockdown been for the DMRC? Let me first state some positive things you have done during the period.

JULY 2020 // Urban Transport Infrastructure

 INTERVIEW Dr. Singh: We realised we have 13,000plus people and no physical work. So we decided to do some constructive work. We innovated on working virtually. It was not in our culture. Right from project site coordination to inspection, most works were done physically — we immediately switched to working online in a big way. From e-filing systems to design coordination, everything is happening virtually. A person sitting in the UK is now giving us inputs on design. This initiative is working very well. Today, we are a paperless organisation. The second thing we worked on is enhancing the knowledge of our people. More than 1,000 employees have enrolled in online courses.

loan given by the Japan International Cooperation Agency for construction. We are requesting the government to reschedule the loan repayment and defer this year’s payment to next year. What is the update on the construction activities that were underway?

follow social distancing guidelines and instil confidence in people that metro is a safe mode of transport. It is a big challenge. *** This interview was conducted by Ms. Malini Goyal and first appeared in ET Bureau.

Dr. Singh: The DMRC is currently engaged in building 61.67 km of new lines under Phase-4 of expansion plans. The corridors that are being constructed are Janakpuri West-RK Ashram, Tughlakabad-Aerocity and MaujpurMajlis Park. In addition, the DMRC is engaged in the construction of two more corridors in Delhi-Najafgarh-Dhansa Bus Stand, Dwarka Sector 21-ECC Centre.

Enhancing their skills and capabilities brought in a lot of positivity in these times when negativity is high. I also constituted a group to rethink the last five years and identify some of the big projects we have done and discuss what could have been done differently. We are compiling these inputs into case studies. These will be very valuable in future. What are the DMRC’s challenges in these times?

biggest

Dr. Singh: We are not making a single paisa. There is no earning. We have been hit in other areas too. We have high fixed costs. Variable costs are small. The energy bill is 30% of it. But even there, we can do little to save as we still have to run all systems and do all operational drills. Our tenants’ businesses, too, have been affected badly. They have written to us asking us to defer rental payments. We are looking at government guidelines on this. If we take coercive action against these tenants, some of them might be forced to go away. We need to support them at this hour. The pandemic has still not settled down. So we are yet to take a call on these things. We don’t have a revenue-share model with our tenants. How are you dealing with the loss of revenue streams? Dr. Singh: We have some resources but not enough to tide over the situation. The biggest area of concern is repaying the

Construction work has been hit badly. When the lockdown started, we followed the government directive about not retrenching workers. Our contractors took care of the labourers. But now they have all gone back to their hometowns. Our contractors are quite handicapped. This will affect our projects and there will be delays. I have a feeling labourers will start coming back around SeptemberOctober. The pandemic scare might force people to use private transport. How do you see public transportation evolving in the face of this? Dr. Singh: For the time being, there is fear in the minds of people. It will have an effect on public transport. It will also mean more use of private vehicles as people will shun the use of public vehicles. Therefore, our attempt will be to

Urban Transport Infrastructure // JULY 2020

We are not making a single paisa. There is no earning. We have been hit in other areas too. We have high fixed costs. Variable costs are small. The energy bill is 30% of it. But even there, we can do little to save as we still have to run all systems and do all operational drills. WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

SMART MOBILITY TICKETING 

Smart Mobile Ticketing: the answer to the COVID crisis

ue to unexpected circumstances, personal hygiene has become crucial in 2020. As physical contact with other humans or devices should be minimized, enabling people to perform day-to-day transactions from the comfort of their own device is key to regain customer trust and transit volume. In 2020, Public Transport Operators should focus on 4 key objectives: ● Ensure Social Distancing ● Reduce Cash Payments ● Make Travel Convenient ● Increase Revenue and Reduce Costs A smart digital mobile ticketing solution becomes absolutely essential to achieve these objectives. First, enabling travellers to purchase tickets on their devices reinforces social distancing, as the interaction between conductors and travellers becomes redundant. There is no more cash transaction on the bus. Second, a technologically driven solution also aids in creating a sense of safety and comfort in commuter minds: an essential step to get people back to public transit. Finally, while increasing revenues, it also enables the reallocation of staff towards tasks with more value-added than selling tickets, thus reducing operating expenses. Automated mobile ticketing has a big role to play: with a simple swipe on a smartphone app, travellers check in to access public transport. At their arrival, another swipe ends their journey.

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The technology then computes the price of the journey automatically and charges the right amount on the stored digital means of payment. While this technology proved its capacity to bring low-techaffine customers segments back to Public Transportation, it also demonstrated its ability to bring back customers in times of uncertainty due to COVID19. The aim for flexible tariffs (pay what you use, not what you don’t use) is growing, as people are required to work from home. In a price-sensitive market like India, affordability will have a major impact on people's choices of mobility. Automated mobile ticketing also enables operators to understand commuter usage behaviour, improve their tariffs to have a commuter centric approach and create better user

experiences. This data-driven approach is critically important to solving last-mile connectivity problems faced by fastgrowing cities which aim to improve urban mobility.

What if you could launch a digital mobile ticketing system, as convenient as smart cards, within a few weeks at no upfront costs? Safe and contactless mobile ticketing apps like FAIRTIQ are the new trend in Public Transportation in Europe. As the solution works fully hardware-less, it can be launched very fast without any initial investment. New regions can benefit from an innovative and flexible mobile ticketing solution within a few weeks. In a developing country like India, minimal reliance on hardware can be a huge boost for already cash-strapped State Road Transport Undertakings (SRTUs). It is also the only option in tier 2 and tier 3 cities that lack the critical infrastructure to enable outdated-RFID based hardware-centric solutions. Solution providers like FAIRTIQ can enable State Road Transport Undertakings (SRTUs) across Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 Cities to become self-reliant, overcome their challenges, and also make public transit a safe and affordable option for commuters by giving them convenience. About FAIRTIQ FAIRTIQ Ltd was founded in Switzerland in 2016 with the mission of creating leading solutions for public transport ticketing. Today it counts more than 30 clients in five countries and 50 employees. FAIRTIQ revolutionizes public transportation ticketing by drastically shortening and simplifying the purchase process for customers. In fact, customers can purchase the optimal ticket at the best price possible with one swipe on their mobile phone only. The solution creates significant savings potential for transport companies by providing a substitute for existing, expensive distribution solutions. It increase the revenues of public transportation companies thanks to the simplification of the ticket purchase process and an increase in the number of customers. FAIRTIQ enables public transportation companies to improve their image through the introduction of a new and innovative ticket vending system. By the end of June 2020, more than 14 million journeys have been done with the mobile ticketing app. In 2020, FAIRTIQ India Pvt. Ltd. is created with the goal of enabling public transport companies to save money on distribution and increase revenue through better customer orientation. For more information, contact Mr. Manjunath RS via e-mail: manjunath.rs@fairtiq.com.

JULY 2020 // Urban Transport Infrastructure

 OPINION

OPINION 

Public transport in the time of COVID-19

IPS, Arun Bothra Managing Director Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT)

yclone Fani in May 2019 caused huge devastation in Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha, and nearby areas. The fallen trees on the roads brought life to a standstill. This also put the brakes on the popular City Bus Service, Mo Bus, run by the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT), a special-purpose vehicle of the state government. The ridership of Mo Bus came down drastically. The company took weeks to recover from the shock. Back then, nobody anticipated a tsunami called Covid-19. The city bus service had an average ridership of 1.15 lakh passengers per day in the first two months of year 2020. In the month of March, it was close to zero.

