Activists slam Metro plan

The activists said the civic body has approved the Metro proposal in a hurry and forwarded it to the state government without conducting any public outreach programme.

The Pedestrians First said potential of existing public transport services,like the bus service and BRTS,has not been completely exploited. “No other cheaper option has been seriously considered before deciding on this costlier Metro option for the city. Such decision to opt for Metro is ad hoc in nature without any assurance of feasibilty and success.”

Inamdar said the basic question is whether Metro with a few linear routes would adequately meet the transport needs of a geographically radial city with widely scattered origin/destinations and smaller average trip lengths.

“Another serious problem is the poor quality feeder bus service which will make convenient accessibility of Metro difficult for commuters. Inadequate parking space in the vicinity of Metro stations will be a deterrent for those with own vehicles. Access to elevated metro stations could also pose a problem for some section of citizens.”

As long as these issues are not addressed,extensive use of Metro may not happen and an expected reduction in number of vehicles on the roads may not take place. “Also,consequent reduced ridership would jeopardise operational viability of the Metro.”

The activists also observed that the two routes selected for the Metro — Pimpri-Chinchwad to Swargate and Vanaz-Paud Road to Ramwadi – Nagar Road — overlap with other mass transit routes (local train services and BRT).

“Rider numbers will be affected on all modes as they will share the same lot of commuters. This means a waste of public money. The Metro routes selected also look doubtful as they pass through densely populated areas and congested roads (example Karve Road,JM Road,Shivaji Road),” Inamdar said.

“What about the existing infrastructure (flyovers,bridges,grade separators) and buildings/structures on the metro alignment which also involves crossing of river and rail line?”

Harsha Shah,president,Railway Pravasi Group,said,the PMC should discuss the Metro project with railway officers who have toured foreign countries where Metro is the main mode of transport. “The railways had sent 250 officers to study various rail projects including Metro to various countries. Their expertise will always come in handy while implementing the Metro in Pune,” Shah said. She said instead of looking at Delhi Metro,the PMC should take a cue from Kolkata where the system has been running since 1972.