One of the major players in India that everyone looks onto for being affordable, accessible, hygienic and sustainable is Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).
With a sizeable mesh of over 348.12 km over Delhi NCR, it helps connect one corner to the other while allowing us to commute in time, embedded with eco-friendly and less polluting ways as possible.
Sustainable works of Delhi Metro:
Based on the information updated on their site, the metro trains get electricity to run, without the consumption of any other non-renewable fuel. Besides, they claim to plant ten new trees for each tree being cut for the construction work.
Sustainability reports get released for the DMRC every year though remains suspended recently.
It was not that long when its efforts relevant to the protection of global environment and sustainable Transport, were lauded at COP21 Paris by the United Nations.
In its presentation: “The lead taken by DMRC in spearheading a metro revolution in India has resulted in metro systems being planned and executed in major Indian cities positively effecting the mitigation of the Green House Gases too”.
It had been effectively reducing the annual CO2 emissions through ascertaining the climate change benefits and earning credits for the same from its ongoing projects on Regenerative Braking or Energy Efficiency.
DMRC also bagged the Asia Pacific Region Network Award that was given by the World Green Building Council for being a symbol of “Industry Leadership in Sustainability”.
As per their statistics, DMRC through its gamut of operations has helped remove nearly 7.7 million tCO2(eq) by 2015 and expects to pump up the removal to 45.78 million tonnes of Carbon-di-oxide by 2031.
Delhi Metro and rain water Harvesting model:
Displayed on its web page, DMRC has undertaken 464 Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) installation with total recharge capacity of 8607 cubic meters.
Bio-digesters have been installed at four selective Metro stations which helps in managing waste disposal and treatment of nearly 50 KL water that is used in metro operations per day.
Even the seepage water is being recycled and used for fulfilling station requirements.
DMRC Water Policy 2013 promotes minimization of wastages through half-yearly water audits at selected metro stations.
What now?
As per an audit report published by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has failed to comply with the environmental regards.
Based on the Constitution of India, CAG holds the supreme responsibility for auditing and scrolling through the account books of public as well as private firms, Institutional authorities, even the reports of Parliament etc.
The audit report states DMRC as being unable to obtain environmental clearance, specifically for the lack of conducting a comprehensive water audit, maintaining the quantities of water extracted, used and discarded.
The unregulated water loss and no water audits:
The audit report explains: “DMRC uses water for construction work and operation and maintenance purposes, but it did not conduct any water audits at stations, depots and construction sites from 2011 to March 31, 2020.”
“It neither assessed the extent of water losses and efficiency of the system nor performed any cost-benefit analysis for optimum recovery of water. It also did not formulate a Water Management Plan”.
It also explained how the contractors were not regulated or questioned upon the extraction and use of water.
Tree cover Loss:
The report has also highlighted abruptions in compensatory afforestation being undertaken in the implementation of its Phase-III project, which aims to build the Delhi Mass Rapid Transit System.
But it has been observed that the environment clearance after submitting an EIA, was never obtained for this phase.
The forest department were to plant 1,74,550 trees for the compensation of 17,455 trees which were cut by the DMRC from 2011 to 2019.
But in neglect, no site visit or inspection was undertaken by DMRC officials and consequently, no proper records were found by the Forest Department, which was to be monitored by DMRC.
Noise Pollution:
In another blow, the report also highlighted and criticized the higher than acceptable noise levels at various locations on Line-7 which lies between Majlis Park and Shiv Vihar covering the Ring road stretch.
The total stretch spans across 58.596 km in length because of the wheel profiling of rolling stock which was carried out after running some kilometers.
It seems DMRC will have to make Herculean efforts again to impress the world and country on sustainability.
These vulnerabilities can be timely addressed with greater sincerity and fill the loopholes it has been tagged with. This can truly serve as an opportunity to be corrigible for a better future.