Elevated Railways In Mumbai

In a city like Mumbai, ease of commutation tops the wish-list of almost everybody.  ‘Traffic Jam’ – is one of those words that is dreaded by all. To solve this woe of the Mumbaikars, Gurudas Kamat in 2009 made a plea to have an Elevated Railway System for Mumbai. To ensure expansion of the Railway Network, he wanted this elevated system for both the Western and the Central Railway. Kamat ji was sure that this step will ease the problems of the commuters.

Elevated railway system is of immense importance especially if one considers a metropolitan city such as Mumbai. It is a concept which has been successfully implemented in countries like Netherlands. In a land deficit city like Mumbai, the concept could prove to be really beneficiary if implemented. Some of you might would confuse the elevated railway system with the metro or the elevated monorail that has been recently introduced in Mumbai however, it is entirely different from both. An elevated railway is a rapid transit railway with the tracks above street level on a viaduct or other steel, concrete or brick structure. It is somewhat like the metro, only much bigger and better.

Initially, the elevated railway was implemented only for the Western line but it was Kamat ji’s foresightedness that led to the approval of the east and the central line too. His consistent follow-up has yielded results and an approximate Rs 21000 Crore Elevated Railway for Mumbai on the Western Railway from Virar to Churchgate and an Elevated Railway from Panvel to CST has also been cleared by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Railway Minister and Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Prithviraj Chavan.

The Chief Minister too has acknowledged Kamat ji’s contribution to getting the Elevated Railway Project for Mumbai time and again. Kamat ji has ensured commencement of a number of long distance trains to meet the demands of Mumbaikars, travelling to the farthest corners in the South, North and Eastern parts of the state.

This is why Kamat ji is a highly respected MP. Once he decides on a project that will help the people, he never gives up. Kamat ji pursues the cause till the very end and makes sure that the project is fully implemented. 

Gurudas Kamat’s MPLAD Report Card

A Member of Parliament is directly responsible for the growth and development of the residents of any constituency. He/she is answerable to the people and by serving them, the MP restores the peoples’ faith in the system. This is the very favour of the democratic framework of our country. And this is exactly what Gurudas Kamat ji does.

In the earlier blogs, I did talk about the Jan Samparks Kamat ji holds (http://bit.ly/1hxiBPB ) to interact with the people. If we talk about growth and development, the most important thing here is – funds.  A MP can utilise MPLAD (Member of Parliament Local Area Development Fund) for the same. Kamat ji had recommended development works through the MPLAD totaling about Rs 2085.46 Lakhs which were available in the last 5 years in different parts of the Constituency as per the suggestions received from the citizens residing in the constituency to the Collector Mumbai Suburban District. No balance remains as the fund was fully utilized. He also persuaded other Rajya Sabha MPs including Avinash Pandey (Rs. 111.25 Lakhs) Rajiv Shukla (Rs 57.5 Lakhs) and Shri Balachandra Mungekar (Rs 32.5 Lakhs) to accept the recommendations for the benefit of the residents of the area.

The letter from the District Collector's Office Mumbai Suburban District clearly states that they have given Administrative Sanction to 100% of Kamat ji’s MPLAD works hence utilizing all funds allocated to him for his term from 2009-2013.

Sahar Elevated Road and Underpass Project

In the last blog ( http://bit.ly/NxjZof ) I talked about the Sahar elevated road project but I had got the inauguration date wrong. Firstly, I apologise for the confusion that was created. Secondly, the date of inauguration of the project is 12^th February, 2014. Although I talked about the project in the last blog, I will like to expand a little more on it in this one.

The Sahar Elevated Access Road is a dedicated, elevated, express access road in the financial capital of India, Mumbai. It connects the Western Express Highway (WEH) near Hanuman Nagar junction in Vile Parle to the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport Terminal T2.

The elevated road facilitates easier and quicker access to the commuters proceeding to and from the airport. The 3.3 km long access road has 4 entry and 2 exit points. The road also includes an underpass for vehicles travelling on the WEH and a pedestrian subway as well as an underpass, a tunnel, and ramps connecting the highway to the terminal which bypasses the congested roadways below.

Developed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) under its Mumbai Urban Infrastructure Project (MUIP) it was approved by the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNURM) which is a central Government scheme.

After the brand new World Class Airport Terminal T2, the Monorail and soon to begin Metro services for the city, the Sahar Elevated Road project is indeed another feather in the city’s growth story. AICC General Secretary and MP Shri Gurudas Kamat has expressed happiness and has congratulated MMRDA for another infrastructural achievement towards making Mumbai a world class city.

