Gehlot flags off trial run of Metro train

After signing an MoU with Rajasthan government on August 5, 2010, the Metro Man and ex-DMRC chief, E Sreedharan, had lauded chief minister Ashok Gehlot for being quick in deciding to run the Metro in the Pink City. At the same time, he had raised a concern that the government had forgotten the real issue of raising money either by selling land or raising taxes to fund the project.

Three years later, the Metro finally hit the tracks. The CM flagged off the Metro at Mansarovar station for trial run at 10.22 am on Wednesday.

The train covered almost 3.5-km-route (up to the outer part of Shyam Nagar via Vivek Vihar and Atish Market) at 40 to 45-km-per-hour speed and then returned.
The trial is likely to continue for three months. In a couple of weeks, the trials will be held up to Civil Lines and Jaipur Junction and then till Chandpol.

After getting a ‘safe track’ certificate by the railway commissioner, the train will become commercially operational by January next year.

Meanwhile, the CM advised the opposition to not indulge in politics over the Metro project.

“People’s safety is important for us. We have not been hasty (in trial runs for the Metro). There are some occasions that should be celebrated by everyone,” said the CM, while alluding to BJP’s allegation that the trial run was scheduled on incomplete route to take political mileage ahead of Assembly elections. He also stated that PM Manmohan Singh will lay the foundation stone of underground passage project of Metro from Chandpol to Badi Chaupar on September 21.

Meanwhile, the DMRC officials said it was for the first time that any Metro train was flagged-off for trial within 2.9 months of the start of project.

Guiding light
The strong will of CM Ashok Gehlot and untiring efforts of UDH minister Shanti Dhariwal are being credited for the smooth execution of Metro Project. Role of bureaucrats, particularly the current JMRC CMD Nihal Chand Goel, are also being hailed. The primary hurdle in the project was of land acquisition in Ved Vatika Colony for the construction of Ram Nagar station. Goel, after taking charge of JMRC, shifted dozens of families of Ved Vatika and acquired the land. He also ensured timely supply of Metro coaches from Bangalore.