Title - Metro trial run before September 15: Dhariwal

JAIPUR: The much-awaited and already delayed Metro train project will conduct its trial run before September 15. This was announced by UDH minister Shanti Dhariwal.Officials of the Delhi Metro rail Corporation (DMRC) and the Jaipur Metro Rail Corporation (JMRC) are burning the midnight oil to prepare the track of around 3.4 km stretch between Mansarovar and Vivek Vihar railway station for the trial run. "Chief minister Ashok Gehlot will flag off the train for trial run on any one of the days in the first half September," Dhariwal said.Gehlot has decided to inspect the Metro sites on Sunday before he flags off trial run in September.A day before Gehlot's scheduled inspection, Dhariwal visited Mansarovar, Vivek Vihar, Ram Nagar and Chand Pole Metro stations on Saturday with senior officials of DMRC and JMRC to ensure that the progress of work is satisfactory. "I think that work between the two stations for the trial run is almost completed. The officials are giving final touches and it is expected that they will complete it before the trial run," Dhariwal said.The construction work of the stations also looked almost completed. The escalators were working and lifts were also made functional. Work for electrification of one track out of two has also been completed.At Vivek Vihar station, the workers were busy placing sheets adjacent to each other to form curved-shape roof over the tracks at the station. The stations are almost identical to each other, which have two floors - one for ticketing and other for platform of the station, where trains would arrive and depart.

Three Metro trains with four bogies each have already arrived in the city and the fourth is expected to reach in September. "Earlier, we wanted to borrow some trains from Delhi Metro to run them in Jaipur. But, later we decided to buy our own trains. JMRC is competent to run the trains," Dhariwal said. The state government has spent almost Rs 500 crore to buy 10 Metro trains.

Dhariwal looked positive with the progress of the work and he claimed that by the end of 2013, the Metro train would start running between Mansarovar and Chand Pole stations. Moreover, he pointed out that the work for laying underground track between Chand Pole and Bari Chaupar will soon start as the Centre has approved Rs 630crore for the project. JMRC managing director Nihal Chand Goyal said, "The tender process has been started for the work between Chand Pole and Bari Chaupar. Soon, it will be decided which firm will do the work between Chand Pole and Bari Chaupar."

Goyal said for safety of the trains and passengers, there is a disaster management manual to be prepared and they will seek the safety certificate from the commissioner of railways safety. He also said whatever suggestion made by the police and the DMRC for safety and security, would be implemented.

JMRC to plant saplings

The JMRC would plant 3,000 saplings as compensation for the trees chopped off for the Metro train project. JMRC managing director Nihal Chand Goyal said, "We are developing Metro van (forest) near Ghat Ki Guni, where we will plant the saplings with the help of the forest department."