ODA of Japan with their soft loans causing unintended harm to India and technology development!

I am aggrieved that Japan with soft loan support some times can be doing un-intended damage to my country in particular and to technology in general.

The loan assistance to India in particular for urban transport sector, helping the financially unviable metro rail is doing double damage: the administrators of my country are using this soft option to deny implementation of my innovation Skybus Standard gauge metro rail, which is financially viable and will not need the government assistance at all nor any dislocation of built up habitat in a city. ( For more details please visit ( http://skybus.metro.googlepages.com/ http://www.atrilab.com/ www.youtube.com/atrilab )

I have donated all my patent rights to Government of India too!

Urban transport can be redefined and cause paradigm shift by converting the unremunerative urban transport project into remunerative one using this technology of mine. ODA is unintentionally hurting this implementation. The same funds could as well be given to the more urgent sanitation and water supply projects in about 200 cities- this will help our social upliftment and health care costs will reduce if we make our cities more hygienic.

So the sector where ODA can have much superior impact on peoples lives is being denied funds whenever you give funds for urban transport- where today we have the viable solution.

Secondly ODA is ending up doing the greatest disservice by propping up the financial black holes, as well as relatively unsafe metro rail as compared to the new Skybus standard gauge metro rail I constructed and demonstrated already. Unwittingly ODA is falling prey to the lobby adopting corrupt practices within the country which is suppressing our technology innovation which benefits humanity, using ODA money to back up!!

Like World Bank, ODA also should refuse any more assistance to urban transport - if you want to really help then use your influence to promote actively one project of Skybus- I promise you 15% return on the investment!!!! After that you do not have to support any more urban transport projects-- those funds can be used much better to provide urgently needed sanitation and drinking water projects in our cities! -- B. Rajaram M.Tech., FIE.,FNAEInventor Anti-collision/ Skybus TechnologiesIndian Railway Service of Engineers (1970-2005)CE(Goa),Dir(Projects)&MD Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd.,(1990-2005)My Hand Phone:+91 9346 555550 Land Line: +91 40 27400365 INDIAIn USA 1 703 835 9025 (roaming)URL: http://www.atrilab.com/Einstein said, "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." DIRECTOR Atri Knowledge Embedded Infrastructure Lab.(P) Ltd., United House, Public Garden Rd.,Hyderabad 500001 http://rajaram.bojji.googlepages.com/bojjirajaram

Dear Hon’ble Chief Minister,

Sub: Gift of superior Skybus standard gauge metro rail – no viability gap funding from the state needed. Free Metro Rail by 2009- act now! Decision delayed is glory denied!

I find it amusing that you have been advised and led into starting long winding processes of taking up the unenviable task of filling up the bottomless pit, a financial black-hole, the metro rail line similar to Delhi one.

Even the World Bank, whom all over the planet the Governments seek, to sponsor un-remunerative projects, declares on website- they will not support such metro lines!

The transport experts, including those from railway expertise, on whom you are depending, are such that they enjoy mere expenditure, more of it the merrier - not known for producing returns!!! So long as government has easy funds, there is no problem. But health care, drinking water and drainage, roads are more urgent needs which will need government support and if you can get a solution saving Government funds for transport solutions- you should be happy.

It is truly amazing to expect a private party to stick its neck out, for the sake of viability gap fund from the Government. Experience of M/S UB Group, who are not small business people, in Bangalore, who suffered over 10 years, wasted money but finally got out cutting losses, should open eyes of the wise.

Why should you not take my offer: will deliver the standard gauge metro rail in the form of Skybus- a technically superior system with my design and value engineering- which makes the cost per kilometer drop to Rs 60 cr per km - will not need acquisition of built up precious urban land nor breaking hearts of business men along the route- safer system, with TUV Germany certification, included in the National Policy statement too,?

Just ask your experts to make a tabulation of the specifications of Skybus standard gauge metro rail posted at http://www.atrilab.com/ , and make a comparative statement, without adding their own prejudiced comments- track, structure, train control are all exactly the same!

For once think for yourself- not like many of our Government Babus, who are safer not taking a decision!

It is a pure business proposition- win-win strategy.

The pessimistic engineers, who have scant respect for Indian engineers and who delivered nothing in lifetime of their own, but become famous fast procuring and contract management experts with no respect for financing and viability, are good for Government funded open ended budget projects- where losses are palmed off back to the nation! If you have unlimited funds, that is the right kind of person for you, to spend and spend merrily, even after the project is over.

