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Showing posts with label Light metro. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Light metro. Show all posts

Wednesday, 2 March 2016

21:31

JICA keen to support six more metro projects in India

JICA keen to support six more metro projects in India

The total debt component of these projects is Rs 38,703 crore

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which has provided loans for metro rail projects in the country, has shown "keen interest" in supporting six more such projects whose total debt component stands at over Rs 38,700 crore.

Hideaki Domichi, senior vice-president of JICA, today met Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu and held detailed discussions in this regard.

He enquired about the progress of the six projects – Delhi Metro Phase-IV, Pune Metro, Vijayawada Metro, Chennai Metro Phase-II, Thiruvananthapuram Light Metro and Kozhikode Light Metro Projects – which are under consideration for approval, an official release said.

The funding pattern for the government-funded metro projects entails a debt component of 50-60% with most of it coming through sovereign bilateral and multi-lateral development agencies.

The debt component for Delhi Metro Phase-IV is Rs 29,160 crore, while that of Pune is Rs 4,665 crore and Vijayawada Rs 3,600 crore. Thiruvananthapuram Light Metro has a debt component of Rs 805 crore and Kozhikode Light Metro Rs 473 crore.

The total debt component of these projects is Rs 38,703 crore.

JICA had earlier sanctioned loans of Rs 57,363 crore for Delhi Metro (3 phases), Bengaluru Metro, Chennai Metro and Mumbai Metro Line-3 projects.

Under the new modified Special Terms for Economic Partnership with Japan, JICA loan comes at an interest rate of 0.30% as against 1.30% on earlier loans.

The tenure of the loan will be 40 years as compared to 30 years for a normal JICA loan. One of the conditions is that 30% of procurement for the projects has to be from Japan.

Meanwhile, Domichi also discussed implementation of water supply and underground drainage project in Nellore (Andhra Pradesh) and Bengaluru's Peripheral Ring Road Project, the release said.

Naidu has urged JICA to speed up the Nellore project for which agreement of preparatory survey has been finalized with Andhra Pradesh government.

About the Bengaluru project, the minister assured Domichi that he would talk to Karnataka government and elicit its views on it. The loan assurance for the project was given during the visit of Japanese Prime Minister to India in December last year.

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Tuesday, 29 December 2015

22:37

Kerala :Light Metro may get a poll push

Kerala:Light Metro may get a poll push

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram have been hoping for a rapid transit system since 2012. First, the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (Natpac) suggested a monorail as a solution, Later, the idea was found to be unworkable due to the high amount quoted by bidders. At this juncture, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) proposed light metro as a possible solution.

However, the project was muddled in controversy as there was not much clarity in the detailed project report (DPR). As 2015 dawns, the UDF government is in a hurry to push the dream project so that it can garner some mileage during the upcoming polls. Thus, the year ends with rekindled hopes for a rapid transit system.

Though there were objections from the state finance department over the appointment of DMRC as general consultant for the project, chief minister Oommen Chandy recently issued a directive to Kerala Rapid Transit Corporation to appoint DMRC as interim consultant. The department had reservations in appointing an agency without inviting a global tender.

The appointment of DMRC as a consultant was discussed several times in the cabinet, but no decision was taken for a long time. Chandy's final step was to appointment the agency as interim consultant, keeping in mind the upcoming assembly elections to silence critics. The BJP and CPM had blamed the government for its laxity in implementing the light metro plan.

The government managed to submit the DPR and the comprehensive mobility plan (CMP) for the two cities, two crucial documents to get the green light from the Union ministry of urban affairs. "The Union government has sought some clarifications on certain aspects like ridership in the CMP. We have sent a detailed clarification. The DPR will be approved only after several levels of scrutiny," said PWD secretary APM Mohammed Hanish.

Though government is in a hurry to push the project, the lack of candour is visible as it has not taken primary measures to implement the project. One of the major issues before the project is widening of roads. It has also failed to ask DMRC to make corrections in the DPR though the finance department had pointed out a number of flaws.

Chugging along
*A monorail was proposed by Natpac for T'puram and Kozhikode in 2012
*After inviting tenders, the project got a single bidder who quoted an exorbitant rate
*DMRC then proposed a light metro in 2014

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Friday, 23 October 2015

21:28

Kerala CM meets Venkaiah Naidu over Light Metro projects

Kerala CM meets Venkaiah Naidu over Light Metro projects

New Delhi: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy held discussions with Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu here on Friday for getting the Central Government’s approval for the proposed Light Metro projects in Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram.

