Category: Infrastructure

Nagpur: While Nitin Raut, the new energy minister, has ruled out the scrapping of two new 660MW thermal units at the Koradi power plant, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar wants new ones at Nashik.

A source in Mahagenco said Nashik power plant only has three units. “Only one is currently being run as the electricity is more costly than other power stations. Plans have been made for a 660MW device but it is stuck because of the question posed by the defence ministry (MoD) over the chimney height, “he added.

Chhagan Bhujbal, minister of Nashik, wants new units there to get work for local people. He asked Mahagenco to start new ones there, but he did not get a lot of reaction. And he told his boss, Sharad Pawar.

The source said Pawar recently held a meeting with Mahagenco’s president-cum-managing director (CMD) and other senior officials in this regard.

The officials told him the height of the chimney problem. We also said that because the Nashik plant was far from coal mines, its power costs were higher than those located in Vidarbha. “We told him that the merit order dispatch (MOD) would not buy Nashik money,” the source said.

But Pawar was steadfast on new units. Therefore, the officials recommended that the old non-operational units be restored and made online. The NCP chief has asked officials to submit a report on all the options within days.

Although it is difficult for Mahagenco to receive environmental clearance for Koradi units, it is not ready to move them to Nashik, where local people are ready.

Local environmentalists mocked Mahagenco’s claims that it would not buy Nashik electricity. “Mahagenco will sign a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with its sole customer, MSEDCL, and if power is required then Nashik power will be consumed,” an environmentalist said.

The Mahagenco source also said Nashik power would be costly too at over Rs4 per unit with solar power costing about Rs3 per unit. But this argument also holds true for Koradi groups.

Raut wants new units in Koradi, creating 5,000 jobs for the locals. However, due to increased pollution, he is completely ignoring the damage to people’s health.

The newly opened Sadar flyover has eased the traffic snarls at otherwise busy Sadar bazaar road but ultimately led to another traffic chaos at the end of the flyover at the Reserve Bank. This major construction glitch came to light on Sunday when the flyover saw maximum traffic due to the Khasdar Krida Mahotsav and Nagpur Rural Police Welfare programs, organized respectively at Mankapur Sports Stadium and Indoor Stadium. The absence of traffic signals at the end of the flyover to Reserve Bank square jammed vehicles, throwing traffic out of gear. Many vehicles approach from Reserve Bank square to LIC square and at the same time flyover vehicles often culminate on AFO square, just before RBI square, which leads to violent vehicle confrontation. Since there is no traffic signal there is going to be a routine jam at this spot. Barricades were put up on a temporary basis just after the end of the flyover which only adds to the problem. It clearly shows a lack of considerate project execution. On January 10, when Union Minister Nitin Gadkari dedicated the flyover to the public, Gadkari suggested the issue after inspection and recommended that traffic signals be mounted at the spot in complete sync with the signals on LIC and RBI squares.

Another case like Ram Jhula?

Due to the convergence of vehicles from both Ram Jhula and Tekdi flyover, similar traffic deadlock was observed when the Ram Jhula ending towards Kingsway road created total traffic mayhem. The temporary construction of barricades has now covered up this issue as well. Experts are of the opinion that the degree of execution itself did not apply any thoughts.

By the end of December 2019, MahaMetro had agreed to open all Reach I (Sitabuldi to Khapri stretch) stations. But officials now say it’s going to take another six months.
Figures from the Metro indicate that opening new stations has boosted ridership. Notwithstanding this, the stations have not been opened as planned. Reach I was inaugurated in March 2019 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Five stations— Sitabuldi Interchange, Airport, Airport South, New Airport, and Khapri — were operational at that time. It took another six months for MahaMetro to open a new station in November— Jai Prakash Nagar. Five more stations need to be opened— Rahate Colony, Nagar Congress, Ajni Square, Nagar Chhatrapati and Nagar Ujjwal. Rahate Colony station would be launched this month, according to a Metro official. “The stations in Chhatrapati Nagar and Ajni Square will be ready in February, while the station in Congress Nagar will be ready for the first week of March or April. Ujjwal Nagar station is going to take a while because we recently got the ground. The landowner had been moving the case, “the official said.
According to the official, the opening of Congress Nagar station could be further delayed as Metro plans anyhow to open the Manish Nagar Railway Underbridge (RUB) in March. “As the contractor is the same for both works, at the station’s cost, he may concentrate on the RUB,” he said.Metro can complete the construction according to its schedule, but it will take longer to open the stations. Metro Rail Safety Commissioner (CMRS) will have to inspect each station and then give a green signal to open it to the public. Therefore, Metro officials expect all stations to be open by the middle of the year, except for Ujjwal Nagar. Commenting on the reasons for the delay, the official said the original contractor ILFS was forcing the Metro tore-tender the works. The official said the work on Reach III stations (Sitabuldi to Lokmanya Nagar stretch) was progressing at full speed. “This month’s station at Bansi Nagar will be ready. The station in Wasudeo Nagar is almost complete. The stations of Rachna T-point, LAD Square and Shankar Nagar will be ready by April or as soon as possible in May. The station at Dharampeth College will be the last one because it has a gallery of viewing, “he added. Commenting on the delay in Reach III’s opening, the official said this month it was expected.