I give you an offer- my Laboratory can deliver the Skybus Standard gauge metro rail at 100 kmph, air-conditioned and with superior performance than what you are constructing/planning, both in capacity and safety, with the same standard safety certification applicable to metro rail systems- at Rs 60 cr per km in two years-

That is the precious Indian intellect which fills the viability gap of technologies in the world!

In March 2009 the Hon’ble CM with his colleagues can find themselves actually traveling in the World's leading Skybus technology- our own country’s contribution!

The technology risk, others tell you, does not exist because even the simple experimental set up I had constructed within 90 days in the Konkan Railway, which had a freak accident during an experiment before certification process, but has been running over the last two years after my own certification since Dec 2004.

In fact with only Rs 60 cr, my laboratory will complete one kilometer as model kilometer of the 10 km route you have chosen, and get the entire system certified- before the BOT operator spends more! The contracts with suppliers of equipment will be structured suitably as I did earlier.

Worst case scenario: If Dr Abdul Kalam, Dr Anil Kakodkar, Mr Rajaram Bojji all are proven wrong and TUV assessment also is incorrect, but only the arm chair spin doctors like the retired railway engineers and consultants prove right, and safety certificate tests fail for Skybus, then the State can still get the 3-lane fly over, the Sky-top, for diverting all autos taxis, cars, and two wheelers which constitute 90% of road traffic on the 10 km route section- the BOT operator then would have spent only Rs 30 cr per km but collect toll of say Rs 3 per unit of two-wheels, and will again handsomely recover his capital while the State also wins because they get the road totally decongested! This is the worst case scenario. But I am sure of delivering the Skybus- which makes the metro rail a reality and financially remunerative too in which case BOT operator will get all the 90,000 sq.m of Skytop for commercial use- an icing on the cake while the State gets world class metro technology, a comment by none other than Dr CK Prahlad on a visit to my first prototype.

Approaching Konkan Railway to whom I assigned my private research work patents, including Skybus, worth Rs 10,000 cr, will not help you. Because it was a private and personal work of mine; so technology vacuum has occurred after I left the place. Konkan Railway is my love and of course will involve them to the extent of any deliverable guaranteed technology (which they could not get because I had to leave) covered by patents which I assigned to them.

Hope you will have the wisdom to take this offer instead of getting stuck in a financial quagmarine that you are attempting to get in.

Observing the rules of governance, the state can call for open tenders with certain pre-qualification norms stressing on BOT experience, and choose two or three parties for delivering standard gauge metro Skybus type metro rail, offering the least land, but giving only the right of way and promising no viability gap funding- to deliver within two years safety certified metro rail for 10km route, time counted from the date concession agreement is signed. My laboratory will be the nominated technology deliverer assuring the safety certification of TUV Germany and will be paid by the BOT operator for delivery of technology. For the right of way a State agency can hold a nominal equity share of 5% of the SPV, formed by the BOT partner, while signing the concession agreement. As the inventor of the technology, I believe my laboratory is best equipped to deliver the promise. Till the process of selection of the BOT operator is complete and signing of the concession agreement, my Laboratory can be retained by the State, on payment of retainer fees, and once the SPV is formed, the project SPV will pay for the services of technology delivery, to my Laboratory. You can start with issue of letter of intent to my Laboratory to proceed.

If you are serious, please let your Chief Secretary find time to meet me in Hyderabad, before 15th April, or in Washington DC if it is later than 24th April 2007. I want to be sure that you are serious- which I want to ascertain this way- not a case of arrogance on my part. I have limited time and time is too precious for me- far more than money; so am trying to conserve the same only for serious achievers.

Please do not give instructions to your senior bureaucrats to call me for a meeting at your place.

You will be the gainer as much as your City, more than me!

It is your choice to imitate and get into a sure mess or lead the world boldly with glory to show case your achievement before next assessment of your work by people!

That too without spending public funds!

Yours sincerely,

B. Rajaram M. Tech., FIE., FNAE
Indian Railway Service of Engineers (1970-2005)
CE(Goa), Dir(Project) & MD Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd.,( 1990-2005)
Inventor & Mentor Anti-collision/Skybus Technologies
Director / Atri K E I Lab.(P) Ltd.,5-9-101/3, Public Garden Rd.,Hyderabad 500001 India
Fax: + 91 40 23234964 Ph: +91 40 64545659 USA: +1 703 586 9025FAX (USA) +1(425) 952-1732
http://www.atrilab.com/ Videos www.youtube.com/atrilab

Letter sent at Year 2002 pricelevels. To Planning Commission and PMO.

