RVNL Casts Pune Metro Bhakti Shakti Extension’s 1st Segment
Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd. (RVNL) and their subcontractor Siddhivinayak Precast Pipes Pvt. Ltd. (SPPPL) today began pouring concrete to cast their first box segment for 16.589 km Pune Metro Purple Line‘s 4.519 km extension from Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) to Nigdi’s Bhakti Shakti Chowk.
This major milestone for Pune Metro Phase 1 Extension or Pune Metro Phase 1A was recorded at SPPPL’s casting yard located in Talegaon (view on Google Maps). It comes exactly 4 months after Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation (MahaMetro) awarded Package C-01’s Rs. 339.23 crore contract to Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd. (RVNL) with a 2.5 year deadline.
I hear RVNL and SPPPL will cast a total of 1181 segments and launch them to form a 151 span viaduct between PCMC and Bhati Shakti.
Each segment will have a length of 3m, top width of 8.5m, bottom width of 3.5m, and weigh approximately 37 MT.
Just like Pune and Nagpur metro’s Phase 1 projects, all segments in Pune Metro’s Phase 1 extension will also be integrated and cast along with a parapet wall (unique within India’s metros) to cut down construction time, transportation time and the purchase cost of separate casting molds.
The construction of 4 elevated stations en route at Chinchwad, Akurdi, Nigdi and Bhakti Shakti will be carried out via a separate package for which a tender notice is currently pending.
Some snaps shared by a follower:
Earlier this month RVNL had started casting pile caps for the line’s foundation at PMP Anna Bhau Sathe Bus Terminal near Bhakti Shakti Chowk – see details & pictures.
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It is all very well to see these developments. But all the metro planners in Pune have forgotten or relegated the Kharadi-Hadapsar ( via Kheshavnagar junction) to Swargate , there by depriving the common people there to crawling traffic and delays. Hope the authorities take urgent action and move this stretch of metro to priority segment.
There are 2 routes proposed in Hadapsar:
1) Extension of Hinjawadi-Civil Court (District Court) Line via Camp to Pulgate-Hadapsar Bus stand-Loni Kalbhor with spur from Hadapsar Bus stand to Saswad Rd Rly station. This route is proposed by PMRDA.
2) Khadakwasala-Swargate-Pulgate-Hadapsar-Kharadi via Magarpatta chowk. This route is part of MahaMetro’s Phase 2 DPR 2.
The problem is that from Pulgate to Magarpatta flyover chowk, both these routes overlap. So when the PUMTA (Pune Unified Metropolitan Transport Aurhority, a committee chaired by Pune Divisional Commisioner) met, the first point was if any one agency could build this common stretch.
However, that is difficult to do, because the two lines use different Electrification systems. Also, the PMRDA line is PPP, while MahaMetro is likely to use EPC mode for construction/operation.
Only sensible solution is to build both lines, as that will provide more options for passengers, and both lines are financially and technically viable. But neither PUMTA nor the Maha Gov Urban Devp Dept has held any meetings on this issue for the last many months, and is unlikely to proceed further until after the elections.
I would suggest start a signature campaign, get as many signatures as possible and submit the requests to both MahaMetro, PMRDA and the MLAs, the MP and the CM (who is in charge of UD Dept.) to take further action.
Its a scary scenario that till now there is no final proposal approved for Hadapsar line, forget start of construction. It wil take minimum 5 yrs to complete this stretch once construction begins. So that means till 2030 there is no hope. Now can any town planner envisage what will be the traffic situation till then. Its alarming to even think what it will be..