As the country looks to create world-class infrastructure, Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) is being developed across Indian metros to provide a fast, easy and comfortable commute through high-speed trains.
A rail-based system needs one-fifth energy per passenger km compared to a road-based system; causes no air pollution in the city, has a lesser noise level, occupies no road space if underground and only about 2 metres width of the road if elevated and carries the same volume of traffic as nine lanes of bus traffic or 33 lanes of private motor cars either way. If it is a heavy capacity system, it reduces journey time by anything between 50 per cent and 75 per cent than road-based system depending on road conditions.
A Metro Rail provides a safe, fast, reliable, accessible, convenient, comfortable, efficient and affordable public transport service in a sustainable manner. It is envisaged to increase citizens' mobility that will in turn boost economic growth and increase the quality of life of the citizens by providing them an alternate mode of transport.
JICA and Indian Metro Rail projects
Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is taking special interest in funding Metro Rail projects in India. It has offered to fund the upcoming metro corridors in the city and Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The Mumbai Metropolitan Development Authority (MMRDA), the implementing agency of metro corridors, requires Rs 35,000 crore for constructing a 118 km metro network in the city and its peripheral areas by 2019.
JICA has extended an official development assistance (ODA) loan of Rs 1,180 crore for Chennai Metro Rail project. 84 per cent work of the Chennai Metro Rail project has been finished and it is expected to be fully complete in 2017.
JICA has also signed an agreement with the Centre to provide about Rs 4,870 crore assistance for Ahmedabad Metro Rail Project. The project will provide the first Metro Rail System network of approx 38 km in Ahmedabad from Motera Stadium to APMC (North-South Corridor) and Thaltej to Vastral Gaam (East-West Corridor).
Other Metro Rail projects' announcements:
CM of Kerala, Oommen Chandy, recently inaugurated the work on Kozhikode light metro project. The estimated cost of the 14 km project will be more than Rs 2,500 crore. The first phase of the project will take around four years to get completed.
CM of Assam, Tarun Gogoi, has laid the foundation stone of the Rs 18,020 crore three-phase metro rail project at Khanapara in Guwahati on 29 February 2016. The project to be implemented by state government-owned Guwahati Metro Rail Corporation (GMRC) is scheduled to be completed in five years.
The fast expanding Delhi Metro has been allotted Rs 5,579 crore in the Union Budget 2016-17 for its ongoing projects, including the Phase III expansion. The Centre, which holds 10.95 per cent equity in the Phase III, will provide Rs 193 crore for its completion.
Work on the Patna metro rail project has taken off with an estimated total cost of Rs 16,960 crore. A proposal to form a special purpose vehicle (SPV) has been sent to the Centre for its approval. Once it gets approved, the state government will raise equity loan from various financial institutions.
Bharat Earth Movers (BEML) has bagged an order worth Rs 900 crore for the supply of Metro Coaches to Kolkata East-West Metro Line. BEMLis a 'Make in India' partner in Metro Rolling Stock, having supplied over 700 Metro Cars to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation so far.
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