The Covid crisis has crippled all sectors of the economy, not only in India but across the world. Public transport is one of the worst affected sectors, as it will face long-term effects due to Covid-19. Urban public transport is usually a lossmaking venture. There is hardly any public sector city bus service in India and even around the world that makes a profit. Covid-19 has deepened these financial difficulties further. During the lockdown for almost two months, the bus services were stopped. Now when the sector is opening up, the requirement of social distancing is a major challenge. The CRUT, for example, has announced that all passengers have to wear a mask and there will be no standing passengers. In city bus services, standing passengers form a major part of total ridership. The social distancing norms have obviously hit them hard financially. Anyhow people are extremely cautious in moving out and travelling. Due to the fear of infections, travel is now undertaken only as a necessary evil. Another issue is the safety of the bus

Urban Transport Infrastructure // JULY 2020

crew. Drivers and conductors of public buses are exposed to the threat of corona infection. Conductors especially have to interact with hundreds of people every day and exchange tickets and cash with them. Adhering to social distancing rules is not easy for them. Most of the companies are providing PPEs to their staff. However, in the summer season, continuous use of PPEs in non-AC buses is suffocating and almost impossible. AC buses have more or less gone out of service due to fear of infection. During the Covid-19 crisis, the public transport sector has also seen some positive changes such as increased digital transactions. Bus companies have wanted to move towards digitisation for long as it helps in controlling revenue pilferage. However, many people were not adapting to the digital mode. Now in every sphere of economic activity, digital transactions are increasing. In buses too, people don’t want to exchange physical tickets and currency notes that are touched by multiple people during their circulation. This fear has benefitted public transport in terms of increased use WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

OPINION  of digital modes of payment. Another silver lining in this dark cloud is the awareness towards the environment. For years, experts have been warning us about the disastrous impact of road traffic on the environment. But this is the first time that we can see this impact with our own eyes. In the last few months, the skies and air are cleaner. Wildlife is reclaiming its space. We can see more birds all around. People in the plains like Punjab and Bihar could see the mountain peaks of Himalayas for the first time. These visuals are likely to stay in human memory for a long time to come. One can hope that it will rekindle interest in the protection of the environment and a new thrust for the use of public transport. In spite of inherent financial weaknesses and Covid-19 induced fears, public transport is an indispensable part of urban life. Lakhs of people depend on city buses for their daily commute. We know for sure that the absence of effective and efficient public transport has a negative impact and results in traffic

congestion, air pollution, etc. The governments have been rightly supporting the sector over the years. Even now, despite the severe financial hardship, state governments have announced tax exemptions for public transport vehicles so that the services do not collapse altogether. The increased dependence of the public transport sector on the government is likely to continue for a few months, if not years. However, given the current fiscal scenario, the government has limitations in supporting any particular sector. We have to find innovative ways to revive and sustain the services. For example, government employees can be encouraged to travel by public transport, saving transport allowance on the one hand and resulting in an increase in bus ridership on the other. One main reason for less ridership is the fear of infection in crowded buses. A policy of staggered working hours both for the public and private sector can help in better Covid management by reducing peak hour demand and ensuring

optimum use of public transport. There is also a need to educate people about Covid-19 measures like disinfection of buses and adherence to social distancing norms so that their faith in public transport is restored. Many countries are promoting cycles and ebikes as a mode of transport that takes care of social distancing. In spite of the gloomy situation, public transport has to run. A lot of other activities depend on this sector. You cannot think of Mumbai without BEST buses or Delhi without the Metro. In the current crisis, an intelligent combination of policy in terms of customer care, financing and increase in non-fare revenue has to be employed, so that multiple objectives of economy, environment, health and affordability are achieved without much burden on the already stressed government exchequer. *** Author is also Chairman of Odisha State Road Transport Corporation. This article is first published in The Indian Express.

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RAIL INFRA AND MOBILITY BUSINESS DIGITAL AWARDS

2020

WINNERS OF THE RAIL INFRA AND MOBILITY BUSINESS DIGITAL AWARDS 2020 INDIVIDUAL CATEGORY

Rail Business Leader of the Year Mr. Rakesh Gaur President & Business Head (Railways) Kalpataru Power Transmission Limited

Infra Business Leader of the Year Mr. Ved Parkash Dudeja Vice Chairman Rail Land Development Authority

Urban Infra Architect of the Year Mr. Janak Panchal Jr. Town Planner Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board

Railway Innovator of the Year Dr. Tansen Chaudhari Chief Operating Officer Fluid Controls Private Limited

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Rail Business Leader of the Year Ms. Sophie Moochhala Managing Director Fluid Controls Private Limited

Mobility Business Leader of the Year Ms. Mary T. Barra Chairperson & CEO General Motors, USA

Urban Infra Architect of the Year Ms. Priyanka Kumar Urban Planner RCUES, Lucknow, India

Transport Researcher of the Year Dr. Amudhan Valavan Executive Director TECHSACS India

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Young Researcher of the Year Mr. Bedy Kharisma Market Research Specialist PT Indusri Kereta API, Indonesia

Infra Man of the Year Mr. Kumar Keshav Managing Director Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation

Infra Woman of the Year Ms. Kate Speir Vice President Itinera Infrastructure & Concessions

CORPORATE CATEGORY

Mass Rapid Transit Project of the Year

Rail Solutions Provider of the Year Instrumentation Equipment

Metro de Madris Spain

Rail Solution Provider of the Year Electrical & Power Supply

Kalpataru Power Transmission Limited India

Rail Solution Provider of the Year Signalling & Train Control

Alstom Transport India Limited India

Flood Controls Private Limited India

Rail Solutions Provider of the Year Metal & Engineering & Metal

Aludecor Lamination Private Limited India

Rail Solutions Provider of the Year Telecommunications

ABS India Private Limited India

Rail Business Start-up of the Year

Infra Solutions Provider of the Year

Lab To Market Innovations Pvt. Ltd. India

Tara Chand Logistic Solutions Limited India

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RAIL INFRA AND MOBILITY BUSINESS DIGITAL AWARDS

2020

WINNERS OF THE RAIL INFRA AND MOBILITY BUSINESS DIGITAL AWARDS 2020 CORPORATE CATEGORY

Tunneling Solution Provider of the Year

BESSAC International France

Green Mobility Project of the Year Urban Transport

Lucknow Metro Rail Project India

Shared Mobility Solution Provider of the Year Zipcar United States

E-Mobility Solution Provider of the Year Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance Netherlands

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Bus Transit Project of the Year TransJakarta Indonesia

Green Mobility Project of the Year Railways

Alstom Electric Locomotive Project India

Micro Mobility Solutions Provider of the Year Yulu Bikes India

Smart Mobility App of the Year FAIRTIQ India Private Limited India

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Logistics Solution Provider of the Year

XPO Logistics United States

Project Management Consultant of the Year Bechtel Corporation United States

DPR Consultant of the Year Kiranotech Engineering Consultancy Pvt. Ltd., India

Infra Designer & Architecture of the Year Gensler United States

Rail & Transport Training Provider of the Year

Transport Research Institute of the Year

Institute of Metro & Rail Technology India

Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) United Kingdom

PR Solution Provider of the Year

Digital Solution Provider of the Year

PR Professionals Group India

Institute of Digital Media Professionals India

Manpower Solution Provider of the Year Manpower Group United States Digitally Hosted by

Certificate Sponsor

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INTERVIEW 

Larsen & Toubro Limited, the US$21billion technology, engineering, construction, manufacturing, and financial services conglomerate, is all set to get back to work full swing with the Centre announcing phased unlocking of economic and social activity. Venkatesh Ganesh and Thomas K Thomas spoke with S N Subrahmanyan, CEO and MD of Larsen & Toubro Limited to understand how he is steering the conglomerate through these uncertain times. In March you said that FY’20 was a tough year. Do you want to restate that and make FY’21 as a tougher year? Mr. S N Subrahmanyan: In India, we have a backlog of Rs 3.3 lakh crore worth of projects, which is one of the largest. Fiscal 2019-20 was a tough year but even then we grew orders by 9 percent, sales WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

by 8 percent, and profits by 7 percent. Sales could have gone up by 15 percent but we lost around Rs 6,000 – 7,000 crore due to a combination of factors, which is the reason I said we had a tough year. Currently, 20 percent of projects are from the private sector. Out of the remaining 80 percent, which comprises of Central, State, and public sector enterprises, around 35 percent are multilaterally funded from ADB, World Bank, and the likes. About Rs 45,000-50,000 crore worth of projects are likely to go on and I don’t see any negative bearing. Work in sectors such as airports, steel will go on. There could be some small delays or prioritization of work. In India, Rs 15 trillion were earmarked for capital expenditure by the government to be spent by the State, Centre and PSEs. In my opinion, that number will come down by Rs 4 trillion.

