Pune: ROBs at Ghorpadi,Mundhwa

There seems to be some hope for the residents of Ghorpadi and Mundhwa who have to endure long halts at the two level-crossings in the area. The construction work for two railway over bridges (ROB) is expected to commence within a month, as the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has reportedly submitted a blue print to the railway department.When contacted, PMC officials said the General Arrangement Drawing (GAD) has been submitted to the railway department. “We had received the plan for carrying out some technical upgradation. Following this, the plan was submitted,” V.R. Patil, officer on special duty, said on Wednesday. Pune Cantonment Board president Brig R.J. Sharma too sounded optimistic. “Major paper work has been completed and the project should start in a month’s time,” he said. Two ROBs will have to be constructed in the Ghorpuri area — one on the Solapur line and the other on the Miraj line. Frequent traffic jams, even patients sometimes getting held up at the level crossings is the order of the day. According to residents, the level crossing is like the sword of Damocles, as it drops any time of the day. Although the passenger and express train schedules are in place, there are no fixed timings of goods trains passing the tracks.A commuter, Sanjay, said he is never sure if he will reach office on time “because the railway gate at the Ghorpadi crossing closes even when they check engines. This checking of engines business takes longer than an express train passes through the area.”The ROB work was also delayed because of opposition by shopkeepers and vendors. Although a market place was ready long time back along a nullah in the area, no efforts have been made to relocate the vegetable-fruit vendors there.

Pune :Bus for Ad Update

Although over a month has passed since the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) received a proposal from a Malaysian firm, offering to provide 2,500 buses as ‘royalty’ in exchange for advertisement rights for 15 years, things are yet to move forward. Apparently, the offer from the foreign company has various conditions attached and PMPML authorities are still mulling over whether to accept them or not. PMPML authorities will meet with the firm next week to negotiate the conditions, after which a clearer picture will emerge. The Malaysian offer came in the first week of June, one of six in reply to PMPML’s proposal of ‘buses for ads’. The other five bidders were from India. PMPML had chosen the Malaysian offer, saying it was the ‘best’ offer it has received. Now, however, PMPML seems to be doing a rethink and says there are many conditions attached to the offer. According to PMPML managing director Subrao Patil, one of the conditions is that the firm will provide 299 buses in the first year. The second condition, which according to authorities is questionable, says that the next lot of buses will be provided depending on the response the firm gets to its advertisements. Patil has questioned how such a condition could be accepted.The firm also wants that all advertisement sites be handed over to them immediately. According to Patil, these conditions were to be discussed at a meeting last week, but the meeting has now been postponed to next week.When PMPML invited bids for its ‘buses for ads’ proposal, it had pointed out that advertisements could be put on the interiors and the exteriors of the buses. It had also said that over 1,000 bus shelters were available for advertisements in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. The number of bus shelters would later increase to 2,000 as many of them are to be installed on a build-operate-transfer basis.The new bus shelters would have futuristic designs, it had said. PMPML authorities believe there is huge revenue potential through advertisements in Pune as PMPML is the only organisation which provides public transport in the city.

Pune's 24 x 7 Water Supply Scheme Update

With water scarcity looming large in the city, the 24x7 water supply project is likely to get a new lease of life. Notwithstanding opposition by the BJP, the ruling NCP is prepared to push the proposal with the help of the Congress. The 24x7 water supply is the only answer to the situation likely to develop with the monsoon playing truant,” said an NCP leader. “Keeping politics aside, all parties need to support the proposal. The civic administration is of the same view.” He added that if the BJP and Shiv Sena continue to oppose the proposal, the NCP would go-ahead with the help of the Congress party.Congress leaders, earlier staunchly opposed to the proposal, have mellowed after the recent affinity between the two parties. MP Suresh Kalmadi and his team had extended an olive branch to the NCP after the ruling party and the BJP drifted apart over allegations and counter-allegations between Gopinath Munde and Ajit Pawar. “We were never opposed to the scheme,” said corporator and city Congress unit chief Abhay Chajjed. “We had objections to the procedure. If the proper procedure is followed, we will support the NCP on the 24x7 water project.” At the general body meeting on Tuesday, Municipal Commissioner Pravinsinh Pardeshi called for a “comprehensive” plan to tackle water scarcity and a technical way to repair leakages in the distribution network.The scope for the 24x7 water project comprises water audit and leak detection of the entire water supply system, complete metering for water audit study in a phased manner and zonewise investment plans for rehabilitation for reduction in leakages and implementation of 24x7 water supply. The civic administration’s proposal to appoint a consultant for the 24x7 water supply is mired in controversy after civic groups and political leaders objected to the tendering process where various companies have come together to form a consortium and work on the project plan. Allegations were made that the consortium had not purchased the tenders at all but were still allotted them by the civic body. Also, questions were raised regarding the fees paid to the consultant.The proposal was finally shelved and the standing committee decided to call a special meeting to discuss it. Eventually, the proposal became the bane of the Pune pattern with BJP leader Gopinath Munde targeting the scheme at every opportunity.

