Helo Goanetters,
I feel convinced that the Govt. of Goa has at last, got it right, in the
matter of selecting a Mass Transit system, to connect the many urban and
popular places in Goa. This is a correct decision as compared to the
earstwhile BJP cummunal Govt. going in for the Konkan Rly Sky Bus project.
To think that the BJP Govt. actually paid and subsidised the Konkan Rly for
trial building and experimenting with this idea of Sky Bus, is a misnomer!
That was nothing more than a sly diversion of funds from Goa's meagre
resources. It makes me wonder where the huge ammounts budgeted have gone.
This surely begs an Inquiry! Even from this distance, I can say that the KRC
people involved in this project were not technologically up to the planning
and execution of the project. They did not have basic safety interlocks
embeded in their control stratergies and yet went in for trial runs! What a
disgrace! When I visited Goa in November/ December last year, I found the
Trial Demo Track outside Madgaon Rly Station, a monstrosity; it occupied
more ground at street level then up above and looked so ugly, that it could
well be considered an Environmental Tragedy! So much for Parrikar's IIT-ian
or monumental stupidities!
Monorail Systems have been built and installed as: 'Straddle Beam' and
'Suspended' types. The Monorail can be at 'Grade Level', below Grade level,
thru subway tunnels or Elevated. It's that versatile.
Monorail is environmentally friendly, (run on rubber tyres and) 'Quiet' and
non polluting when run on electric power; It is the most aesthetically
pleasing of all elevated transit systems! No derailment and or accident
possibility with surface transport; and most of all, the case is made for
Monorail, since it's already proven, cost effective, as well as SAFE! Also
commendable is the comparative ease of installation!
The GOG is commended for this decision; however the backward, incompetent,
outdated and ineffecient Civil and Construction Engineers and Firms, in
Goa/India should not have any part in the implementation of the project
other than land procurement and power being made available.
Even the New Delhi Monorail project is being given to MTrans of Malaysia,
who will work with IRCon, the Rlys unit; since they have a success story in
K Lumpur. In KL and in their new Capital City (Projected) of Putrajaya,
MTrans is engaged in the manufacture and installation of the entire system!
MTrans Malaysia is also bidding for the Seattle Project which is in some
sort of trouble. Metrail UK, I believe is biding and earnestly engaged with
a similar project in Bangalore!
The first Monorail system was installed on the Tokyo Haneda route at the
time of the Tokyo Olmpics, in 1964, connecting Tokyo with the new Airport
and the Olympics Venues! Since than, Monorails have been installed and
expanded in Sydney, Bangkok, KL, Dortmund UNI and Dusseldorf in Germany, in
differing styles, to suit! Newer projects are also being thought of, for
China and more and more places in the USA.
BOOT is not suitable for Goa, as once the sys comes into Goa maintenance and
operations, the failures and non operations will become unbearable! Just
like the erratic power supply and the surface transport, in Goa! So BOOM in
preferable and should be the way to go!
For that matter, the Power Supply operations, and all road planning,
construction and maintenance, in Goa should be immediately privatised to
competent proven units on a BOOM basis. Of course these matters should be on
a 'WAR FOOTING' or else Goa will fall further behind in Modern Living; and
will have to be satisfied in susegad 'olden times lfestyle' nostalgia of the
19th century!
Come on GOG and Goenkars, be smart and modern in outlook and work practices;
and then go for inviting Tourists, International and National. The Tourists
and NRIs and PIOs aren't getting value for the dollar! And more importantly
the residents are suffering on account of the incompetency of the
authorities. How sad! Sorrowing lies my Land!
Nasci Caldeira
Melbourne
Down Under