So the number of projects that will come for bid will be lower. In the Middle East, we have a double whammy of sorts. The crashing oil prices and pandemic. However, except for Oman, all In the North and East of Africa, we expect US$600 million in turnover. In India, 90 percent of our 950 domestic project sites are working. We had around 230,000 laborers before the pandemic. Now we have around 120,000 laborers in the sites and we will work on getting them back. In another 35 days, we will come back to normalcy. However, productivity has been low. Regarding the economy, it will be recovered over time. Also, I don't see any recovery in private sector spending for the next year or so. The services business is growing faster than other L&T businesses. Do you see services accounting for a higher share in

JULY 2020 // Urban Transport Infrastructure

 INTERVIEW the overall forward?

revenue

going

Mr. Subrahmanyan: In our mix, we have EPC, contributing to 75 percent of revenues, defense and manufacturing contribute around 10 percent and services about 15 percent. Our estimation is that services can grow to 17-18 percent in this fiscal. This is because they have adapted better to Work from Home (WFH). So, services will bounce back faster. In the context of WFH being the new norm, how do you see workforce deployment for L&T offices going forward? Mr. Subrahmanyan: It depends on the business segment. For example, 98 percent of Mindtree employees were able to work from home. In the projects side of the business to we were able to shift work outside of offices in terms of engineering, design, and even the procurement process has embraced technology. But in construction, we still need to have people on site. This part of the business got affected. How difficult will it be to bring migrant workers back to your sites? Mr. Subrahmanyan: Pre Covid-19 crisis, we had 220,000 laborers. During Covid19 we took care of the labour force at our sites. However, family pressures forced workers to go to their native places. People got scared. Labour moved from West and South to the East. In our case, many of the labourers have been working for generations and there is a lot of goodwill as a result of which workers will come back. We have also taken the help of technology. We have an app called Virtual Service Application or VISA through which we stay connected with workers. So, for example, we have a database of carpenters in the system and we can tap into this depending on the work and location. Even in normal times, we mobilise the labour workforce 3-4 times in a year. For example, during all festivals, there is a movement of labour. Some of them do not come back so we have been constantly moving labour. Maybe this time we will have to make some extra payments to bring them back. The pandemic has also added a psychological

element to the migration.

L&T has been flagging concerns over the lack of adequate orders from the When will you start giving guidance on Government in the Defence segment. Do you see this changing soon? revenues? We can give guidance right now but you will wonder on what basis am I giving the guidance because we are still in the middle of the pandemic. So giving guidance has no meaning right now. That’s why we have been cautious. Are you looking at restructuring the business and the organization to adapt to the new challenges? Mr. Subrahmanyan: So these last couple of months we have had time to think and we have had a look at our systems, our processes, and businesses. Some of the businesses are not doing well so how to deal with that, how to deploy staff in a more efficient manner. Huge decisions have been taken in many of these aspects which will stand us in good stead. Some of this we will announce as we go forward, other aspects are internal to the company. We will become leaner and meaner. You had talked about a debt reduction plan by selling a stake in L&T Infrastructure Development Projects (IDPL) and Nabha Power, and transferring stake in Hyderabad Metro, this year. Is this on course? Mr. Subrahmanyan: Our standalone debt is hardly Rs 9000-10,000 crore. This is far below what an organization like us can have. But we want to come out of all these projects and we are doing all we can on that front. You said capital expenditure by the government will come down by Rs 4 trillion. Do you think this will impact high profile projects like the bullet train? Mr. Subrahmanyan: We require these high profile projects. Countries like the US and China have had huge infra projects. India needs to develop transportation. But doing such projects needs money and we may not have the money right now. Whether the multinational agencies will come in or will the Government find another way I don't have an answer.

Urban Transport Infrastructure // JULY 2020

Mr. Subrahmanyan: We have two very hostile armed neighbouring countries. We have to protect ourselves. So the Government needs to collaborate with the private sector to ensure we have world-class systems in place. The problem is this need for the tendering process to pick the vendor. For example, L&T is the only company in the country to build submarines. In a country that needs just 5 submarines for 20 years, we cannot have 3 parties vying for it because the costs do not justify it. You don’t have 5 companies bidding for AWACS, for instance. The point here is that they should decide L&T as the partner and go ahead with it. Pricing and costs can be discovered. Of course, encouragement is coming through Make in India otherwise we won’t have been the largest privatesector defense player in the country. But here too, Government nominating public sector companies is an inefficient process. Lastly, the Government has allowed 74 percent FDI in defense but in my view, not many foreign players want to come into India with just 74 percent control. Therefore, the Government should encourage existing private sector companies by giving us sufficient orders. What’s your take on 'Vocal for the local' campaigns? Mr. Subrahmanyan: I think the Government is doing as much as they can. Now it is up to the entrepreneurs to make avail of these schemes and unleash their animal spirits. The environment has been created now it is up to the entrepreneurs and companies like us to see how best we can utilize these schemes. Do you envision merger of Mindtree with L&T Infotech? Mr. Subrahmanyan: L&T Infotech and Mindtree have different focus areas and expertise. They have different strengths. There are no plans to merge the two as of now but it is inevitable at some point we will think about merging them. Digital is the buzzword these days. How is L&T readying for this fourth industrial revolution? WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

INTERVIEW ď ˇď ľ industrial revolution? Mr. Subrahmanyan: Over the last few years, L&T has deliberately and slowly enhanced its technology footprint and is charting a course in the recent years that will see its technology portfolio increase its contribution vis-a-vis its traditional businesses. In 2014-15, the world was seeing a tectonic shift with digital technologies. These emerging technologies were creating new processes, new business models and entirely new businesses. Digitalisation and digital transformation was sweeping the business world. L&T was seeing and experiencing this firsthand from its clients of the IT service companies. L&T saw the opportunity of digital as twofold. First, to digitally transform its own operations and use these new technologies to get better at what it was already doing well. Second, to look at Digital as a new business opportunity that could shape its future portfolio. L&T started doing both and it acted swiftly with determination, speed, and scale.

solutions that L&T had created for itself drew a lot of attention from consultants and clients and it was time to monetise that and take it to the market with necessary adaptations. Thus L&T-NxT was formed with the objective of taking the Digital solutions to the market in the Industry verticals in and adjacent to the areas of L&Tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s core domain expertise. Simultaneously L&T-NxT is refining its solutions, adding to its capabilities and resources and getting ready to hit the markets in India and Overseas with not just IT services but with tested proven Have these technologies been adopted digital solutions as offerings. in other businesses? What kind of solutions are these? Are Mr. Subrahmanyan: The digital they targeted at specific verticals? transformation that started in construction is now pervasive at all other Mr. Subrahmanyan: These solutions businesses too with manufacturing include Connected Machines, that factories connected and implementing enables remote monitoring of equipment Industry 4.0 solutions. We are adapting at project sites or machines at factories solutions from construction for workmen using IoT technology and Analytics. The safety and productivity, material tracking, Industrial Safety, a suite of solutions that equipment monitoring and project covers immersive safety training using progress monitoring. L&T today is proof AR & VR technologies. The Safety App that digital transformation can be done, that digitalises all the processes on the at scale and speed and yields tremendous field/factory relating to Safety and does benefits and transforms how people work reporting and analytics. The other solutions comprise of Geospatial Services and take data driven decisions. efficiency all leading to faster completion of work and savings in costs. Mobile apps have digitalised every process relating to safety, quality, activity completion and materials tracking enabling real-time information flow from the sites to monitoring offices. Geospatial technologies using drones, Lidar, 3D scanning, Photogrammetry etc, have transformed accuracy and time of geographic information to make engineering and estimation more accurate and competitive.

