Challenge 1

1. Why is a metro rail needed in countries with developing economy? What is your basic understanding on the differences between a conventional rail system and a metro rail system?

Metro rails are needed because of the following reasons:

1. The most efficient transportation system is space occupancy, energy consumption, and numbers transported.
2. They are very high-capacity carriers, transporting many people during peak hours.
3. Unlike buses and other modes of public transportation, metro rails are eco-friendly, cause much less sound pollution, and have no air pollution.
4. They possess greater traffic capacity. It carries as much traffic as seven lanes of bus traffic and 24 lanes of car traffic.
5. It reduces the journey time from 50% to 75%.
6. The usage of metros should be promoted more and more as it helps in reducing the levels of greenhouse gases.
7. The number of road accidents has also gone down drastically as the people have chosen the Metro. Speeding usually happens when people are late for their work.
8. Metro provides air-conditioned travelling with the best comfort at relatively cheap rates.

Point of Comparison	Metro Train	Conventional Train
Source of power	The metro trains are powered by electricity which makes them environment friendly.	Conventional trains are normally powered by either steam or diesel or electricity.
Speed	The speed metro trains is generally high.	Normal trains have relatively lower speed.
Seating capacity	The metro trains have low passenger capacity.	Trains have higher passenger capacity.
Ticket fare	In metro trains, the ticket fare is generally less.	The trains have high ticket fare for long distance journeys.
Noise pollution	Metro trains do not produce sound while running, so they are free from creating noise pollution.	Normal trains produce loud sound while running, hence they cause noise pollution.

2. The course depicts the data regarding the operational and upcoming metro rail projects of India with reference to the statistics of latest by August 2019. Research and provide the current statistics of metro rail operations in India. At the end you can identify the necessary of metro rail transit system followed by you will be able to resonate/analyze the feasibility of metro rail to one’s own city.

CITY & STATE	OPERATIONAL NETWORK	UNDER CONSTRUCTION NEW ROUTES	APPROVED NEW ROUTES	PROPOSED NEW ROUTES	OPERATOR	START DATE
Agra Metro, Uttar Pradesh	0 km	11.90 km	17.5	0 km	UPMRCL	N/A
Ahmedabad Metro, Gujarat	37.9 km	21.4 km	7.41 km	0 km	GMRC	06-Mar-19
Bangalore Metro, Karnataka	55.6 km	115.86 km	0 km	105.55 km	BMRCL	20-Oct-11
Bhopal Metro, Madhya Pradesh	0 km	6.22 km	21.65 km	77.13 km	MPMRCL	N/A
Chennai Metro, Tamil Nadu	54.1 km	83.90 km	35 km	15.30 km	CMRL	29-Jun-15
Delhi Metro, Delhi-NCR	349 km	40.85 km	24.99 km	57.3 km	DMRC	24-Dec-02
Gurgaon Rapid Metro, Haryana	12.1 km	0 km	0 km	200 km	RMRG (now DMRC)	14-Nov-13
Hyderabad Metro, Telangana	67 km	0 km	0 km	58 km	HMRL	29-Nov-17
Indore Metro, Madhya Pradesh	0	16.23 km	15.31 km	57.18	MPMRCL	N/A
Jaipur Metro, Rajasthan	11.98 km	0 km	0 km	26.36 km	JMRC	03-Jun-15
Kanpur Metro, Uttar Pradesh	8.73 km	8.5 km	14.08 km	0 km	UPMRCL	29-Dec-21
Kochi Metro, Kerala	26.8 km	1.1 km	12.36 km	0 km	KMRL	19-Jun-17
Kolkata Metro, West Bengal	41.35 km	54.22 km	28.2 km	15.7 km	Metro Railway & KMRC	24-Oct-84
Lucknow Metro, Uttar Pradesh	22.90 km	0 km	0 km	85 km	UPMRCL	06-Sep-16
Meerut Metro, Uttar Pradesh	0 km	3 km	17 km	15 km	NCRTC, UPMRC	N/A
Mumbai Metro, Maharashtra	30.15 km	150 km	21.29 km	136.40 km	MMOPL, MMRC & MMMOCL	08-Jun-14
Nagpur Metro, Maharashtra	24.39 km	17.30 km	48.30 km	0 km	Maha-Metro	08-Mar-19
Navi Mumbai Metro, Maharashtra	0 km	11.10 km	0 km	95.30 km	CIDCO	N/A
Noida Metro, Uttar Pradesh	29.70 km	0 km	14.95 km	70 km	NMRC	25-Jan-19
Patna Metro, Bihar	0 km	6.107 km	24.803 km	0 km	PMRC	N/A
Pune Metro, Maharashtra	10.35 km	58.23 km	4.41 km	26.46 km	Maha-Metro & Pune IT City Metro Rail Ltd.	06-Mar-22
Surat Metro, Gujarat	0 km	18.62 km	21.73 km	0 km	GMRC

3. Why DMRC is the busiest metro in India. Apart from the points mentioned in the course video. You can find several interesting facts on the internet. Please research and provide your learnings.

