[sustran] Re: [cai-asia] Fw: Information on air quality and mitigation of SPM and PM10 in Mumbai

kisan mehta kisansbc at vsnl.com
Mon Jun 3 14:13:21 JST 2002


Dear Clean Air Initiative --Asia  and Sustran colleagues and Kurban
Keshwani,

Kurban Keshwani has raised very pertitent issue while discutting
sustainable transport system for Mumbai.

Mumbai draws workers not only from the metropolitan region but
from far off comuting areas, putting strain on the inadequate and run down
suburban railway and loss making publc road bus services while causing
severe hardship to citizens.   Travelling in the suburban train in the
sardine like condition is an experience that one would remember for the
whole life.  What happens to the daily commuter is not the concern for any
authority.

In the existing MUTP as put up by the Mumbai authorties and now accepted by
the World Bank for extending a loan of $ 850 million,
this concern however is not reflected.   Mumbai suburban railway services
providing 6 million journeys and the BEST bus service
moving 4.6 million citizens a day do not get as much support as
would the car owners get from pavementless super highways and
road overbridges over rail tracks.

The need for developing self contained human centres away from congest
Mumbai was accepted in the early 70s.  Metropolitan region was identified
for shifting intensive trading activites from crowded areas to new town
however simultanous closing down of suffocating activites in crowded was not
taken up. The govt has reversed all earlier decisions of not allowing
further growth in Mumbai.  The crowded Mumbai is again opened up for
intensive development.  On roads good enough for movement of one vehicle in
one direction, will sprout 15 to 20
storeyed buildings.  On our road less than a km long, seven building
construction programmes are on and that will add as many dwelling
as there are existing now.

The MUTP designed to provide speed and access to motor cars
would only increase and intensify crowding,  pollution and road fatalities
in Mumbai huddling up 12% of Maharashtra's population
in one-thousandeth of Maharashtra's landmass.   There is not even one
proposal to reduce cars on the road.  In fact the Bank added MUTP shall have
state-of-art Computerised system which will provide more speed to motor
cars.  We await your guidance. Best wishes.

Kisan Mehta and Priya Salvi
 .
----- Original Message -----
From: "Keshvani, Kurban" <Kurban_Keshvani at golder.com>
To: "'kisan mehta'" <kisansbc at vsnl.com>
Sent: Saturday, June 01, 2002 2:20 AM
Subject: RE: [cai-asia] Fw: Information on air quality and mitigation of SPM
and PM10 in Mumbai


