NEW DELHI: Describing the proposed monorail project for Delhi as "not feasible'', Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Managing Director E. Sreedharan said on Friday that the Corporation was not in favour of having such a system as it would not be able to take the large amount of traffic expected during the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Talking to the media at a seminar on Mass Rapid Transit System organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Mr. Sreedharan said while the Delhi Government had proposed a 60-km monorail system in view of the major sporting event to act as a feeder for Delhi Metro, the proposal was not feasible in view of the ground realities. He said DMRC had voiced its concerns and presented its views to the Government.

Stating that "cities in India are growing at a fast pace and about 30 per cent of the Indian population now lives in urban centres'', he said since this percentage was expected to increase to 60 per cent over the next 20 years the pressure on the cities would increase in terms of transportation and mobility. "Given its advantages, MRTS will be the most attractive solution to this need,'' Mr Sreedharan asserted.

On the progress of the Metro project in Delhi, he said under Phase II of the Delhi Metro a 20-km line connecting New Delhi railway station with Delhi airport would be constructed to reduce the travel time to a mere 15 minutes. Also, he said, "check-in facilities are being planned at Connaught Place itself for the convenience of the passengers''.

While the Metro link to the airport was planned last year following a request from the Civil Aviation Ministry, Mr. Sreedharan said DMRC then proposed a high-speed corridor under which a bullet train service was suggested with special luggage coaches for reducing the travel time.

Moreover, Mr. Sreedharan assured that this line would also be constructed before the Commonwealth Games. "The proposal has been made by the DMRC and it is now up to the Civil Aviation Ministry to take it up,'' he said.

About the expansion of Metro to Gurgaon, Mr. Sreedharan said approval for the line was awaited from the Group of Ministers. But, he said, all efforts would be made to include this line -- which goes up to Sushant Lok -- in Phase II of the project also and to complete it before the 2010 Games as well.

The Metro chief said 26 cities in the country are at various stages of planning and implementation of the Metro System. Of these, seven major cities are already implementing the system at an approximate cost of over Rs.31,000 crores.

The major works under way at present include the 63-km-long Mumbai Metro project which would cost Rs.10,600 crores; Bangalore's two lines covering 32 km which would cost Rs. 3,970 crores; and three lines of Hyderabad Metro which would traverse 60 km at a cost of Rs.5,500 crores. Then, in Ahmedabad, the metro will cover 40 km at a cost of Rs. 2,600 crores; a 18.7 km line with a part of it running under the Hooghly river has been proposed for Kolkatta at a cost of Rs. 3,460 crores, and the Chennai Metro project is expected to cost Rs.5,100 crores.

In view of the massive expansion of the Metro system, Mr Sreedharan said: "Efforts are on to indigenise most components of the Metro Rail System. This gives a great opportunity to the Indian manufacturers to participate in the implementation of the metro rail systems in India.''

Mr. Sreedharan also clarified that Municipal Corporation of Delhi's objection to DMRC developing land for commercial usage was misplaced as there was a specific clause in the Cabinet note which allows DMRC to develop land allotted to it for raising money

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