Ans. 1. Due to connectivity of noteworthy for shopping and offices as well.

2. Due to Connectivity of Famous parts of Delhi.
3. Due to Access to Indian railway stations and Airport.
4. Due to access to one metro line to another Metro line and large employment

Opportunities.

5. Due to Access of market areas

4. What are the components of a Metro rail? Explain briefly about the concepts of the components?

Ans. 1.Elevated: Metro rail runs over Elevated viaduct which consists of Deck slab is rested on Pier caps supported by Pillars over Pile cap/foundation

2. Underground: Underground metro system that primarily or traditionally runs below the surface may be called a subway, tube, or underground.
3. Stations: To Conducting various operations like ticketing, maintaince , access into metro system
4. Elevated metro or Underground metro which metro rail system shall be preferred? Justify your choice of the system.

Ans. Elevated metro system shall be preferred except older dense part of the city.

The following reasons to choose elevated metro system.

1. Less encounter challenges
2. Fast to construct compare with Underground metro system.
3. Less construction compare with Under Ground metro system.

6. What is a Design Basis Report (DBR)? In which phase of a project a DBR is prepared?

Ans. This Design Basis Report is intended to fully satisfy the statutory requirements of Indian Railways for design of proposed elevated Viaduct. The design basis report covers design basis with design parameters and assumptions to be adopted in design of foundations & substructures and superstructure of the Viaduct/Bridge based on Model DBR issued by RDSO.

This is Very First document before construction of Metro rail project.

7. What is significance of a DBR of an elevated metro?

Ans. DBR is a guide to Designer to :

1. Geometrical Design features
2. Proposed System of viaduct
3. Clearances for Structures
4. Structural materials and Properties
5. Loads
6. Load Combinations
7. Design Parameters
8. Design Methodology
9. Project Specific additional Information/Details
10. Design Codes and Standards
11. Design Software

8. In the planning of metro project, what are the chronology of activities before the construction?

Ans. 1.Topographical survey

2. Hydrographical Survey
3. Soil Investigation
4. Planning Of Structural Elements
5. Feasibility Survey
6. Detailed Design Stage
7. Approvals for the Project
8. Tendering Process
9. Handing over the site to Contactor

9. What is topographical survey? Why it is necessary for the metro rail project?

Ans. A topographical survey is broadly defined as recording the coordinates and elevation (height) data of natural and artificial features within a designated survey area.

Buildings and other structures, watercourses and drainage lines, trees, hedges, and street features can all be surveyed and incorporated on the map

With the Help of topographical survey, we can find hindrances while designing the horizontal /vertical alignment. The hindrances could be Office buildings/Commercial complexes, Residential complexes, Religious places, Highways, Flyovers.

10. What are the hindrances that could be there whilst planning to connect any to two stations in a city during metro construction?

Ans. 1. Commercial buildings/Complexes

2. Residential Buildings
3. Crossing of Water Ways
4. Crossing of Highways/Roads

5 Crossing of Elevated highways

6 Religious Places

11. What are underground utilities which would be there existing under the ground level. Also mention some other utilities apart from the ones mentioned in the course.

Ans: 1.Telephone lines

2. Water Lines
3. Power Cables
4. Internet Cables
5. Underground Drainage lines
6. Gas pipe Lines
7. Mention in detail about the solutions a designer would be suggesting as the challenges of underground utilities.

Ans: 1.Utility Survey: This should be done before Construction stage and Expansive method.

2. Change in Pile arrangement: This would be happens while construction Stage
3. Change of Alignment: This would be happens while huge number of piles to be changed while construction stage.

13. What is known as feeding of U-girders and how it is launched during construction?

Ans. This new state-of-the-art Launcher with Transporter is fully electric with much higher output in comparison to the conventional launchers/cranes. The Transporter carries the U-girder from one designated point and moves forward on rails laid on the already erected U-girders to further add more U-girders from the feeding point to the launcher. As a result, the U-girders are to be transported on trailer only up to the feeding point identified at a suitable location and not for the entire length of work. This results in much less requirement of space.

Whereas in case of this new technology, U-girders are transported with the Transporter on the erected viaduct without any interface with road from a single identified feeding point. This technology is being used for the first time in India.

14. What are advantages of precast girders in an elevated metro? Explain in detail about the how it is efficient over the cast in-situ girders?

Ans. 1.We can expect Better quality Control.

2. While preparing Pier Caps, we can Construct Precast Girders in Casting

Yard. It saves a lot of Space and Time.