At the meeting, Chandy stressed the need for implementing the Light Metro projects in Kochi and Kozhikode urgently, and discussed extension of the Kochi Metro Rail. The Chief Minister, who was accompanied by State Public Works Department Minister V K Ebrahim Kunju and Kochi Metro Rail Project principal advisor E Sreedharan, talked to the Union Minister for more than 40 minutes.

Welcoming the proposal for the Light Metro projects, he said the Ministry would initiate the necessary actions once Kerala submits the report. “If Kerala submits a detailed report on the Light Metro projects, we would take action on it without any delay,” Naidu said after the meeting. Oommen Chandy, meanwhile, assured Naidu that a new report would be submitted within one week.

Venkaiah Naidu has said that the Centre welcomes the Light Metro projects in Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram, and will take the necessary action once Kerala submits the report. “If Kerala submits a detailed report on the Light Metro project, an immediate action will be taken,” Naidu said after a meeting with Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy over the Light Metro project.

The Kerala Government had written to the Centre regarding the Light Metro projects on September 11, stating that the twin projects would be taken up on the lines of the Kochi Metro project. The State and the Centre are supposed to bear 20 per cent of the cost each, while the remaining 60 per cent will be raised through borrowings.

The Kerala Government needs mandatory approval from the Centre to kick off the Rs 6,728-crore project. The Chief Minister then assured the minister that the new report will be submitted within a week. He was accompanied to the meeting by PWD minister V.K. Ebrahim Kunju and KMRL principal advisor E. Sreedharan.

The Kerala government had written to the Centre regarding the Light Metro projects conveying that the twin projects would be completed on the lines of Kochi Metro Project. The State and the Centre are supposed to bear 20 per cent each of the cost and the remaining 60 per cent is planned to be raised through borrowings.

“During the discussion, Naidu also raised the issue of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan with the Chief Minister,” spokesperson for the Ministry of Urban Development told ‘Express’. The Union Minister told Chandy that though the Kerala Government did a good job in the rural areas under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the same enthusiasm was not seen in the urban pockets, and called for steps to address the issue.
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Thursday, 17 September 2015

08:43

DMRC named Thiruvananthapuram & Kozhikode Light Metro Consultant

DMRC named Thiruvananthapuram & Kozhikode Light Metro Consultant

Thiruvananthapuram: The state government on Tuesday named Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) as the consultant for the Light Metro project for Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode. The letter sent to the Union government by PWD secretary Mohammed Hanish on Tuesday included the details regarding consultancy as well.

Though the state cabinet gave administrative sanction to the detailed project report prepared by DMRC on September 9, the role of DMRC was not mentioned. While announcing the decision, chief minister Oommen Chandy said the government would convey the Centre about the administrative sanction and added that the project would be modelled on Kochi Metro. But Chandy hadn’t clarified the role of DMRC.

Later, KPCC president V M Sudheeran wrote a letter to Chandy asking to clear the air regarding the project. The KPCC executive meeting held here earlier this month also demanded execution of Light Metro project under the supervision of DMRC principal adviser E Sreedharan. CPM also issued a statement seeking the involvement of DMRC and Sreedharan in the project. But senior officials, including chief secretary Jiji Thomson, were against awarding consultancy to DMRC arbitrarily as they believed that awarding consultancy on a nomination basis was a violation of CVC guidelines.

Sources in the government said the CM finally decided to pay heed to the suggestion as he didn’t want to trigger controversies ahead of local body elections.

The government has sought in-principle clearance from the Centre for the project and sharing of cost. The state has mooted a proposal to avail 60% of the project cost as loan and sharing of the rest equally between state and Centre
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Friday, 4 September 2015

10:11

Kerala chooses Kochi Metro model for Thiruvananthapuram Light Metro

Kerala chooses Kochi Metro model for Thiruvananthapuram Light Metro

Sreedharan’s concern over ambiguity in communications

Thiruvananthapuram: Reiterating yet again that the Rs.6,728-crore Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode Light Metro rail projects will be executed (by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation) on the lines of the Kochi metro rail project, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said here on Thursday that specifics of the twin projects would be added in the letter sent to the Centre.