ट्रेन से अयोध्या जाने वाले श्रद्धालुओं को अगले साल से प्रस्तावित राम मंदिर की झलक शहर के रेलवे स्टेशन पर देखने को मिलेगी। अयोध्या रेलवे स्टेशन को अब राम मंदिर की प्रतिकृति के रूप में नया रंग-रूप दिया जाएगा।

Mumbai has currently got its 1st metro coach manufactured by state-run Bharat Earth Movers (BEML) below ‘Make-in-India’ initiative. The indigenous metro coach was designed by BEML at its Bengaluru facility in 75 days. in an exceedingly huge boost to infrastructure in Mumbai, the govt is pumping in over ₹1.2 lakh crore to create 14 metro corridors within the financial capital. From 11 km nowadays, the metro network of the town can increase to 325 km by 2023-24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi aforesaid whereas inaugurating the first indigenously designed metro coach in Mumbai. Manufactured in BML’s Bengaluru mill, the metro coaches can have the capability to carry 300 passengers in every car. Equipped with CCTV police investigation for traveller safety, the metro train can treat 25 kV AC traction.

The new metro coaches can alter the commuters to follow with their bicycles, explained Metropolitan commissioner RA Rajeev. Prime Minister Narendra Modi additionally conducted Bhoomi pooja for 3 new metro lines in Mumbai. The new corridors ar the 9.2-km Gaimukh-Shivaji Chowk (Mira Road); the 12.8-km Wadala-Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus; and also the 20.7-km Kalyan-Taloja passageway. These 3 new lines take the full range of metro lines to 14 across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. PM Modi ordered foundation for the 32-story metro Bhavan at the Aarey Colony. The metro headquarters are the integrated operations and management centre for the projected 14 metro lines in and around Mumbai. PM Narendra Modi inaugurates the progressive metro coach, the primary metro coach under build in India. PM Narendra Modi inaugurates the progressive metro coach, the primary railroad line coach under build in India. Narendra Modi was same that new metro lines, metro Bhavan and new facilities at railroad line stations can provide a new dimension to Mumbai and build life easier for Mumbaikars. besides quicker transportation, the new railroad line comes within the financial capital can produce AN array of jobs for kids. “Over 10,000 engineers and 40,000 competent and unskilled employees can get job opportunities because of the metro comes, said Modi.

Vidarbha’s biggest irrigation reservoir — Gosikhurd — is facing a pollution crisis for 11 years because of the discharge of untreated waste by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and a couple of cities of the district and therefore the adjacent Bhandara district.
Due to regular contamination of water, the dam has started facing threat from weeds for one or two years. The weed menace is dangerous for aquatic life, animals, and irrigation. To retrieve matters, the Water Resources Department (WRD) has started the tendering method to appoint personal agencies for acquisition and operation of the aquatic weed gather machine for the Gosikhurd reservoir. According to the terms and conditions of the tender, work for gather weed and storing it’ll be meted out for eight months. WRD officers told that it’s in all probability for the primary time that the necessity for an aquatic weed gather machine arose for a reservoir in Vidarbha. “The water that the reservoirs get within the monsoon is employed for irrigation, drinking, and industrial functions throughout the year. Therefore, weeds don’t seem in reservoirs. Weeds are a giant threat to aquatic life, irrigation, animals also because of the lifetime of reservoirs. sadly, weeds are growing within the Gosikhurd dam since the last number of years thanks to the flow of untreated waste from Nagpur and a few a lot of cities. Untreated waste offers birth to varied varieties of weeds, emanates foul smell and creates alternative issues. we’ve got the time and once more requested the NMC and therefore the Maharashtra Pollution control board (MPCB) to prevent releasing untreated waste however to no avail. fortunately, the dam got excess water this monsoon and plenty of weed got swept away. The weed must be removed entirely so it doesn’t grow or unfold. Therefore, we’ve got planned to interact a weed gather machine,” he said. WRD officers supplemental that a gathering has been organized with officers of the National Thermal power station (NTPC), Mouda, to request them to reprocess Nagpur’s waste. “Like one hundred million meter cube (MMC) water from the Gosikhurd reservoir is reserved for NTPC, it will develop a waste treatment plant (STP) before the purpose wherever the Nag river meets Kanhan river and use treated waste for power generation. If it happens then pollution in Kanhan stream, Wainganga river and Gosikhurd reservoir can finish. an extra 100 MMC water is provided for irrigation and alternative functions,” he said.
The NMC and a couple of cities — Kamptee, Kanhan, Paoni, Bhandara, etc — were releasing untreated waste into near rivers for many years however it ne’er resulted in any issues. the matter arose once the Gosikhurd reservoir, with an irrigation potential of 2.75 100000 hectares, was made. It started storage of water from 2008. within the summer of 2009, WRD had to unharness water from the dam because it was contaminated to an excellent extent. Following media reports, the Nagpur bench of Bombay court took suo motu awareness and issued deadlines to free the Gosikhurd reservoir, a project price Rs18,500 crore, from pollution.
Many initiatives were planned, however, got delayed thanks to the NMC. town generates around 570 MLD waste. the primary STP of 130 MLD was commissioned in 2016 and treated waste was getting used for power generation at the Koradi thermal power station. The civic body commissioned second the STP of 200 MLD in 2018 and free treated waste in Nag stream itself. Thus, 240 MLD of untreated waste remains flowing into Kanhan and Wainganga rivers so the Gosikhurd reservoir. alternative cities are nonetheless to construct any STP and still unharness untreated waste. An NMC official said the problem is going to be resolved shortly. “NMC is that the country’s 1st civic body to treat 330 MLD waste. Mahagenco can begin to use two hundred MLD treated waste from March next year. Thus, 330 MLD treated waste won’t get in Nag river. NMC planned the third STP of 150 MLD for NTPC however place it on hold thanks to protests by farmers who wish the water to still flow into the Nag river. 2 mini-STPs of 10 MLD are operating on Nag and Pili rivers. a lot of STPs with the capability of ninety MLD are planned by NMC below Nag stream Pollution Abatement Project and NIT. in this manner, the whole waste is going to be treated,” he said.