How has L&T adopted digital in the construction business? Mr. Subrahmanyan: In early 2016, L&T started the digital transformation exercise within its construction business, creating a new digital group from scratch. The digitalisation effort within the group has been a mammoth exercise and executed at speed and scale. In less than three years, every possible technology like IoT, Cloud, Mobility, Drones, BIM, AR, VR, Analytics, AI, and ML scanning has been tapped and put into production without spending too much time on proof of concepts and pilots. Today, there are over a 50 of these digital solutions that are in production and widely used by thousands of the operating staff at hundreds of project sites. Every single project site has a slew of digital solutions working. Over 11,000 construction equipment had been connected providing real-time visibility into the operations of these machines at remote project sites. This visibility enabled improvements in productivity and utilisation of these machines, better maintenance and uptime, better fuel WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

Solutions, Material tracking Has L&T taken these solutions outside and solutions, project progress monitoring its group companies? and Custom AI and ML solutions Mr. Subrahmanyan: The digital specific to needs. These solutions are JULY 2020 // Urban Transport Infrastructure

 INTERVIEW targeted at business verticals like Construction, Mining, Manufacturing, Power and Utilities. Are there any other new digital ventures that have been launched? Mr. Subrahmanyan: The Digital Revolution is more active and relevant in many other Industry verticals other than L&T’s core. Key among these are education and supply chains. Leveraging L&T’s usage and expertise in these areas hereto used for its internal use, L&T decided to begin two ventures to build public facing platforms that could be new businesses for L&T. Thus, the Edutech and Sufin ventures were formed. This is L&T’s first foray into the promising platforms business. These are being grown grounds up and will become valuable digital properties for L&T when they go into production and scale up in a couple of years. What will Edutech focus on? Mr. Subrahmanyan: With a strong pedigree of skilling and learning & development programmes, L&T is poised to expand its skilling initiatives targeting a larger audience, especially the youth, to offer an integrated platform spanning skilling to recruitment, leveraging L&T’s

inherent expertise and strengths in core engineering, manufacturing, technology and its pioneering efforts in digitalisation. Edutech will focus on three areas of opportunity – employability assessment & recruitment, reinforced learning & reskilling and vocational skills training. How has SUFIN worked out so far? Mr. Subrahmanyan: SUFIN is a financial supply platform to establish L&T’s presence in the e-commerce marketplace. Leveraging its strong brand salience and leadership, L&T is well placed to enter this space on the strength of its relationships with suppliers, SMEs and the ecosystem at large drawing on the strength of group company, L&T Financial Services.

access with investments and collaborations with start-ups to establish a venture capital capability within L&T by building an internal team with the expertise to evaluate, invest and manage portfolios. In the future you would like L&T to be known for its tech play than being identified as a construction company? Mr. Subrahmanyan: Looking to the future, from an overall perspective, L&T is heading towards an attractive balance in its portfolio. In the core projects business, L&T will continue to be in the forefront of building things that make India proud, setting new benchmarks in project execution, benefitting from digital technologies to bring in operational efficiencies.

There are a number of start-up which are in digital space. Will you acquire In addition, a slew of initiatives has been taken up in the last few years to tap the them? opportunities of digital as a business. The Mr. Subrahmanyan: We have an initial calibrated moves are now Innovation Fund that aims to invest in gathering momentum, and the coming attractive start-ups operating in industries years will see L&T take big strides in and domains that are congruent to L&T’s creating a name for itself as a formidable businesses with a purpose to augment player in the technology and digital and differentiate L&T’s core business space. lines, develop capability at the individual business vertical level to enhance *** technical capability and commercial (The Hindu Business Line)

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OPINION 

Image Credit: ITDP

Transit Oriented Development as a Solution to Indian Cities

Maithreyi Nair Architecture Student

lobal trends suggest that the pace of urbanization, a shift in population from rural to urban residency, is growing. Considering the case of India itself, now competing with the fastest growing countries of the world, the urbanization level has grown from 17.29% in 1951 to 31.6% in 2011 (UD, 2017). This brings up a need for accommodating more inhabitants and providing for their basic amenities, which in turn results into

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inevitable expansion of cities. This expansion, in many cases, is horizontal and unplanned. This unrestricted expansion of housing and commercial development, and even road infrastructure, is referred to as an urban sprawl. Even though urban sprawl may have a few pros such as increased local economic growth, there are immense amounts of drawbacks too; such as loss of agricultural capacity, higher taxes, increased runoff into rivers and lakes, harmful effects on human health, decrease in social capital and loss of natural habitats, wildlife and open space. Moreover, the odds of residents having inadequate access to infrastructure are higher, thus driving the city into autodependency, which in turn leads to a higher carbon footprint, hence making the urban growth rather unsustainable. To counter the issue of urban sprawl and its consequences, various cities are coming up with Mass Rapid Transit systems (MRTS), such as metro rails,

BRTS etc. Insertion of such transit systems should account for its availability to all user groups, in terms of affordability and access. Hence, such insertion into an existing city results into Development Oriented Transit (DOT), but its accessibility and efficiency is still in debate. In case of developing cities, development is focused along the transit routes. This could lead into a Transit Oriented Development (TOD) or Transit adjacent development (TAD). A TAD is development that is physically near transit, in order to promote transit riding, but it fails to capitalize upon this proximity. A TAD lacks any functional connectivity to transit—be it land-use composition, means of station access, or site design. TOD is the opposite, it strives to capitalize on the land adjacent and upto a one-quarter mile from the stop. Transit Oriented Development (TOD) TOD is a planned insertion into a city, and according to Calthorpe (Calthorpe, 1993), TODs are: "Mixed-use

JULY 2020 // Urban Transport Infrastructure

 OPINION communities] within an average 2,000foot walking distance of a transit stop and a core commercial area. TODs mix residential, retail, office, open space, and public uses in a walkable environment, making it convenient for residents and employees to travel by transit, bicycle, foot or car.”

