Metrail ups the ante against Metro

It is a myth metro rail is good for city, says Metrail
Business Standard

Metrail India, which is trying to get its monorail project approved for Bangalore city, has upped the ante against the metro rail project by saying it is time the myth that there is no alternative to the metro for Bangalore got fully exposed and blew up.

In a media statement, Metrail has said that metro is nothing more than an ordinary regular electric train run on elevated tracks and sometimes underground and at base level.

“Its elevation to the status of a technological masterpiece is rather misplaced,” the statement alleged.

This statement comes just days after Metrail officials painstakingly explained that they have nothing against Metro Rail and their monorail proposal is only to support the Metro project as a feeder network.

Metrail has come out with this statement and a few other explanations in an attempt to clarify BJP MP Ananth Kumar’s recent remarks against monorail.

They have labelled Kumar’s statements against monorail on its capacity, cost, safety, fare and construction issues as factually incorrect and said that Kumar should not mislead the public by trying to convert a serious deficiency of the Metro into a virtue.

Ananth Kumar had stated that monorail can carry upto 12,000 passengers per day, will cost Rs 160 crore per km, will be difficult to evacuate in an emergency, tariff will be higher, will consume higher energy and is not feasible in congested areas.

In reply, Metrail has said that their system can carry 15,000 to 20,000 passengers per hour, will cost Rs 45 crore per km, evacuation in an emergency will be much swifter owing to its carbon fibre coaches as against all-steel coach of Metro’s, its tariff will be no higher than Metro’s and is energy efficient.

In addition to this, Metrail India has claimed that monorail due to its short turning radius of 20-30m, can negotiate turns at virtually right angle, completely eliminating the need for demolishing structures for putting up tracks.

“On the other hand, Metro’s turning radius is 180-200m and even with standard guage it will be 120m, necessitating demolition of houses, shops and other establishments to make way for its tracks,” alleged Metrail India.