Mumbai Gets Country's First Monorail

The country's first monorail had a dream debut as around 20,000 Mumbaikars converged on the stations to take a ride. I am sure that the commuters were happy as it took merely 20 minutes from Wadala to Chembur which otherwise takes twice the time to cover the stretch by road during peak hours. 

India’s first monorail has indeed rolled out in style and how! The first of its kind in the country, to enhance clean urban transport, Gurudas Kamat’s persistent efforts resulted in the approval and sanctioning of the mono rail project. So, today as the people in Mumbai are celebrating the arrival of monorail, I would like to thank Kamat ji and his party workers for making this a reality. 

Here are the few things that you need to know about the Mumbai monorail:

·   -  The monorail will run every 15 minutes between 7 am and 3 pm. At its fastest, it will run at 80 kilometres per hour; the average speed is set at 65 kilometres per hour (40 mph).

·   - The monorail will be linked to major local train stations. So the station at Chembur is connected with a skywalk to the monorail station near it.

·   -  All coaches of the monorail trains are air-conditioned; each train can carry 560 passengers.

·    - Tickets are priced between Rs. 5 and Rs. 11.

·   -    There will be no monthly passes like the ones on Mumbai's lifeline, the local trains, but there will be a system of smart cards.

Mr. Gurudas Kamat’s initiative has yielded wonderful results and has eased the commuting process. The next time you visit Mumbai don’t forget to travel in the pink and blue coaches. 

Making Housing Affordable In Mumbai

In a city like Mumbai, owning a house is indeed difficult and it is the dream of every family. To make it a reality, Gurudas Kamat ensured that the flat process of MHADA (Maharashtra Housing & Area Development Authority) is sold at cost plus administrative charges (no profit). Since this model will involve no profit it will benefit thousands of flat applicants and will help them get the housing at affordable rates.

It was a difficult phase as Kamat ji had to voice out against the steps taken by the then CEO and VP of MHADA, Mr. Chandrashekhar. Mr. Chandrashekhar had unilaterally announced a hike in the rates of MHADA flats. This step of his was not in the favour of the common people’s interests. Kamat ji along with the MLA’s protested against the MHADA Act. The three hour meeting ended with Mr. Chandrashekhar being dispensed with one of his responsibilities that very evening and it ended with Mr. Chandrashekhar’s resignation.

He continued his fight for the rights of low and medium income families. His agitation benefitted thousands of families to get bigger accommodation. This revolt ensured the re-development of MHADA Colonies in Aram Nagar and DN Nagar in Versova, Shastri Nagar in Goregaon, Tilak Nagar in Chembur, Pant Nagar in Ghatkopar and Kannamwar nagar in Vikhroli and other MHADA Colonies all over Mumbai.

This is why I admire Gurudas Kamat ji. He understands the pains and woes of the common people and constantly works towards resolving the same.  This total dedication and uncompromising commitment to people's work is what distinguishes Kamat ji’s political style from other politicians. 

Mumbai’s Janta Darbar with Gurudas Kamat

In the last blog ( http://bit.ly/GurudasKamatMP ) I discussed how the dedication and sincerity of Gurudas Kamat ji got the residents of Nagri Nivara, in Goregaon East their conveyance deed and property cards for which they were fighting for 29 years. This connectivity with the people is what differentiates Mr. Kamat from other politicians. For years he has been hosting Janta Darbars where he meets with the residents of different areas, listens to all their woes and tries resolving them too.

Janta Darbars with Gurudas Kamat in Mumbai 

This is no publicity stunt but it is public service meant for the betterment of common public. This style of politics is what helps Kamat ji to understand the needs and wants of the people belonging to his constituency (North West Mumbai). 

With the slogan “Apke Khaasdar Apke Dwar and Apke Khaasdar Apke Dwaar Phir Ek Baar," 

Kamat ji meets his constituents on a regular basis in their respective areas to ensure that no issues go unattended. 

He meets with his constituents and people from all over Mumbai and from different parts of Maharashtra on the weekends (Saturday and Sunday) from 9:30 AM till the last visitor has had the opportunity to meet him. People are informed via SMS and pamphlets in their respective areas. It is true that real heroes work behind the camera and Gurudas Kamat has been consistently executing this for his last 5 terms in office since 1984 and it is indeed exceptional.

His mission of being accessible to all is being fulfilled with these Janta Darbars. Also, his mission of brother-hood, peace and harmony is translated in true senses in these Darbars.