No traffic jams, no accidents, no sweat

Mumbai: The Konkan Railway Corporation (KRC) has proposed its newly-invented mass rapid transit system (MRTS), Sky Bus Metro Railway, to two more states Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. KRC had already given this new MRTS concept to the Maharashtra government and it is in an advanced stage of implementation.

KRC, in association with Marshals Corporate Group of Bangalore, will prepare a detailed project report to establish the techno-economic feasibility of the proposed Sky Bus Metro service in Kochi, Kerala, while in AP, the state government is planning to implement the project in the city of Hyderabad.

In Kerala, KRC officials said a memorandum of understanding between the state transport department, the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation, KRC and MRG will soon be signed in this regard.

The implementation of the project, estimated to cost Rs 900 crore, will be considered only after the establishment of feasibility and subject to getting the requisite clearances from the state government.

The Kochi project will be taken up in two phases the first one costing Rs 600 crore and the second Rs 300 crore. In Mumbai, KRC is planning to offer Rs 100 crore from the private sector to implement its first Sky Bus project between Andheri and Ghatkopar. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority has already offered Rs 100 crore to this project.

Says KRCs B Rajaram: "We are confident of commissioning the project within 30 months from now. We will meet the requirement of additional funds by issuing tax-free bonds worth Rs 200 crore soon." The total cost of the project is estimated at over Rs 400 crore.

Officials say KRC is also planning to implement this project in other cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahemadabad, Pune and Bangalore. Sky Bus is an MRTS under which commuters are transported in coaches suspended on overhead cables.

The infrastructure will be installed over roadways and on road dividers and requires practically no extra acquisition of lands. Further, the project causes no displacements, hence speeds up the process of formal clearance and permissions.

Sky Bus Metro has the ability to roll at an average speed of 45kmph. The project will be operational with just 50 per cent of the cost of an elevated rail system and only 25 per cent of the underground metro, offering the same performance standards.

Commuters can avail of several benefits from this mode of transport. While eliminating any probability of vandalism or an accident, Sky Bus Metro can handle 15,000 to 50,000 persons per hour in one direction. There will not be any traffic jams, and the project will bring air-conditioned travel at just Rs 250 for a month.