‘By December, Sitabuldi to Khapri stretch will be complete; next target is Lokmanya Nagar to Buldi’

Four years ago, Brijesh Dixit, managing director of MahaMetro, was once the only employee of the Metro company then referred to as NMRCL. At that time no person had imagined that Nagpur Metro could be up and operating at some point. However, the dream has been discovered and Dixit has a large function to play in it. IdealNews talked to him to be told concerning the demanding situations confronted by the company and what it plans to make sure that Nagpurians use the Metro

Nagpur Metro is ready for commercial operation but people don't seem to be certain how you can use the facility. Your take on it?

We are offering the ultimate mile connectivity to Metro riders. Bicycles, e-cycles, e-scooters, e-rickshaws and minivans could be to be had at our stations to take you on your destination. These may also be booked the usage of a mobile app to be introduced soon. You will pay the fare through our automatic fare collection (AFC) card or through money. We are establishing biking tracks close to our stations in order that people stroll or cycle brief distances.

Your feeder carrier is hi-tech. Do you suppose commonplace people will be capable of use it?

The AFC card belongs to SBI. The bank and MahaMetro would hang camps in markets, educational establishments and other puts to teach people to make use of the card and mobile app. Soon even senior citizens will get started the usage of it. Besides, we now have skilled our station body of workers to help commuters in every method conceivable. They will educate people to make use of the card if there's any downside.

Many Nagpurians lack civic sense. What if they dirty the stations and trains?

I think maximum Nagpurians have civic sense. I think that if we provide a very good facility, people is not going to really feel like dirtying it. But then you'll be able to see graffiti on massive scale in cities like London and Paris.

Is the Metro ladies and disabled friendly?

We have a dedicated coach for women referred to as ‘Nari Shakti’. Our stations and trains have all the facilities advisable for disabled persons. They can have completely no downside in the usage of the Metro.

Is the project atmosphere friendly?

It is the greenest Metro in the country. Some 65% of our power requirement shall be met from sun assets. We will do rainwater harvesting in viaduct and stations. Biodigesters had been put in at the stations to recycle sewage. We have planted over five,000 timber and they all have survived.

You claim that you've got maintained very best standards of protection. But there have been some accidents involving the Metro.

In only one case two people had been injured when our machinery fell on them. The leisure had been highway accidents involving Metro vehicles. We make an apology for it and can make sure that they are not repeated.

You had been asked to change your plans thrice. Did it prolong the opening?

Initially our viaduct was once on the highway in front of Ramkrishna Ashram, Dhantoli. It was once shifted through Central Jail. We had been asked to build the double decker Wardha Road flyover. The location of Ujjwal Nagar railway underbridge (RUB) had to be shifted. This behind schedule the opening by some months. However, we show pride in executing those initiatives. They are surroundings new benchmarks in the country. There is a four-tier construction in Gaddigodam in any other stretch. It is considered one of its type in the country. The Wardha Road flyover has stored space and price and is time-efficient because it reduces urban litter.

You did bhoomi puja for 13.five kilometre Sitabuldi-Khapri stretch on May 31, 2015 but the true paintings started on December four, 2015. Which do you imagine the true get started date?

It is for Nagpurians to decide.

A eight.5km stretch of Lucknow Metro started commercial operation in 36 months. Even if December is regarded as your get started date you took 39 months. You are thus the second one quickest. Any regrets?

None in any respect. We have constructed world-class infrastructure. We had to exchange the design of Sitabuldi-Khapri stretch thrice. In addition we had several demanding situations in places like Ramjhula, Krazy Castle, coordination with National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). There had been several court circumstances, which went up to Supreme Court. We won they all. Moreover, more than 50% of our earnings will come from non-ticket assets. A large number of effort went into that. We additionally reduced our cost significantly.

What had been the demanding situations confronted by MahaMetro in executing the project?

There had been lot of demanding situations — land, funding, assembling a workforce and making sure coordination and naturally technical ones. However, they all had been conquer. Thanks to cooperation from state government and district collector shall we easily acquire government as well as personal land. The simplest exception was once Krazy Castle. We were given finances from central and state governments on time. We had been able to signal agreements with foreign lenders KfW and AFD within six to seven months, a process that again and again takes as much as two years. We had to get all the officials from outside Nagpur. They had many personal problems in relocating to town but still they agreed. It was once a huge challenge making sure coordination with such a lot of officials, advisor staffers and contractors. I additionally had to stay them motivated to paintings hard.

You deliberate to begin the Lokmanya Nagar to Subhash Nagar stretch along with Khapri to Sitabuldi one. However, this has now not came about. When will it get started?

Unfortunately Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) may check out the stretch on March three. However, we can invite him for inspection after the inauguration serve as. By that time we can attempt to get started a few extra stations.

When will AFC playing cards, feeder services, cafeterias at stations, and so forth turn out to be to be had?

That depends upon the ridership. More the ridership, faster the availability of these services. Our teach agenda will even rely on ridership. My request to Nagpurians is to modify over to Metro as soon as conceivable. However, I know this may occasionally take time as people right here don't seem to be habituated to make use of public shipping.

You are starting only one stretch initially. Do you expect just right ridership?

We know it will be low. Rome wasn’t inbuilt a day. So shall be Nagpur Metro.

When will all stations of Sitabuldi-Khapri stretch turn out to be operational? Six stations are still under-construction.

By December. They shall be started in stages.

When do you expect the overall project to turn out to be operational?

By December 2019 lots of the paintings shall be accomplished. The project is 80% complete and paintings is occurring at a fast pace on other stretches. It may take a little time to build the viaduct over railway lines. All stations is not going to turn out to be operational instantly as a result of there shall be issues of safety. Our next priority is to make Lokmanya Nagar to Sitabuldi stretch operational. We will use pre-cast structures in stations. At present the construction is in large part guide. The observe can also be pre-cast in future and there shall be extra mechanization. Till now we had been the usage of five dimensional construction knowledge modelling (5D BIM). Now we now have offered 6D BIM. The sixth measurement is operation and upkeep. It will build up speed and efficiency and result in cost relief.

You had been asked to execute several non-Metro initiatives in the town. What is your opinion on it?

We really feel this can be a great honour. If we did not excel in our activity, the verdict makers shouldn't have entrusted other initiatives to us. We earned their accept as true with and self assurance. In addition we had been asked to execute Pune Metro and Nashik mild mass fast transit project. We have prepared the detailed project document (DPR) for Thane Metro. We are putting in place a coach manufacturing facility and starting vast gauge Metro.