He was speaking at the Cochin International Airport here after a meeting to review the Kochi metro project and the way ahead for the Light Metro in the other two cities. Against the backdrop of allegations that key officials and decision-makers in the State were trying to keep the DMRC away from the Light Metro project, Principal Adviser of the agency E.Sreedharan had expressed concern over the ambiguity in communications sent by the State government to the Centre seeking sanction and funds.

Referring to Thursday’s discussions with Mr. Sreedharan, Mr. Chandy said, “We assured him that obstacles in implementing the Light Metro will be removed so that the projects can be completed in a time-bound manner. Mr. Sreedharan sought inclusion of a few specific details (such as the executing agency) in the letter sent to the Centre.

The forthcoming Cabinet will decide on this.” “The outcome of Thursday’s meeting is that the Light Metro will be implemented by the DMRC on a turnkey basis as is being done for the Kochi metro,” sources in the agency said.

Thursday’s developments are critical since there were reports of key officials and people’s representatives in Kerala trying to rope in private players for implementing the Light Metro.
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Tuesday, 19 May 2015

07:52

No Private Sector Participation in the proposed light metro projects in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode.

Kerala nod to DMRC on twin ‘Light Metro’ projects; rejects PPP mode

No PPP mode for light metros; PPP model has failed in several metro projects including the phase 2 of Delhi Metro: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

Thiruvananthapuram (TVC): A high level meeting held today at Thiruvananthapuram has rejected the proposal of the finance department to have private sector participation in the proposed light metro projects in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode.

The state cabinet will soon take a final decision on this according to the recommendations of the meeting, chaired by the chief minister. Chief minister Oommen Chandy said that Delhi Metro Rail Corporation [DMRC] will implement the projects. Private sector participation will not be there. Funding will be provided through financial support by the centre and the state governments and through loan from agencies like Japan Internationla Co-operation Agency [JICA].

Sticking to his earlier stand on the light metros, DMRC principal adviser E.Sreedharan today said that the public-private partnership (PPP) model is not suitable for the project. PPP model has failed in several metro projects including the phase 2 of Delhi Metro.

“Everyone knows my stand on the project. There is no need to repeat it,” he told reporters.

He also informed the chief minister that 20 per cent of the cost would be met by the central government and JICA will extend the remaining part as loan at 0.5 per cent interest.

The debate over PPP mode intensified as the state finance department had recommended that only hybrid PPP model would be effective for implementing light metro. The finance minister K.M. Mani had endorsed this and this made a rift between Sreedharan and Kerala government.

Both finance minister and the department have the view that cost on signaling, operations etc should be incurred by the private sector company and the state government will provide the basic facilities for the projects. According to the finance department the private partner should invest roughly Rs 2600 crore for the project.

A section of the media even alleged that the move is to include an Italian company in the light metro projects. Earlier, in two rounds of meeting with the chief minister, Sreedharan had stuck to his stand. This made the government on an embarrassing mode as allegations were raised against some ministers.

The chief minister rejected the proposal by the finance department as the government is on a tight spot as various allegations were leveled against some minister, including the finance minister.

Long Controversy

This put the long-drawn controversy and heated public discussions over the choice of implementation model for which the state bureaucracy had insisted upon the PPP mode, to and end. In doing so, it had cited the apparent inability of the state to take up implementation of such a large project at a time when its finances are in poor shape. Speaking to newspersons after a meeting with Sreedharan a short while ago, Chief Minister Shri Oommen Chandy said that the state and central governments would equally contribute 40 per cent of the project costs.

JICA Loan

The rest of the funds (less land costs and taxation) will be raised through a JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) loan bearing 0.5 per cent interest. In this manner, the burden on the state will be comparatively less, the Chief Minister said citing Sreedharan’s assurance in this connection.

The decision will now be referred to the state cabinet for approval. It comes on a day when the Chandy government has completed four years in office and is stepping into the fifth and last.  In Kochi, work on a full-fledged metro is currently on and is expected to be completed by June next. Monorail was the preferred first choice for Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode.

Light Metro

But the state government did not get a favourable response to the monorail tender. It is then that it opted for ‘light metro.’ There is no significant difference between the metro and light metro except possibly in the size and extent of the command area served. A metro serves a large metropolitan city while the light metro is used for smaller cities and deploys lightweight rail cars or even trams in the local networks.
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