Transit-Oriented Development as explained by Calthorpe [Image source: Joshi, 2017]

TOD is an urban design paradigm that has the potential to achieve urban competitiveness, environmental sustainability, and social equity. TOD is the key for low-carbon and compact development with mixed land uses and allows for optimized development along a transit corridor to maximize the return on investments. It strategically increases densities and places high-rises along the transit corridors to accommodate a wide variety of uses. Contrary to DOT, in TOD planning for the population is done in accordance to the transit systems. Typically, the transit stop or station is considered as the centre, around which a relatively dense development is planned such that it involves mixed-use residential and commercial areas. This density progressively reduces with distance. "TODs generally are located within a radius of 400 to 800 m from a transit stop, as this is considered to be an appropriate walking distance for pedestrians, which solves the last mile connectivity." (Dr. V. Devadas, 2015) It facilitates complete ease of access to the transit facility, thereby inducing people to prefer to walk and use public transportation over personal modes of transport. It results in the creation of compact, walkable and liveable communities with easy access to amenities and is centered around high quality mass transit stations. Indian cities face a massive amount of issues such as severe congestion;

deteriorating air quality due to increasing greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector; increasing road accidents; and an exploding growth in the number of private vehicles. (Joshi, 2017) Moreover, the projected population is more than double in the next generation, calling for an immediate need to build efficient cities. There are several debates on the implementation of TOD in India. Cities in India have always had high densities, especially in the inner core areas. Additionally, the diversity of land use in these areas is also high, presenting an ideal case for TOD.

public spaces universally accessible are vital. Helsinki in Finland, hopes to make car ownership “obsolete” by 2025. The city intends to develop a network of dense, walkable and interconnected neighborhoods and prioritize active transport. • Connectivity

Disperse high traffic volumes of traffic over a network of streets rather than concentrating traffic on few major streets and junctions. Provide the shortest route to pedestrians and non-motorized modes to station as well as between individual “The Government of India would buildings / complexes. Integrate encourage Transit Oriented Development infrastructure development and travel (TOD) with increased [Floor Area Ratio] demand management (TDM) strategies. FAR along transit corridors with high density of population should form a part • Multi-modal interchange of planning” (Ministry of Urban Development 2014). (Joshi, 2017) Minimize travel time and cost for majority of commuters and provide Key components of TOD multiple travel mode options with safety, affordability and accessibility. Minimize As per the policies followed in the master the number and time required for mode plan of Delhi, 2021 (Singh), the most transfers. Prioritize pedestrians, public essential of parameters to be followed in transport, intermediate Public a TOD are: Transport(IPT) and NMT modes over private modes in design and management • Pedestrian and cycle-friendly of urban spaces. environment • High-density, mixed-income developImproved pedestrian and cycle friendly ment streets would mean less of autodependency even for last mile High density and mixed-use development connectivity, hence saving on travel costs along TOD corridors with interconnected and lessening road congestion. This street networks makes average trip would also cater to the population of the lengths shorter, thus promoting lower income groups and make public walkability and use of non-motorized transport more accessible to them. modes of transport, hence reducing travel Creating street-level activity and vibrant costs. urban spaces making all streets and Economical Benefits of TOD Public money expenditure reduces due to reduced investments in infrastructure such as road expansions and other costs associated with low-density sprawl. Increased land revenues along transit corridors can in-turn be used for crosssubsidy and maintenance of public transport. (Singh) Lesser number of cars on the roads leads to lesser expenditure on an individual level. Increased level of ridership in public transport systems ensures financial sustainability of commercial enterprises near the stations, and also adds to the city revenue. (Joshi) Walkable streets in Helsinki, Finland | TheCityFix

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OPINION  Social Benefits of TOD A variety of high density, mixed-se, mixed-income housing and employment is made available within walkable distances. (Singh) There is an increased use of shared social infrastructure, thus improving community living. (Singh) Delhi, India: Transforming region and transportation Unlike Curitiba, Delhi is an already existing development that is now rapidly growing and currently accounts for about 1500 sq.km land area. Increasing infrastructure such as highways has led to increased auto-dependency which in-turn lead to increased environmental and economic degradation. Since the late 1990’s, Delhi has invested heavily in Mass Rapid Transit systems - mainly the Metro Rail and a BRTS, that is now defunct, to reverse the traffic congestion and worsening air-quality. Post the metro investments, the development pattern in Delhi was subjected to either development oriented transit (DOT) or transit adjacent development (TAD). Recently, in 2015, the planning agency (Delhi Development Authority or DDA) made a conscious effort to develop a comprehensive Transit Oriented Development Policy to redevelop station areas and neighborhoods along the Metro corridors.

urban area, much of this being in the city’s outer areas such as East Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad and Gurgaon. Public transportation is now less preferred due to the lack of connectivity (in particular to Metro stations), abundant subsidized parking options as well as a lack of safety for walkers, cyclists and women in the city. (Singh) This has consequentially resulted in increased auto-dependency. "The problem has reached a state where it is feared that it might have an irreversible damage on our city fabric, its environment (twenty-one people die of respiratory diseases in the Capital everyday and vehicular emissions contribute to 70% of the air pollution in Delhi), the social structure and much more." (Singh) • Delhi Metro Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) opened its first corridor between Shahdara in east Delhi and Tis Hazari in

north Delhi on 25th December, 2002, and today, it has crossed the boundaries of Delhi to reach Noida and Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) and Gurgaon (Haryana). It provided relief from the road congestion by accommodating the growing number of commuters along the existing corridors. Despite the operational success of the metro system in Delhi, this mass transit system is yet to infuse new service infrastructure and guide urban growth along the metro corridors. • Introducing TOD in Delhi Delhi is looking at TOD as a solution to its mobility and air quality challenges, with the policy capturing the essential elements of mixed-use development, nonmotorized transport and pedestrian priority, and encouraging a walk-to-work culture. Recognising the urgent need for Delhi to be prepared to receive huge inmigrations by 2021, the TOD Policy was created and approved by the Ministry of Urban Development on July 14, 2015.

• Context With a population of over 16.7 million persons (Census, 2011), Delhi stands as the second most populous urban area in the country after the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. From 1951 to 2001, Delhi has seen a decadal growth of 50% per decade, higher than any other

Image Credit: DMRC

Urban growth of Delhi (NIUA, 2015) | Image Credit: NIUA WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

JULY 2020 // Urban Transport Infrastructure

 OPINION The norms will combine design, density and diversity to facilitate more people to live, work and seek entertainment along a well- connected and efficient mass transit system. The policy is still to be finalised. Delhi’s Transit Oriented Development Policy Draft of 2012 covers following key components: Good pedestrian and cycling/NMT facilities are promoted to reduce dependence on motor vehicles for short trips and induce modal shift. The policy attempts to promote pedestrian activities

Commercial & Institutional use of FAR is mandatory in every new/ redevelopment project within the Influence Zone. To ensure efficient and optimum use of land, social amenities shall no longer be given to individual plots of land within the influence zone. Instead, they shall be allocated the required built-up area within planned redevelopment schemes as per Masterplan requirements. As for open Space requirements for the residential population, they may be

the implementation of TOD. • Context Ahmedabad is the seventh largest metropolis in India, and the largest city in Gujarat with a population of 5.57 million in an area of 450 square kilometres (Registrar General of India 2011). It is located on the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), which in turn creates a large potential for investment, industrialisation and development. • Ahmedabad Metro Ahmedabad Metro is a rapid transit system for the cities of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar and is under construction since March 2015 and being built by Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation (GMRC). Partial commercial operation of Phase-1 from Vastral Gam to Apparel Park on blue line was inaugurated on 4th March 2019 and is the 12th metro system in India to be operational. • Ahmedanad BRTS – Janmarg

Image Credit: Daily Hive

and amenities for pedestrian, NMT and public transport with safety, convenience and universal accessibility.

provided on site.

The number and the time required for transfer between different modes, have to be minimised for maximum commuters. Reliable, frequent and affordable public transport systems across the city are to be ensured. Private parking are to be priced and limited appropriately to discourage private vehicle use in TOD catchment areas.

Integration of multi modal transport systems is poor. Feeder services are available only at selected stations and pedestrians and the NMT are amongst the most neglected ones. The metro terminals are situated outside the city boundary and act as development nodes, which in turn promoted the outward growth of the city, thus supporting sprawl.

Densification through redevelopment and infill within existing urban areas is to be prioritised over development in urban extension. Underutilisation of FAR (below 3.0) is not permissible for any new or redevelopment projects. The policy also mentions that higher FAR would be an effective tool only for the redevelopment of low-density and/or dilapidated neighbourhoods existing along transit stations. All projects and sites within TOD influence zones may have a mix of uses. At least 30% residential and 20%

• Shortcomings

It was inaugurated in October 2009, and the network expanded to 89 kilometres by December 2015 with daily ridership of 1,32,000 passengers. It is operated by Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited (AJL), a subsidiary of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. Phase-1 was between RTOPirana covering a distance of 12.5 km and open to public in 2009 while second phase, covering 84 km with additional 4 Km elevated corridors, was recently completed in 2014. The third phase is under progress. It was designed to connect recreational zones, educational zones and other important areas along the corridors.

