Japan govt keen to fund Delhi Metro’s Phase-iv project

NEW DELHI: The Japanese government funding agency JICA is keen to extend its association with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) beyond the phase III, a senior official of the agency said.

The Chief Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) India office Takema Sakamoto said there is a need for huge capacity expansion in public transportation and the agency is likely to discuss further association with the Delhi Metro. “For public transportation, we need huge capacity and that is why we are now discussing for the further extension for the Delhi Metro even after the phase III. The DMRC is likely to request for support for the phase IV very soon,” Sakamoto said.

JICA has been supporting DMRC’S metro project since phase I construction in 1997.

“We are now supporting the construction of the phase III of the DMRC and it is targeting completion in 2016 or next year,” he added. The third phase of the DMRC is being supported by JICA with a 48.57 per cent loan by the Japanese funding agency. The estimated cost of the third phase project is Rs 41,079 crore. The loan comes at a concessional rate of 1.4 per cent and carries a repayment period of 30 years with grace period of 10 years.

Sakamoto said DMRC is also likely to make a further request for procurement of many more coaches for enhancement of the transportation capacity in the Capital. JICA is ready to discuss the proposal with the Indian government, including the Union Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, he said. Sakamoto said the agency is also likely to support the high speed bullet train project proposed between Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

The matter is being discussed directly between the two Prime Ministers’ offices — Narendra Modi (India) and Shinzo Abe (Japan).

“The bullet train project has been discussed between the two Prime Ministers’ offices. The high speed railway investment is very safe. We do not need very large space for building stations. That is why we can squeeze the cost,” Sakamoto said.

The bullet train project will be supported both in the form of yen loan and technical assistance, he added.

During Abe’s India visit in December, the two countries vowed to realise 3.5 trillion yen of public and private financing to India in five years under the ‘Japan-india Investment Promotion Partnership’. GHAZIABAD: The Ghaziabad Traffic Police are all gearing up to host a trafficsafety month to create awareness among the people about road safety and not to flout traffic rules. This will include a set of activities and drives on all the major roads as part of the Traffic Safety Month to be observed in the month of November.

The month-long drive started from November 1 was hosted by senior superintendent of Ghaziabad Police, Deepak Kumar at Merrut Tiraha, Ghaziabad. All the senior policemen participated in the event and got instructions from the SSP to make this year’s traffic safety month more successful.

There has been continuous traffic disorder in Ghaziabad despite the regular campaigns to bring order on the city’s roads by the traffic department. Besides, triple riding on two-wheelers and minors riding two-wheelers despite the presence of constables on duty is also on a ride. Riding of two-wheelers without helmets and talking on mobile phones while driving are also common sights. There have been instances of policemen themselves flouting the traffic rules by driving without helmet. “This time, we are following an ‘EE’ method which means engineering and enforcement of traffic rules to the commuters implanting police check posts on all major roads and intersections of the city.

Special attention will be given in the construction areas and where roads are damaged that in turn cause traffic jams. We are focusing to make autos and battery rickshaws aware of the traffic rules by asking them to follow them stringently,” said Rajesh Kumar Singh, Traffic Circle Officer, Ghaziabad.

As part of this drive, the department has been undertaking traffic sensitisation programmes and campaigns in various schools and colleges to make students and drivers understand the need to follow traffic rules and how they can stay safe on roads, he further added. Cops will keep a check on people violating certain rules which majorly include violations by two-wheelers as well as four-wheelers for wrong-side driving, jumping of red lights, driving without seat belts, driving without licenses and so on.

AISA students from Jamia Millia University, Jawaharlal Nehru University and Delhi University and various Leftwing organisations joined the protest.

Ashutosh Kumar, Delhi AISA State Secretary said: “The statements of the Bhopal Police and the state Home Minister are completely contradictory.

The recent videos that have come out, clearly show that policemen repeatedly fired at semi-injured conscious bodies lying on the ground to guarantee they are dead.”

Sucheta De, the National President AISA said: “Why are under-trial youth being called terrorists? Why didn’t the Madhya Pradesh Police want the process to end? And why were the eight men killed like this even if they were willing to surrender.”