Dear Sir,

Sub: Sky Bus Metro : A holistic, eco-friendly & futuristic indigenous but world class technology for urban transport

Sky Bus Technology is our indigenous innovative rail-based Urban Rapid Mass Transport solution, safer & better than underground or elevated rail metro, NOT requiring any subsidy from Government to:
1. provide every minute 100 kmph speed mass transport to city commuters in air-condition comfort at less than 50 ps/km while requiring virtually no urban land
2. save annually Rs 10000 cr recurring, in fuel imports
3. prevent urban pollution; stopping current emission of 1750 tonnes of CO per day
4. requires investment of Rs 25000 cr over 5 years to construct 560 km double line, with additional Rs 5000 cr for augmenting power supply
5. this entire investment is recovered in three years of saving in fuel bill!
6. India’s cities become noise-free and pollution free
7. For next 100 years the urban transport needs are taken care of
Action required:
1. Sanction in principle the Rs 25000 cr investment proposal on the basis of sale of ROW along city routes, on exclusive basis to Konkan Railway to install and operate the Sky Bus for the various financiers, who fund based on the transfer of rights of way over the city routes.
2. To enable Konkan Railway to raise the funds against the ROW., GOI to immediately make available Rs 50 cr this year to implement the Technology demonstration project of Sky Bus Metro.
3. Konkan Railway will demonstrate the performance of their technology within 12 months, commissioning the 1 km route for service!

Since the project is remunerative, once the technology is demonstrated, private participation is assured.

Under existing legal system it falls under the tram- way act, operating within municipal limits and therefore, outside the purview of Indian Railway Act.

Implemetation of the Sky Bus system in a time bound manner will eliminate foreign exchange out-go of nearly Rs 10000 cr annually recurring, as well as elevate our cities to standards better than Singapore or Malaysia. This will add to value of our currency as the purchasing power of rupee improves because the cost of travel actually comes down with Sky Bus metro and quality of service is of world class.

To present our Sky Bus technology , may I request for your help the undersigned to make a presentation to the Hon’ble PM, in your presence, which I believe, could lead to expedite decision to implement the Sky Bus, in the cause of our Nation.

With regards,

Yours sincerely,


B. Rajaram






Need for Urban Transport solution- what Sky Bus Metro can offer:

The Sky Bus Metro Project is a technology break-through providing a total solution to the Urban Transport problem.

At capital cost of Rs 45 cr per km the scope for implementation of the project is now estimated.- ( for 15000 to 30000 pphpd scalable to 90000 pphpd)

In each city having at least 20 lac population urban transport problems arise soon- because the space within city is limited and addition of road vehicles bring down the through puts, reduces average speed , increases pollution.

Underground metro has a larger number of safety concerns than surface rail; in addition to being prone to derailments and capsizing, also suffers from hazardous evacuation problems in case of fire or derailment. The solution is too expensive, four times that of Sky Bus, and takes too much of time to implement.

Elevated light rail systems are noisy and also only as safe as a railway, prone to derailments and capsizing , and not flexible to adopt to existing road alignments and finally, also almost costs twice that of Sky- Bus.

As a thumb-rule if 3 lac commuters are available daily to make two journeys a day, a 10 km route of Sky- Bus route gets financially viable- without subsidy from Govt.

Metro cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune do need to adopt this solution if future growth of city economically is to be ensured while improving quality of life- over next century.

The probable route lengths are:
Mumbai …….120 km
Delhi….………120 km
Kolkata………...60 km
Chennai………...80 km
Bangalore………80 km
Hyderabad……..50 km
Pune……………50 km

This adds up to 560 km with an investment of Rs 25,200 cr.

The systm will replace existing systems based on city buses, autos, taxis and even a large number of two wheelers within city area.

However the additional power requirement of 100 to 150 MW per city has to be augmented- preferably by location-independent nuclear power to protect against inflation in energy charges. Rs 5000 cr will have to come from NPC for erecting and operating these plants.


Environmental Benefits:

Vehicles in metro areas contribute 70% of CO , 50% of HC, 30 to 40% of Nox ,30% of SPM, and 10% of SO 2 of total pollution in the cities. ( Ministry Of Environment and Forests 1995).

