Latest news with #PurpleLine
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Vacate DH Rd bldg in 8 wks for Purple Line work: SC
1 2 Kolkata: Dismissing a special leave petition, the Supreme Court asked tenants of City Properties to vacate the premises on DH Road-Ekbalpore Road crossing within eight weeks to facilitate the Purple Line's ramp construction. TOI had reported on July 3 on the Joka-Esplanade Metro corridor overcoming a major hurdle with a Calcutta High Court division bench dismissing the appeal by tenants of a dilapidated DH Road property, where the Nepal Consulate was to be shifted to allow the Purple Line work. Following the SC order, the building at 1, National Library Avenue will be demolished and the Nepal Consulate next door will be relocated there. RVNL, implementing the 14-km Purple Line, needs the land at the current Nepal Consulate address (7/1 DH Road) for utility cable diversion and widening of the western side of DH Road, so that 60m of the 450-m ramp can be built. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata Justice M M Sundresh and Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh of the SC ordered on July 15 that they did not find any ground to interfere with the HC order, particularly when the original owner had no objection and had accepted the compensation. The court gave the petitioners eight weeks to hand over the property "after giving an undertaking that they would vacate the premises, clear all rent/dues, if any, and shall not create any third-party right therein".
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
BMRCL gets new managing director, 2001-batch IAS officer Ravishankar to replace Maheshwar Rao
The Karnataka government Friday appointed 2001-batch IAS officer Dr J Ravishankar as the new managing director of the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL). He will replace Maheshwar Rao, who was holding the post on an additional charge. Ravishankar currently serves as the secretary in the state Agriculture Department. His appointment to the top post in BMRCL comes ahead of the launch of the long-pending Yellow Line metro network connecting RV Road and Bommasandra. A graduate in Dental Surgery, Ravishankar has previously held several important roles in the state bureaucracy. These include serving as secretary in the Housing Department, excise commissioner of Karnataka, and special commissioner at the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). He has also worked as the commissioner of the Karnataka Housing Board and the deputy commissioner of Raichur district. Other notable postings include key roles in departments such as Urban Development, Municipal Administration, Urban Housing, and Kannada and Culture. Outgoing BMRCL Managing Director Rao came under extensive public criticism for substantially hiking metro fares in February. The maximum ticket price was increased from Rs 60 to Rs 90. Parliamentarians, including Tejasvi Surya and P C Mohan, slammed Rao for not disclosing the fare fixation report that recommended the steep hike in metro fares. Surya and other BJP leaders also held a protest against BMRCL at Lalbagh in Bengaluru last week for failing to disclose the fare fixation report and for delaying the commissioning of the Yellow Line. Following approval from the Centre, Rao was appointed as the full-time MD of BMRCL in January 2024. However, the state government appointed him as BBMP chief commissioner in April 2025. Rao had assured to open the Yellow Line connecting south Bengaluru to Electronic City by August 15, with three trains and a headway of 20 minutes. The Yellow Line, despite 90 per cent civil work completion, faces delays due to rolling stock shortages from Bengal-based Titagarh Rail Systems. Bengaluru's Namma Metro network currently spans 77 kilometres with 66 stations across two operational lines: the Purple Line (43.49 km, Whitefield to Challaghatta) and the Green Line (33.5 km, Nagasandra to Silk Institute). Phase 2 includes the Yellow Line (19.15 km, RV Road to Bommasandra), Pink Line (21.26 km, Kalena Agrahara to Nagawara), and Blue Line (58.19 km, Central Silk Board to Kempegowda International Airport via KR Puram). Phase 3, approved in August 2024, includes two elevated corridors totalling 44.65 km: Corridor-1 (32.15 km, JP Nagar 4th Phase to Kempapura) and Corridor-2 (12.50 km, Hosahalli to Kadabagere). The construction for Phase 3 has begun, with geotechnical surveys at Magadi Road and land acquisition for 777 properties underway. This phase, expected to be operational by 2029, will extend the network to 220.2 km with 31 new stations, enhancing connectivity to IT corridors and suburbs. Meanwhile, the Karnataka Cabinet approved Phase 3A (Sarjapur to Hebbal, Red Line) in December 2024. The Union Urban Development Department granted initial approval on October 16, 2024, and the project now awaits the final approval of the Union Cabinet.