Sabarmati Riverfront Update

The Sabarmati Riverfront Development project inched forward with the Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation Limited (SRFDCL) calling for consultants for planning civic facilities in the entire 10.6-km stretch of the project.This would be the first call for consultants this year seeking opinions for laying civic facilities on either bank of the river. The construction of retaining walls on both the stretches of the river has almost been completed. Besides this strenghthening of the bridge piers (pilars) is being undertaken. Sources say that the building footprint for the banks is being worked upon and would be ready in the coming three to four months."We would have to provide civic infrastructure on the 162 hectares of land that is being reclaimed by SRFDCL. Twenty per cent of this stretch would be sold for commercial and residential purposes. Public utilities like parks, gardens, promenades, picnic spots and entertainment zones would come up on the stretch and we have to ready the infrastructure,” says a senior municipal official.“We decided to call in consultants during monsoon as by the time the season is over we can get started with the civic works. We have called for expression of interests from consultants for streetlighting, water supply and roads in particular. Most of the retaining wall works has been completed,” says AMC municipal commisioner IP Gautam.

Boeing ups India projections

The oil crisis may have forced Indian airlines to drastically prune their flights and fleet usage, but US aircraft major Boeing has upped its projection of aircraft requirement here for the next two decades. On Tuesday, Boeing released its 20-year current market outlook (CMO) which estimates India would need 1,001 new commercial planes worth $105 billion.This is almost 10% higher than last year’s CMO that said the country would need 911 planes worth $86 billion. Explaining the increased projection at such a time, Boeing’s senior VP (sales) Dinesh Keskar said: ‘‘Our forecast is not for the next year but next two decades. India’s 20-year GDP growth forecast is an average of 6.7%, the second highest in the world for large-GDP nations only after China. This will reflect in our CMO.’’ Out of the projected demand for 1,001 new planes, 880 will be additional requirement. Of the fleet strength of 324 in 2007, it will phase out 121 planes and need as many to replace them. In all, Boeing estimates 1,204 commercial planes would be flying in the country by 2027 — a quadruple growth in two decades. From last year’s CMO, the biggest growth in projected demand is in the below 200-seater single aisle planes like those of Boeing 737 or A-320 family, signalling Indian carriers airlines may like to increase frequencies on domestic routes.But with oil prices remaining high and airlines bleeding heavily, will this bullish outlook hold good? ‘‘These short-term losses are an opportunity to remove the overcapacity that is not allowing airlines to charge fares that can ever recover their costs. For instance, the break even fare of a full service carrier on Delhi-Mumbai route is about $154 but the typical total fare actually charged is about $121.Once capacity offered is closer to demand, fares will be closer to break even points,’’ he added. The US major expects the current problems to be sorted out in the next 12 to 18 months. It feels crude is unlikely to cross the $150 per barrel mark. The bullishness on Indian growth story perhaps stems from the fact that the average number of air trips a person makes is not more than two per year.Given a huge population base, even a slight increase in this figure with growing prosperity is expected to fuel the demand for 1,001 new planes over the next two decades.Meanwhile on the delayed Boeing 787-Dreamliner programme, Keskar said Air India could get the first plane in last quarter of next year. Jet Airways, whose deliveries were to begin in 2011, is yet to get a tentative date as the airline is planning to change the version of 787 it had originally ordered to get a bigger variety.‘‘AI will get compensated for the delay as per the agreement,’’ Keskar said.

Parzania in Real Life

Almost six years after the post-Godhra riots, a Muslim couple has found their missing son, rekindling hopes of many who are still waiting for news of their children, like the Modys of Gulbarg Society.But the happiness is tinged with frustration. The boy, who is being raised by a Hindu family, has refused to return. On Wednesday, a metropolitan court gave in to his choice and disappointed his natural parents.Mohammed Salim Shaikh and his wife Jaibunnisa, along with their two sons, had sought refuge in Ahmedabad’s Gulbarg Society on February 28, 2002. During a mob attack, 38 persons were killed and 31 went missing. Among them were Shaikh’s sister and his two-and-a-half-year-old son, Muzaffar. He is now called Vivek Vikram Patni.On July 14 that year, the Supreme Court-appointed special investigation team (SIT) told the Shaikhs that their son was alive. According to the SIT, Muzaffar, who went missing during the attack, was found by a constable of the crime branch. He took the boy to his cousin — Vikram and his wife Meena Patni in Saraspur. Since then, Muzaffar, now nine, has been living as a Hindu with the Patni family, which is in the business of selling fish.“We found the boy a yearand-a-half ago and informed the SIT who carried out the DNA test last month,” said Teesta Setalvad of Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) The DNA sample matched with Shaikh and his wife. The Shailhs then filed for custody in the metropolitan court. However, when Meena refused custody, the court asked the boy to choose. He said he preffered his adopted family.Aggrieved with the court’s decision, Shaikh is planning to move the Gujarat high court for custody. “A missing persons’ report has been lodged for my son at the Meghaninagar police station, and this couple had also assured the police that they would return the boy when his actual parents were found. But now they are going back on their word. I will fight till the Supreme Court for Muzaffar,” he said. Shaikh has three other children and works in a plastic manufacturing company in Naroda. The development has rekindled hope for the Modys, a Parsi family from Gulbarg Society whose son Azhar went missing. “Now we have hope of finding Azzu as well”, said Dara Mody, his father. This story had inspired the film Parzania.

Oil price comparison across Asia

A comparison of the prices a common man pays for Petrol and Diesel in Asian countries as of now.(Prices in INR)