Letter From PUNE METRO JAGRUTI ABHIYAAN (PMJA) to Pune Municipal Commissioner Regarding Pune Metro

Letter From PUNE METRO JAGRUTI ABHIYAAN (PMJA) to Pune Municipal Commissioner Regarding Pune Metro

Reality Views by sm –

PUNE METRO JAGRUTI
ABHIYAAN (PMJA)

Objection Petition
To,
Municipal Commisioner,
PMC, Pune

WHY I, AS A CITIZEN OF PUNE, AM OPPOSING
THE PRESENT FORM OF PUNE METRO




Dear Sir,
No doubt that Pune needs a good public transport system, hence I welcome any
Mode of public transport which would be people-friendly and of long term use for
Solving the serious traffic problems Pune is facing.

However, there has to be Transparency and wide public consultations before taking any decision in the Matter.
The PMC city fathers have cleared the Rs.4, 000 odd crore, 15 km Pune Metro
Corridor between Vanaz and Ramwadi (Phase-1) without taking people into
Confidence.

We need to know whether the proposal made by the DMRC (Delhi Metro
Rail Corporation) will be really useful for us, what impact it will have on us
And our city and then decide whether we want it.

Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad (or rather the entire Pune Metropolitan Region)
Ought to have a composite traffic and transportation plan because the two
Neighboring cities are very closely interlinked and thus have a bearing on each
Other. Yet PCMC has already backtracked and wants to have its own separate
Metro. So the metro plan for Pune alone may either prove ineffective or
Problematic.

Please explain to us the details of the viability of the Pune Metro in its
Present form in terms of passenger traffic and route efficacy.

Here are some Queries we need answers to:

• The Pune Municipal Corporation states that citizens will be burdened with
Additional civic taxes after the construction of Pune Metro. We want the
PMC to make it very clear what the additional financial burden on
Citizens would be, the period for which we will have to pay it etc

Before decision about the project is taken

• The DMRC proposal provides only one recommendation which has been
Blindly accepted by the PMC. We would like to know why the PMC has
Not asked for various options from the DMRC before making the
Decision, which is a costly, long term, irreversible commitment for
The city.

• The DMRC also does not explain how the proposed Metro is going to be
Integrated with the existing and proposed traffic and transportation
Channels. As a result, we, the citizens’ fear that the Metro in its
Present form would not be cost-effective and may even worsen the
Existing mess in Pune rather than easing it.

• This Pune Metro Corridor will be an elevated one, meaning it will run
Above the surface of the road. This means, Jangli Maharaj Road, Karve
Road, Sassoon Road and Pune Station chowk will have monstrous
looking flyover-like structures on which the metro will run. There will be
wide pillars to support these flyovers at the centre of the existing road
which will reduce the carriageway width on the already congested
roads. We need to know whether this is practical and feasible on
such high density arterial roads.

• As per the DMRC report, there will be 16 Metro Stations, one each at
every km, on both sides of the road, each one to be seven to eight storeys
high, each one about 140m long & 35mtrs wide which will come up on the
roadsides of Jangli Maharaj Road, Karve Road and Sassoon Road. Due
to insufficient clear space for stations, there will be demolition of existing
buildings on roadsides and cutting of hundreds of trees. We need to
know whether such large scale destruction of the existing skyscape
is judicious in order to have an elevated metro and whether having
metro stations at such short distances makes any sense to Pune’s
traffic plan?

• As per the DMRC report, no vehicle parking place can be provided at the
stations as these are located in congested areas. People with their own
vehicles will hence not be able to use the metro. We need to know
whether a detailed plan is in place as to how to access these Metro
Stations since individual vehicles cannot be parked.

• The Metro Stations would be very close to existing buildings without
sufficient natural ventilation, light and circulation space between the
structures. In case of fire mishap, quick access to the site and rescue will
be hampered. We also need to have from you a fire safety plan for the
area in and around the metro station.

• As per the study of DMRC report done by experts, we are given to
understand that Metro alignment is not possible at existing road turnings like Paud Phata junction, Khandujibaba Chowk, Sancheti Chowk and
Railway Station. This means metro will deviate from road, causing further
demolition of buildings including few heritage ones to accomodate the
turning radius. Is this justified? We need to know whether experts have
studied the engineering plan and its feasibility.

• Elevated metro on road will also mean permanently closing all future
options along the route for public transport, road infrastructure
improvement as well as beautification etc. We feel this is not in the city’s
interests. We need to be assured that we do not sacrifice our quality
of life as a citizen, which is already at its nadir in Pune.

• Elevated Metro will mean large-scale shifting of surface and underground
utilities such as water, sewage, electricity, telephone, storm water drain,
traffic signals etc which will add to the severe traffic congestion and
unsafe road conditions. We, the citizens are not ready to face such
disruption in services for years together as the Pune Metro project,
which the city fathers are in a hurry to implement, proceeds
shoddily. None of the major civic works undertaken by PMC till date
have ever been completed on time - one glaring example being the
BRTS.

• 4 FSI has been proposed for 500 mtr stretch on both sides of metro
corridor to raise funds for metro. This densification will distort the fabric of
the city and affect quality of life. We need to know on what grounds you
have decided to crumble Pune’s infrastructure to such a serious
level and whether you have involved the town planning department
in this proposal

We support the following suggestions/objections raised by Pune
Technical Coalition Committee:

1. There is duplication between the Metro rail routes and other modes of
transport such as BRTS, existing railway corridors and other networks. We
must use all available transport resources optimally integrating Metro,
BRTS, Railway, Bus, Cars, Autorickshaw, Cycles, and Pedestrians, to
create a comprehensive network that covers most of the work and
dormitory areas of Pune.

2. The choice of the elevated option rather than underground option
seems short sighted and will destroy the quality of built environment and
urban aesthetics and hence image of city of Pune. The Metro should be
UNDERGROUND rather than elevated as proposed.

3. The proposal of granting a uniform

4 FSI alongside the Metro and BRTS to fund the proposal appears arbitrary. Alternative options of funding must be explored.
Metro is a very costly project and decision will impact city for 100 years and more. Hasty decision if proved wrong later would be disastrous for the city.

Ultimately it is we citizens who will suffer. Hence, we expect
complete transparency before you take decision of the metro
project.

We demand formation of a Pune Metro Citizen Committee comprising
experts, PMC and citizens as a monitoring body for the decision
making process and implementation.

We demand a public meeting like Lok Adalat in big auditoriums like
Bal Gandharva where we want the PMC officers to answer all
questions and doubts put forth by citizens.

We appeal to you not to float any tenders or award work contract for
the Metro in its current form as per DMRC Report.
For the above reasons, I strongly object to the present proposal for
Pune Metro.


Name_______________________________________________________________
Signature_______________________
Date___________________________
Address including email_________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

(Please send this letter to Intelligent Pune, Address, 303 / 304, Narayan Peth,
Prabhat Building, Near Vijay Theatre, Laxmi Road, Pune - 30.)

Suggested Reading -
Does Pune City need the Metro?
Link –
http://realityviews.blogspot.com/2010/06/does-pune-city-need-metro.html


Past Performance of Pune Municipal Corporation - Metro will it be success? CAG Report and Delhi Metro Pune Citizens should know about it –
Link –
http://realityviews.blogspot.com/2010/06/past-performance-of-pune-municipal.html