[sustran] 'Mumbai Rail Corp. will soon become a reality'

[SAVE BOMBAY COMMITEE]

Dear sustran  friends,

It was good to receive Times of India 15.02.2000 news report that Mumbai
Rail
Vikas Corp. (MRVC) would become a reality according to Union Petroleum
Minister Mr. Ram Naik.

It would be worthwhile to note that setting up of a joint venture
between the
Union and state governments  was made a pre-conditionality by the World
Bank for extending assistance to Mumbai Urban Transport ProjectII in
1995-96.  As the MRVC was formally not set up,  the Bank withdrew from
the
MRTPII estimated to cost of Rs. 65 billion set up. The MRVC was set up
in
1999 but nothing has been done to make it operational.  Now the MUTPII
cannot come up as the Bank has with drawn its offer to assist up to Rs.
45-50
billion.

The MUTPII was planned to cater to Mumbai's public road and railway
trasport needsi till 2011.  The state government has embarked on
construction
of flyovers, elevated roads and sealinks costing Rs. 30 billion to help
the
motorists while municipalised BEST bus service cannot use flyovers etc.
Motor vehicles have  increased tremendously,  Motor cars do not pay any
fee to cover the cost of flyovers so the burden would fall on citizens
not
owning vehicles.

What can be the role of MRVC now?  The Govt of India as owners of Indian

Railways were providing and extending suburban railway service through
financial budget so commuters were required to pay the maintenance cost
only.  Mumbai suburban railways provided 5 million journeys a day  which

accounted to 40% of  total journeys provided by the Railways throughout
India. Now development of services will be handed over to the MRVC which

will recover total costs form the citizens,  So again the common man
will have
to carry the burden. No costs will go  motorists.
Is MRVC useful to the common man?


Kisan  Mehta