Ahmedabad, India: An incremental approach to TOD The TOD in Ahmedabad resulted with the existing BRTS system, Janmarg, and the proposed metro system acting as a catalyst. The propsed MRTS is intended to be a solution to thr declining ridership on public transit. The TOD is planned with an objective to curb sprawl by promoting a compact city structure with higher densities in zones with good access to public transit. Ahmedabad demonstrates an incremental approach to

Urban Transport Infrastructure // JULY 2020

Land development along BRTS corridor | NIUA

• Introducing TOD in Ahmedabad The MRTS corridor has an impact on the WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

OPINION  land-use and housing policies of the city, especially the regions under the Development Plan (DP). While the base FSI is 1.8, the Transit-Oriented Zone (TOZ, a 400m wide band around the BRT network and proposed metro rail) is allowed a higher FSI of 4 and the central business district in close proximity to the two networks is allowed a much higher FSI of 5.4. (Joshi, 2017) The current central business district (CBD) of the city will be shifted from the east bank of the Sabarmati river to the west bank, mainly to integrate the high density commercial area, the recreational area (provided by the waterfront) and the upcoming Metro corridor. The housing policy framed by the city corporation aims at integrating transportation facilities and commercial activities along the BRTS corridors. A stretch of lowincome housing was proposed along the Sardar Patel (SP) Ring Road, about 16.5 km away from the city centre, and will be used for rehabilitating the city slum dwellers. The BRTS routes extended connectivity to these zones at the city’s periphery, thus providing affordable transportation modes to the residents. • Shortcomings The capacity of BRTS to incorporate a radical shift from private to public transport is yet to be taken care of. Hitherto, there has been a shift of about 8% to public transport. User experiences suggest that the BRT system is yet to reach the fringe areas and internal pockets in the city. Slum redevelopment resulted in the working class population being located away from the CBD, increasing the trip length to commute to work. The proposal to extend BRT to the east part of the city poses a challenge for the city authorities to decongest and manage the existing high densities in the area. Challenges of TOD Despite the multitude of benefits of TOD, there are certain shortcomings that have to always be taken into consideration.

Image Credit: DNA

and similar reactions amongst the population, hence leading to conflicts against the idea, unless carefully and sensitively designed with efficient use of open spaces and recreational areas. Parking Parking is an important factor to consider, especially in terms of last mile connectivity. It should be made economically feasible and efficient to all. TAD

About The Author Ms. Maithreyi Nair is a final year architecture student of SMEF's Brick Group of Institutes, Pune, Maharashtra. She loves to experiment with different design philosophies and processes as well as varied digital media to broaden her knowledge on various possibilities of the design outcome. She prefers problemsolving approach as she believes that architects can attend the global needs of the hour.

If not well planned, TOD could degenerate into Transit Adjacent Development (TAD) which neglects mixed-use development, walkability and multi-modal transit interconnections. Gentrification In the American context, it is generally observed that with TOD comes a geographical shift in wealth. Typically, the housing facilities along the transit corridors or around the transit nodes are costlier than the ones away. This results into the affluent section of the society settling near the MRTS corridors, which in turn destroys the purpose of making public transportation available to all sections of the society. ***

Resolving conflict between transit node and desirable place

(This article was first appeared in Planning Insights online blog.)

Proposing a high-density development may provoke the 'Not in My Backyard' WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

JULY 2020 // Urban Transport Infrastructure

ď ľď ˇ RAIL MARKET INSIGHTS

Impact of COVID-19 to various types of Rolling Stock Market Performance up to H1 2020 From figure two, It is even expected that the number of rolling stock ordered will gradually increase and meets its all-time

high every year, and in 2024 will be a shy 140 thousand cars, regardless of the type.

Bedy Kharisma Data and Business Analyst Global Rail Market

Figure 1 Global Rolling Stock Market Performance

olling stock, which consists of a variety of different types, showcases a market performance that appears to be promising uptrend until the end of 2019. The number of entire rolling stock ordered worldwide meets its all-time high amid in 2019. As showcased in figure one, while the forecast predicted that this uptrend would continue to rise exponentially in the next few years, as showcased in figure two.

Figure 2 Global Rolling Stock Market Forecast

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RAIL MARKET INSIGHTS ď ˇď ľ While the global market share distribution among manufacturers and regions worldwide, in terms of volume, is showcased in figures 3 and 4, separately:

From figure three, we learned that since that the one that makes up the most of the volume is a low-cost freight wagon, the increase in terms of volume will not

Figure 3 Rolling Stock Manufacture Share Distribution in Volume

Figure 4 Rolling Stock Region Distribution in Volume

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necessarily mean that the same increase will also be seen in terms of value.

JULY 2020 // Urban Transport Infrastructure

ď ľď ˇ RAIL MARKET INSIGHTS But as the pandemic hits, the downturn within the market performance around the world can be seen in the manufacturing supply and transport demand sides. This pandemic has taken hold of the industry, and the market performance projections may turn otherwise. The impact of the COVID-19 on rolling stock market performance can be as illustrated employing a showcase of the market performance within the firsthalf year over the last few years, as appeared as follows:

But this may solely happen if and provided that robust policy responses forestall structural damage, recovery to pre-crisis fundamentals, and momentum. And also, if a strong public health response succeeds in controlling spread in every country at intervals 2-3 months. This is often known as the A4 scenario as per the Mckinsey report.

Figure 5 First half rolling stock market performance

Looking at how severe the downturns in the rolling stock market performance within the first-half in 2020, the projections of the rolling stock market performance in each to begin with half within the up and coming a long time appears somber. The advertise reaction due to this pandemic might depend on the virus spread & public health response and knock-on impacts & economy policy response. Based on the viability of intercessions on these portions, nine scenarios have been produced by McKinsey, as illustrated in figure six. Following the most desirable eventualities that the virus can get contained and powerful growth rebound can happen, the v form growth within the Figure 7 A4 scenario in rolling stock market initial half-year rolling stock market performance are going to be seen as follows:

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RAIL MARKET INSIGHTS  If not, and the widespread failure of public health interventions happens, a delayed recovery can principally occur within the rolling stock market. The market performance will be pressured in the near few months and will regain its peak eventually. This is often referred to as the B5 scenario as per the McKinsey report, as shown as follows:

the situation continues, the rolling stock acquisition might subject to be delayed for a few types of high value rolling stock and focused on procured low-cost freight wagon to ease the logistical distribution as an example. If this hypothesis is correct, the global market performance for each type of rolling stock might show a distinguished response. The response of

discuss how the effect of this pandemic specifically for this type of rolling stock. Freight wagon market although dubbed for being most bought rolling stock type globally. The quantity of order plumed at intervals the first half 2020 being a small amount lower than 2016 – 2017 period. Even though the price for this type has been under pressure, most significantly pressured in Asia market as seen in figure ten, the worldwide price continues to be unsteady with tendencies of progressing to be still stressed.

Figure 8 B5 scenario in rolling stock market

As the pandemic depends on the general public health and economic policy response, The impact of this pandemic can differ from one country to a different. And this is often one thing that ought to be accounted for every country’s policy. The impact may additionally be seen in each type of rolling stock procured. As

the global rolling stock market for each type will be discussed as follows: Freight Wagon Market Performance As illustrated in figure four, that the majority of the market is dominated by freight wagon procured. It is fair to

Figure 9 Freight Wagon Market Performance H1 comparison WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

JULY 2020 // Urban Transport Infrastructure

ď ľď ˇ RAIL MARKET INSIGHTS EMU & Tram Market Performance The decline can also be seen in EMU and Tram Market performance. The decline can be seen happened worldwide in every region as illustrated in figure twelve and thirteen.

