Thursday, February 7, 2008

meglev mumbai?


Maglev is a bad idea
Any one who has done the airport to downtown hop on the Mumbai locals knows that Mumbai needs massive transport solutions. However the proposal to set up a magnetic levitation train at the reported initial cost of 30,000 crore is a white elephant in the making. Maglev is a prestige statute not a utility project that can take the load of the harried commuters of the great metropolis. And it is not coming any time soon. From the feasibility to the first ride downtown is a good 15 years away. As for the cost it is estimated that the Shanghai train cost 320 coroe a kilometer. The real problem with a Meglev is that it is not compatible with existing infrastructure. You have to create a total new set of tracks for this train to run along with fencing and other perihenrialiia - and in Mumbai this could well be a costly logistical nightmare.
The Maglev technology involves magnetic lavation transportation that can do 600 kilometers per hour. That is like traveling the 25 kilometers from the airport to church gate in five minutes flat. The technology uses the magnates beneath railcar to lift up and forwards the vehicle and very fast speed over short distances. However the reason why this incredible and admirable technological wonder has not found too many converts in the cost. The upfront cost tool the 80 kilometer metro line in Shanghai is a staggering $12 billion the maintenance costs per year i estimated to be upward of 80 million of dollars. A ticket on this costly wonder is 600 rupees a ride one way. While this may look expensive a taxi in mumbai already costs 275 rupees and takes one and a half hour to reach where as for 600 rupees you will be alighting at the church gate station in five minutes.It can be argued that a combination of Bangkok style monorail and Delhi style metro can take the load of f mumbai at a much cheaper ate. What is more the tried and tested combination of metro and monorail are far more readily mountable. It is important when considering a project do this size e the maximum number of people that will benefit. The economics of scale on pricing issue therefore factor mass transit systems and rule the magnetic lavation option put Indian in infrastructure will do well to stick to

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