> While I strongly support the need for improved transportation in Mumbai, I
also think there is a need for more satellite towns with multi family
residences combined with factories, offices, hospitals, etc. so that
commuting distances can be minimized. There will never be a single approach
that will work for any large city such as Mumbai. Planning Public transport
systems has to be top priority as well. Restricting use of automobiles is
> desperately needed. Let us develop a sustainable solution. Let us plan
> vision 2050 for Mumbai.
>
>
> Kurban Ali Keshvani, P.Eng., M.Eng.
> Senior Air Quality Engineer
> Emissions & Air Quality Group
>
> Golder Associates Ltd.
> 500 - 4260 Still Creek Drive
> Burnaby, British Columbia
> Canada V5C 6C6
>
> Tel: (604) 296-4200 (Main)
>        (604) 296-4286 (Direct)
> Fax: (604) 298-5253
> E Mail: kkeshvani at golder.com <mailto:kkeshvani at golder.com>
>          www.Golder.com <http://www.Golder.com>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: kisan mehta [mailto:kisansbc at vsnl.com]
> Sent: Friday, May 31, 2002 5:02 AM
> To: Clean Air Initiative -- Asia
> Cc: kisan mehta
> Subject: [cai-asia] Fw: Information on air quality and mitigation of SPM
and PM10 in Mumbai
>
>
> DearClean Air Initiative - Asia colleagues.
>
> In response to our following query many colleagues have
> informed that they are out of office.  We have as yet not
> received any adivce uptil now.
>
> As you will observe, the issue is most urgent as the World Bank
> has entered into formal agreement with the Project Managers
> for extending the loan.   We request our colleagues to rush the
> info at the earliest. Colleagues who are away from office may
> help by making arrangement to furnish the data in their absence.
> It is important that the Bank does not fund a project where
> essential  measures are left out. Best wishes..
>
> Kisan Mehta   kisansbc at vsnl.com
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "kisan mehta" <kisansbc at vsnl.com>
> To: <JCourtis at aol.com>; ""Clean Air Initiative -- Asia""
> <cai-asia at lists.worldbank.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, May 29, 2002 9:39 AM
> Subject: Re: [cai-asia] Fwd: Air quality modeling
>
>
> > Dear Clean Air Asia Colleagues,
> >
> > On receiving Dr Masud Karim's email  informing on his work in ambient
air
> quality area, we forwarded our query to him.  He has
> suggested that we should get in touch with our Clean Air Asia colleagues
for
> the information and guidance we are seeking.
> >
> > We give below our quesy and his reply. We request our colleagues to
advise
> us.  As the World Bank has already signed the agreement to extend a loan
of
> $ 850 million despite many organisations showing  concern on the Mumbai
> Urban Transport Project (MUTP) developed
> > by our authorities with the active guidance of the World Bank, the
> > issue has become most urgent.
> >
> > We are not opposed to the Bank assistance however are anxious to see
that it comes in a way that would not affect the air quality and does not
increase the hardship of the people.  Citizens certainly do not want Bank
money to despoil the conditions further.
> >
> > After obtaining info on the MUTP from the Project Managers and
> > trying to explain the need for correcting the MUTP with them, we
> > have developed Citzens Transport Project for Mumbai (CTPM)
> > as an alternative to the MUTP.  We would be happy to share the
> > CTPM with Clean Air Initiative-Asia  Colleagues for obtaining
> > their advice.  In the meantime we shall appreciate specific advice
> > on the issues raised in our letter copied below.  Prompt replies
> > from our colleagues would be most welcome as matters have
> > proceeded further disregarding the concerns of the people.
> > Thanks and Best wishes to all.
> >
> > Kisan Mehta  President  kisansbc at vsnl.com
> > Priya Salvi  Hon Project Coordinator priya_salvi at yahoo.com
> > Save Bombay Committee
> > 620 Jame Jamshed Road, Dadar East,
> > Mumbai 400 014  India
> > Tel: + 91 22 414 9688
> > Fax: * 91 22 415 5536
> >
> > ************************
> > Dear Mr. Mehta;
> >
> > Thank you for your mail. I would recommend you to send the mail to CAI
> > mailing list. That will help you to receive different opinions on your
> > query. I will try to reply your mail through the mailing list.
> >
> > Regards
> >
> > Masud Karim
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: kisan mehta [mailto:kisansbc at vsnl.com]
> > Sent: May 24, 2002 11:57 PM
> > To: masud at eng-consult.com
> > Subject: Information on air quality and mitigation of SPM and PM10 in
> Mumbai
> >
> > Dear Dr Masud Karim,
> >
> > We received email giving information on your work.
> >
> > The World Bank has promised to the Mumbai traffic authorities
> >  a loan of $ 850 million in the Mumbai Urban Transport
> > Project (MUTP) estimated to cost $1.2 billion.
> >
> > The project though claimed to support and improve public
> > transport is meant to increase motorisation through highways,
> > flyovers, elevated roads, sealink etc.  The EIA has shown
> > very high SPM, PM10, noise levels while Nox, CO and Pb
> > levels within the limits set by national standards (standards
> > do not have dependable safe limits).
> >
> > The MUTP proposes construction of carriageways without
> > pavements in areas having very high pedestrian and other
> > movement.  Many existing roads also do not have
> > pavements.   Following our objection, the Project Managers
> > have undertaken a study of pollution levels but the Bank has not
postponed
> the loan till the mitigation measures are included.
> >
> > We have proposed that the MUTP should provide for
> > construction of pavements for which Rs 2 billion (out of the
> > total cost of 60). The Project Managers and the Bank officials
> > have rejected our proposal but we wish to pursue further at
>    World Bank level.   We are now preparing a community
>    alternative to the MUTP for public transport, walking, cycling.
>    This should be ready by May-end.  We can email the draft if you
>    have time to comment.   Save Bombay Committee is a NGO
>   with all of us working as volunteers.
> >
> > Do you have any studies on reduction of SPM, PM10, noise
> > and can you advise on measures that need to be taken for
> > reducing the pollution.   What is the role of pavement in
> > reducing the pollution and road fatality? How else can one
> > reduce SPM, PM10, road fatality etc?
> >
> > Mumbai incidentally has the highest road fatality rate in the
> > world.  This too has not made the Project Managers to include
> > construction of pavements to provide minimum safety.
> > Parking on pavements and sidewalks is rampant.   Await your
> > advice.  Best wishes.  Priya Salvi and Kisan Mehta
> >   >
> > You are currently subscribed to cai-asia as: kisansbc at vsnl.com
> >
>
>
>
> ---
> You are currently subscribed to cai-asia as: Kurban_Keshvani at golder.com
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to
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>





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