The downturn on these two varieties of rolling stock is rather peculiar since the price trends for each type of has totally different tendencies. Global EMU price trends have tendencies to fluctuates at normal spectrum price, with a tendency to go up (if the situation gets better) as

shown in figure fourteen whereas the tram price trend seems to decline.

Figure 12 EMU Global Market Performance

Figure 13 Tram Global Market Performance

Urban Transport Infrastructure // JULY 2020

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RAIL MARKET INSIGHTS ď ˇď ľ Metro Market Performance The one type that appears to defy the prevailing trend is Metro. This type of self-propelled has proven itself to sustain and even increase its volume of order within the first-half of 2020. Metro order

to be in normal spectrum range, as seen in figure sixteen. The majority of the transactions happened within the three most active regions within the world, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and Asia. And this is often not owing to the price dumping that happened in this type

dumping that happened in this type of rolling stock. The fluctuation of Metro price is illustrated in figure seventeen. As described in the chart the global metro price fluctuates in normal spectrum, and the price is even higher than it was in 2019.

Figure 14 Metro Global Market Performance

Figure 17 Global Metro Price Trend

has shown a small increase compared to the previous year, and although it fluctuates, the quantity of order continues

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of rolling stock. And this is not because of the price

JULY 2020 // Urban Transport Infrastructure

 OPINION

The Way Forward for Public Transport amidst the COVID-19 Crisis a road and emits lesser pollution as compared to 60 citizens using their personal vehicles. In cities such as Delhi, which have a dense Metro network and where buses run on compressed natural gas (CNG), the modal share of public transport is approximately 30% with Non-Motorized Transit (walking, cycling etc.) accounting for the highest share.

Siddharth Sinha Young Professional & Transport Specialist, NITI Aayog

ublic Transportation Systems are the lifeline of cities and agglomeration economies, which in turn are the engines driving economic growth in India. The contribution of the urban sector to India’s GDP is estimated to be between 63 and 75 percent, up from 45 percent in 1990. Public transport has the potential to encourage commuters to shift from private vehicles, resulting in a reduction in pollution and congestion. A bus ferrying 60 passengers takes less space on

trains being closed, crowded spaces with multiple surfaces prone to frequent touch. The planning for resumption, as well as the roadmap to recovery therefore, make Financial Sustainability and Health & Safety the core tenets. Financial Sustainability

The future of urban mobility in lies in shared, connected, sustainable and intelligent transport systems, of which public transport is a crucial pillar. Unfortunately, public transport has been particularly hard hit by the COVID-19 crisis and their complete resumption, albeit graded, is not a fairly simple task. Public transport systems across the country have suffered significant losses resulting from the lockdown during which they remained largely shut; some relaxations in Lockdown 3.0 is a welcome sign. However, even with a calibrated resumption, it will take a while before ridership numbers touch pre-COVID figures.

Financial measures should be short, medium, and long-term. In the shortterm, agencies should undertake a comprehensive financial analysis and identify where and how operating expenses can be reduced, including through route rationalization, and act upon them. This should be followed by identifying and prioritizing avenues for the maximization of non-fare revenues and developing a comprehensive plan for it. The medium-term measures should include the efficient and effective implementation of the plans developed earlier to maximize non-fare revenues. This could be done through a mix of Asset Monetization and Value Capture Finance (VCF).

In fact, we might also be looking at a long term behavioural change that will shift people away from public transport; this stems from the fear of buses, metros, and

In layman terms, this would entail, among others, generating revenues by leasing out land and infrastructure for commercial development, undertaking

Urban Transport Infrastructure // JULY 2020

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OPINION  Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), levying of special assessment taxes for establishments benefiting from increased footfall brought upon by public transport, and commercial development of bus depots with private participation. In the long-term, robust structural reforms are the way forward. In the case of Metro and Suburban Rails, this may include providing the impetus for the evolution of a leasing industry for rolling stock (train coaches) and reducing reliance on international markets for technologies by boosting R&D in India. In the case of buses, this could entail the improvement of contracting mechanisms to facilitate greater private sector participation, provision of a per kilometre reimbursement for operating expenses by the central government, support for developing and implementation of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) with an aim to bring greater efficiency in the system through effective monitoring and tracking and finally, linking financial incentives for State Transport Corporations with their commitment to introducing reforms. Any hike in fares, however, should be avoided since ridership is highly sensitive to fares.

In the case of Metro Stations which witness extremely high passenger volumes, the ground markings should extend from the platform right till the entrance of the Metro Stations, and if possible, even outside the station entrance on the footpaths. It would also be extremely important to not propose particular time slots for running trains as this would lead to over-crowding at stations.

It will take a long time for public transport to recover and fully regain their ridership. In the short term while people may avoid using public transport, the long-term disadvantage is a reverse trend of adoption of personal vehicles for commuting which will lead to increased pollution and congestion. Hence, while the risk of transmission is higher in public transport, reducing the same is not very difficult through simple interventions.

Instead, the frequency of trains at peak hours should be increased to prevent crowding of trains. This will have a downside in the form of slowing down trains, a phenomenon which is known as bunching. However, reaching late is certainly better than contributing to the spread of, or contracting the virus. The security check-points at Metro stations also witness massive crowds and efforts should be made to increase the personnel and scanning equipment.

One may argue that some of these suggestions are not easy to implement, but a lot of things which were considered non-implementable, despite having the means and resources to do so, are now being implemented due to COVID – work from home and greater technology adoption being prime examples. The implementation of such measures will not only instill confidence in the riders and bring public transport on the trajectory of recovery but will also demonstrate how the world’s second-most populous country has effectively battled, and recovered from the impact of COVID-19.

Health and Safety Public Transport Systems, whether Buses or Metro Rails are confined spaces with multiple surfaces and high passenger volumes, which makes them inherently risky when it comes to the spread of COVID-19. Hand sanitizers must be installed in buses, bus stops, metro coaches and station premises while masks should be made mandatory and a strict fine must be levied in case of noncompliance. Ground markings must be painted around bus shelters at a suitable distance to ensure that people stand in an orderly fashion while also maintaining social distance. This is also the opportune moment to install contactless card reading machines within buses, as is the case in many other countries so that people can tap their travel cards instead of transacting cash and the driver and conductor should be appropriately protected through the installation of shields – these measures will also lead to benefits post COVID such as the promotion of digital payments and protection of drivers from physical assault by rowdy passengers. WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

In the long term, a reduction in the human interface during security checks must be considered through the use of Artificial Intelligence. The role of communication is paramount and impactful visuals and frequent announcements on the need to maintain social distancing must be undertaken. Transport agencies may also consider innovative technologies such as UV disinfection robots which are being manufactured in India and low-cost disinfection chambers, a prototype of which has recently been developed by IIT Bhubaneshwar.

***

About the Author Siddharth Sinha is Young Professional & Transport Specialist at NITI Aayog, Govt. of India. Presently working on the COVID-19 monitoring and strategy. Views are personal and does not reflect the thoughts of NITI Aayog.