Typicaly for Kolkata city , the quantum of pollution because of vehicles in the city is as under:
TDP ( tonnes per day)
Particulate 7.7
Carbon monoxide 175.6
Sulphur Dioxide 26.2
Nitrogen Oxide 12.9
Hydro Carbon 18

Almost 70% pollution in city is caused by vehicles. Dangerous levels of pollution levels are reached in the city. West Bengal Pollution Control Board gives figures of 820,000 road vehicles in the city , with 4500 further vehicles being added monthly.

According to World Bank report,(1996), Mumbai’s air pollution levels particles smaller than 10 microns ( PM 10) were much higher than standards set by the World Health Organisation. Maximum values are SIX times the standards. Same is with nitrogen oxides emissions. The vehicles numbering more than a million, and with density of 500 per sq.km is heading very fast to a very serious crisis. About 69% pollution is due to vehicles.

In urban areas the problem is compounded further over and above the density and numbers of vehicles, by the inefficient driving cycle- which increases both fuel consumption per vehicle as well as emissions.

The CARB ( California Air Resources Board ) estimates that at 8 kmph HC emissions are 23 times greater, CO emissions are 13 times greater, and NOx emissions are about 4 times greater than at 32 kmph ( Federal Urban Driving Schedule average speed). At city-traffic speeds much higher emissions occur

The Urban driving cycle includes approximately 18% idle, 39.7% accelerating, 22.7% time decelerating at close throttle, 12% time decelerating under power and only 7.6% time at steady state speed. Periods of acceleration and deceleration produce extremely high exhaust emissions, and time at idle produce emissions with no benefit of distance being covered. So cities with routes where one cannot travel at more than 15 kmph to 20 kmph average speeds- account for dangerous levels of pollution as well as inefficient fuel burning costing the nation dearly.

Assuming a total of 10 million vehicles for the above mentioned Urban Agglomerations, each consuming 5 litres of fuel a day , on average about 50 million litres of fossil fuel is consumed – adding to that much pollution. Almost 75% of this goes for public transport like buses, taxis and autos. If alternate public transport means are provided, like Sky Bus Metro, we may save this fuel every day.

This amounts to about Rs 500 million a day of fuel bill savings- in terms of imports!
Or annually, about Rs 15000 cr – while total import bill is of the order of Rs 60000 cr.

So an investment of about Rs 25000 cr in Sky Bus can give a saving of Rs 15000 cr in fuel import bill- recurring annually as also, catapult all our cities to international standards of air quality.

But additional power generation for the cities at the rate of 100 to 150 megawatts for each city has to be provided for.

Whether this additional power for each Urban agglomeration is drawn from existing grid supply or plan for captive power plant – will have to be examined.

In summary :
· Over next 5 years invest Rs 25000 cr to install Sky Bus Metros
· Allocate Rs 5000 cr for additional captive power or augmentation projects
· Then start saving Rs 10000 cr per annum in import bills for fuels
· Almost prevent spewing of 1750 tonnes of Carbon emissions per day!
· Provide air-condition service to people at hardly 50 ps/ km, which if properly structured, can even become virtually free or cost less than 15 ps per km.

For the same performance, Sky Bus Metro costs only 30% as compared to Underground metro like Delhi Metro, and costs only 50% as compared to Elevated rail systems.

Considering the tremendous impact on our economy because of this technology, it deserves allocation of Rs 400 cr in this year’s general budget - Konkan Railway will demonstrate all the expectations in practice within 18 months of making available the funds on one of the chosen pilot route. All the technologies are indigenously implemented and integrated- India can be placed on the world map as the leader in finding cost effective environment friendly solution to pressing Urban Transport problem.

Social concern for the displaced bus /taxi/auto drivers and workers:

A taxi or auto owner driver actually takes a loan and operates his vehicle. Similarly companies owning taxis and employing persons to drive also have to invest first in taxis. Now both the categories will use the same money to invest in Sky Bus Metro shares- there is a scheme where for every Rs 15000 invested, the share holder is entitled to a Gold card permitting him almost free travel or at concessional rate of 15 ps/km- so for Rs 2 or 3 lacs of investment , one gets 15 or 20 nos of such Gold cards, which convert into single journey cards say, 30 in number, which from a kiosk next to Sky Bus Station he sells to floating population of the city at say Rs 10 or 15 , making a profit of more than Rs300 a day- while sitting in one place. He does not have any worries of maintaining cars or autos. Same goes for the companies owning buses and their workers.

The Sky Bus metro is one single technology which can change the face of our cities, take out almost 10 million road vehicles in the cities and make the cities liveable, improving quality of life and attract and sustain economic activity to generate wealth.