Axios
6 days ago
- Axios
How the Purple Line changed east side transit in Indianapolis
In less than a year of operating, the Purple Line has transformed public transportation on Indianapolis' far east side. Why it matters: The $188 million bus line that started rolling last October has already overtaken IndyGo's Red Line as the most popular route, boasting monthly ridership figures that eclipse 100,000. Driving the news: I spent my Tuesday afternoon riding the 15.2-mile route from end to end, catching it at Ivy Tech in Lawrence, taking it downtown to the Julia M. Carson Transit Center and back again to get a feel for what it's like ahead of WNBA All-Star Weekend, when anyone can ride the line for free. The big picture: What I discovered during the more than three-hour adventure was how many marquee Indy attractions sit on the line and the general sense of positivity around it from regular riders. For example, I hopped off to snap a photo of the dinos at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis and had quick access to the Indiana State Fairgrounds without worrying about where I'd park my car. Yes, but: The trip also illustrated how quickly quality of life rises and falls along the 38th Street corridor — one stop after the children's museum, two homeless men were lying unconscious in the hot sun on the front steps of a building. State of play: According to IndyGo, the Purple Line is within walking distance of more than 134,000 jobs and 58,000 people, more than 30% of whom are identified as low income. Flashback: When I first moved to Indianapolis from Lafayette 12 years ago, IndyGo was a lifesaver. Just days after settling into my place on the far northwest side, my not-so-trusty 2000 Camaro decided to park itself indefinitely, and I needed to get downtown every day for work. Catching a bus in the parking lot of the St. Vincent Women's Hospital near West 86th Street and Township Line Road was the most cost-effective option. The latest: The process has gotten a lot sleeker and safer since then. How it works: Everything I needed to start my trip was available at the Fort Harrison Station. A map makes the locations of all 31 Purple Line stops easy to identify. I used my debit card at the MyKey kiosk to grab a one-day, full fare pass for $4. I also had the option to use the app or pay with cash. By comparison, an Uber from Fort Ben to downtown would have cost me about $27 one-way. Zoom in: As my ride started at 12:48pm, I had the bus pretty much to myself. That changed at 1:06pm when people piled on at Post Road, the first of 16 stops along 38th Street. Laughing children playing outside the Far East Side Neighborhood Center and the public art installed outside the new-ish Eskenazi Health Center at 38th and Arlington caught my attention. Energy on the bus grew tense when a homeless woman wearing a white bed sheet wrapped around her like a gown and carrying all her belongings in four large trash bags boarded at 38th and Keystone. Some riders hurled insults and profanity her way. But the driver treated her with kindness and respect, only asking her to move her bags from in front of the doors and warning that the shopping cart she pushed at the station platform couldn't board with her. She exited just a few stops later at 38th and Meridian, shouting "I appreciate your hospitality" multiple times in the direction of the bus driver as she frantically collected her bags. We arrived downtown at 1:58pm, three minutes behind Google Maps' prediction of the trip length and about 10 minutes behind IndyGo's predicted arrival time, which was longer than usual because of ongoing construction detours near Fort Ben. After a few laps around downtown to see how All-Star prep was progressing, I hopped a bus back to Lawrence at 2:47pm just as Tuesday's rain began coming down the hardest. Zoom out: The rain stopped long enough for me to get out at 38th and Keystone to make a short walk to Taco & Burrito Place, a hidden gem on North Keystone that makes incredible (you guessed it) tacos and burritos. I reboarded with Indy resident Roland Hayes who walked about a mile to the bus after donating at CSL Plasma. What he's saying: " All I know is we didn't have nothing before. Now we got this," Hayes, who says he hasn't owned a car in about five years due to financial circumstances, said. "It's safe. It's clean. It's on time. People can get to work and get to the doctor." "I'm thankful for that … Just don't take it away. They always taking sh*t away from the east side." What's next: A potential 57% fare increase for all IndyGo routes, which low-income and disabled riders are protesting. The proposed hike includes an increase from $1.75 to $2.75 for fixed route service effective Jan. 1, pending approval from IndyGo's Board of Directors next month. Under the new policy, the cost of the day pass I used for my trip would go from $4 to $6.