JULY 2020 // Urban Transport Infrastructure

OPINION 

Intelligent Transport System (ITS): Need of Advanced/Integrated ERP Solution for Indian Public Transport Operators

Dr. Amudhan Valavan Public Transport Expert

n the present scenario, public and private transport companies are unable to upgrade with Integrated ERP solutions along with associated technologies under one roof as like in Western countries. Since, the financial investments for implementing and bringing current technologies to India are so high and the service providers/telecommunication companies in India are not interested because of low profit margin. The Indian IT companies are also offering similar ERP services to Western countries because of the huge profitability. Smart Cities need Integrated Solution for Smart Mobility

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To get the first mover advantage, the funding firms are showing keen interest in investing the SMART CITIES and EMobility projects. Smart and green cities are concepts that aim at making cities more liveable by using modern technology. These concepts include a variety of measures in different fields, ranging from governance to ecology and economy. Smart mobility is another important aspect of smart cities. It usually includes transportation concepts that combine various environmentally friendly modes of transportation and put less strain on the transport network. For example, public transport and cycling are usually promoted and prioritized over cars. Smarter/Greener cities required constantly improving ITS technology to make transportation more efficient, more convenient and environmentally sound. Intelligent Transportation Systems for better Public Transport “Smart Mobility” is the result of the continuous interaction and cooperation (made possible by an efficient

connectivity) between “Smart Vehicles”, “Informed Travellers”, “Intelligent Sensors” and “Intelligent Management Systems”. For efficient Smart mobility advancement in ERP (using ITS) is indispensable with Public Transport. By making a transition from travel by private car to public transport more appealing, effective and attractive public transport systems can contribute to solving the environmental and traffic problems that arise in conjunction with population growth. The major shift to urbanization presently underway in the Developing Countries is creating higher demand for housing and environmentally friendly transportation, and increasing numbers of housing areas are being built in outlying areas where it was previously considered as unprofitable to build. This places new demands on capabilities for sustainable transportation to and from the cities, and these demands can be met with Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS). The best results are attained by

JULY 2020 // Urban Transport Infrastructure

 OPINION combining several different smart ITS solutions. Increase public transport ridership in our Indian Cities by providing reliable, safe and convenient travel. Accurate and constantly updated information with real-time systems Safe travel and workplaces with surveillance, alarms & smarter alcohol locks Smart terminal administration for stations, ports, airports, etc. Smart Mobility Challenges are:

Implementation

• Crafting policies and strategies to promote adherence to air quality standards and other quality-of-life measures. • Designing effective, equitable, safe and secure public transport systems, integrated with mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) and other platforms • Adapting to vehicle innovation and adoption (autonomous, connected, electric, shared, dockless) • Developing public-private partnerships (PPPs) and collaborating with knowledge institutions to address air quality, traffic congestion, and sustainability issues • Building sustainable infrastructure — physical and digital — to support innovative mobility solutions from public and private sectors The ITS structure of Smart Mobility The Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technologies will find a convenient field of application in a today’s Smart City. The main technology and social trends are detailed in Figure A.

Figure - A

communicating these to bus and shuttle riders. At present public transportation software is provided by specialized vendors who operate primarily or exclusively in the public transit vertical. It’s up the fleet department to keep the entire fleet on the road performing those duties in the most cost-effective manner possible. Fleet management software provides the technology and tools to help your fleet department thrive. It manages every aspect of a fleet vehicle from cradle to grave, and every day in between. Features of Public Software (ERP)

as solutions that improve cost-efficiency and reduce the environmental impact are part of public transport management. Solutions also include public transport priority, which provides bus priority at traffic lights, better integrates bus services into the city's transportation system and helps to make Public Transport more attractive. The main features of Public Transport Software are elaborated in Table A (see next page). ERP functionalities and its different modules

Transportation

Public Transport Management is a suite of solutions that help make Public Transport Services more efficient for operators, drivers and passengers. Major components include fleet and terminal management and real-time passenger and driver information. In addition, automated fare collection and security systems as well

Module for optimal generation of driver and bus services: This module defines the network, the commercial offer and the bus types to plan the calendar, allowing to optimize the cost of the services, adapting the tool to the different service conditions, reducing, for instance, the empty trips, the extra hours, etc. This module is also capable to obtain the necessary sizing of the resources to cover a specific planning,

Why Public Transport needs Software Solutions? Public transportation software provides transit agencies with administrative support combined with fleet and passenger management. The software is similar to fleet management software for enterprises. However, public transportation software provides passenger oriented features. So rather than maintenance being central to public transit software suites, routes, maps and ticketing are primary, as well as

Urban Transport Infrastructure // JULY 2020

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OPINION 

Table A

optimizing as much as possible the covered thanks to the creation of highly number of resources and services created customizable reports, which can include according to each client criteria. the specific needs of each client. Module for the optimal assignation of staff and vehicles to the bus services: it allows scheduling the timetables of drivers and buses weekly, biweekly, monthly… For the drivers, it plans the services that need to be completed, their reliefs, the rests… and for the vehicles, it plans the commercial services to be performed by the buses, its maintenances, etc., obtaining always, and in both cases, the best optimized result that complies with all the needs and labour demands.

Integration module: includes the information exchange protocols with the corporate systems of the client, such as the tracking systems, management systems payrolls, etc. Module for dispatch and control: daily management of the operations, it also allows to modify the planning, and to create or postpone services after an incident.

WEB Module: Remote access for the Module for scenario management: users through a web browser to the Modelling of the business rules, solution management platform. applicable agreements, commercial offer, transport network and scenarios. Public Transport Software Solutionsmain advantages & benefits: Reports and statistics generation module: all the operations needs are 1. Maximum optimization: allows the WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

joint resolution of schedules for buses and the shifts of the drivers using a single tool, optimizing them to obtain the best results from the economic and operations point of view. • Optimizes the services offered: fits services offered to existing demand, guaranteeing high service quality at the lowest possible cost. • Optimizes service quality: guarantees compliance with all service-quality objectives. • Optimizes use of the bus fleet: uses the minimum number of vehicles, schedules maintenance operations, and reduces the need to invest in new vehicles. • Optimizes the productivity of drivers and other staff: optimal sizing for the number of drivers and other staff members needed in terms of shift scheduling, allowing more services to be provided without extra hiring.

JULY 2020 // Urban Transport Infrastructure

 OPINION • Optimizes services for passengers: ensures compliance with commercial timetables and responds quickly to changing conditions in terms of passenger demand. • Optimizes Public Transport Strategic decision-making: simulates new scenarios, new concessions, new contracts, etc., and obtains the most appropriate solution for your needs by taking all of your company’s parameters into account. 2. Flexibility and adaptability: the high level of customization and parameter settings capability guarantees adaptability to the particular requirements of each client and, therefore, of the calculated solution. Figure - B

3. Integration: it can be integrated with all the client’s corporate tools: SAE, SAP, Human Resources etc. 4. Usability: the software uses an advanced graph system, this system allows to perform visual analysis of the solutions and create integrated reports to obtain the maximum control of the results; It also has a quick editor, which allows the user to make manual changes. 5. Support: a highly qualified support team responds to all kind of questions and incidents, with total availability. Pub,ic Transport Software that cover all the planning, scheduling and optimal management of bus and driver schedules. It should cover the P.T. Bus business is evolving, the governments bet for the massive transport, which presents new technological, operational and organizational challenges as detailed given in figure C.

Figure - C

About the Author Dr. Valavan posses over 27 years of experience in Public Transport and Urban Mobility related fields since 1993. From 2016, he has worked as an Independent consultant and Adviser to Indian Leading Indian Companies like Thriveni Earthmovers, Thriveni Sainik and also RTA, Dubai and KPTC, Kuwait etc. on several technical assistance and training projects in India and the Middle-East and managed a number of projects involving numerous experts and multidisciplinary teams. Urban Transportation and Mobility Specialist with extensive experience in urban mass transit operations, strategic transportation planning, transport policy development, transport appraisal/evaluation, fleet/transport management, project management, and stakeholder management. Has led the development of institutional and governance framework for regulation of urban bus services contracts/franchise agreement. As a professional, he is passionate about the development of sustainable transportation systems in developing economies. As an astute Project Director, his strength lies in working with multi-disciplinary teams from inception to implementation of public transportation projects.

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