The Hindu
13-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
BMRCL to upgrade depots to support expanding Metro network in Bengaluru
In preparation for Bengaluru's expanding Namma Metro network, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) is upgrading its existing train depots to accommodate additional rakes, especially for the Purple and Green Lines, which are set to receive 21 new trains in the coming months. Currently, the Metro train operations are supported by depots located at Peenya (for the Green Line), Kadugodi-Whitefield (for the Purple Line), and Baiyappanahalli. A new depot has also been constructed at Hebbagodi to serve the upcoming Yellow Line between R.V. Road and Bommasandra. Series of enhancements According to BMRCL officials, the Peenya depot is undergoing a series of upgrades to support the additional train sets. These enhancements include the construction of extra platforms, a jack pit for three-car coaches, and other essential infrastructure. 'The total cost for these works is estimated at ₹1.94 crore. These improvements are vital for the efficient stabling and maintenance of trains, thereby ensuring smooth operations across the metro network,' an official said. Baiyappanahalli depot redesigned Meanwhile, major redevelopment work has already been completed at the Baiyappanahalli depot, at a cost of ₹249.19 crore. This upgraded facility will be the first in the BMRCL system to feature a two-level structure. The redesigned depot is strategically positioned to support 16 trains operating on the Outer Ring Road stretch (Phase 2A) and 21 trains on the Airport Line (Phase 2B), which run in opposite directions. Baiyappanahalli sits in the middle of both corridors and is expected to play a key role in managing operations until the new Shettigere depot near the airport becomes operational. 'Presently, the Baiyappanahalli depot services the 43.49-kilometre-long Purple Line connecting Challaghatta to Whitefield. However, once the remodeling is complete, the responsibility for Purple Line maintenance will be divided between the Kadugodi and Challaghatta depots, as the upgraded Baiyappanahalli depot begins handling Airport Line operations,' the official added. Five new depots In addition to these developments, five new depots are under construction to support the expanding metro network. These include Shettigere (Airport Line), Kothanur (Pink Line from Nagawara to Kalena Agrahara), Anjanapura (Green Line extension), Challaghatta (Purple Line extension), and Hebbagodi (Yellow Line).
Washington Post
09-07-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
Maryland transportation chief leaving post, citing upcoming 70th birthday
Maryland Secretary of Transportation Paul J. Wiedefeld is leaving the administration of Gov. Wes Moore (D) at the end of the month after two and a half years, saying his approaching 70th birthday is the right time to step down as an agency head. He is one of several Cabinet members to leave the Moore administration in recent weeks; the governor recently told state workers to prepare for a hiring freeze and possible buyouts. He will be replaced at least temporarily by Samantha Biddle, his deputy, who started her state government career as a planner for the State Highway Administration. Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller said in a statement that there would be a 'nationwide search' for 'a leader ready to meet the urgent needs of our transportation systems.' Wiedefeld led the department through the catastrophic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore last spring, new costs and delays in building the Purple Line through the D.C. suburbs, a crisis in Metro funding and deep state budget cuts. Last month his office released an ambitious plan for expansion of MARC service. We have a team in place that's going to keep pushing,' he said. 'These are things that take time, but they pay dividends over time.' 'He was a steady hand for several years during difficult times,' said Del. Marc Korman (D-Montgomery). Del. Deni Taveras (D-Prince George's) used the same word, steady, to say why she was disappointed Wiedefeld was leaving before the Purple Line's long-awaited opening. 'I would like to have someone steady at the wheel through the very end,' she said. 'He's been phenomenal.' Along with that project, Wiedefeld leaves with no funding for a promised light-rail project in Baltimore, the American Legion Bridge in need of repair and Virginia looking to expand toll roads up to the state border with no commitment to continue them on the Maryland side. But he rejected the idea, becoming popular among some Democrats, that excessive red tape has made building infrastructure too difficult. 'It's something that we can all improve and it's at every level,' he said. 'But we have to remember that a lot of those process things that do irritate people because they can cost time, they were put in place to protect people. … whether it's a community impact issue, noise issues, environmental issues. At the end of the day we have to do something that the community can support; we're not going to just push through with something. Those days are gone.' Wiedefeld spent four decades in transportation, helming both the Maryland Aviation Administration and the Maryland Transit Administration. He was general manager of the Metro system for six tumultuous years; not long after he started he shut the system down over a fire and he left after pulling dozens of operators from service because of training lapses. Throughout, he struggled to change what an audit described as a 'toxic' and 'chaotic' environment inside the agency. At MDOT, however, Wiedefeld said he was confident he was leaving the system in good shape. 'A lot of our effort has been in rebuilding the culture in the department,' he said. His leadership team is strong enough, he said, that 'in effect, anybody could be secretary.' He said he would likely do some academic or nonprofit work in the future, 'but nothing on this scale.' 'I would spend much more time with my family, I would travel, live a little bit more of a normal life,' Wiedefeld said. 'This life is very demanding.'
