JICA team satisfied with Metro project report

The fact-finding team members of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on Saturday said that they are satisfied with the detailed project report (DPR) prepared by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for Kochi Metro Rail and the modifications made to it by the special committee constituted by the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL).

However, the Japanese team has recommended some secondary changes to the DPR based on the site inspection and the discussions held in the last two days. Briefing media after the discussions on Saturday, Mitsubishi Research Institute Japan senior consultant Takeshi Fukayama said that the DPR is in line with the JICA requirements.

“We observed that Kochi Metro Rail Limited  receives a reliable support and assistance from the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and the changes mooted by the KMRL in technical specifications are in line with the our team’s initial observation. However, some premises set in the detailed project report needs to be clarified and further options like procurement packages and evaluation methods might be reviewed,” he said.

He said that technical assistance from global agencies is necessary to obtain a high-quality and sustainable railway system. “Some Japanese experiences, on similar initiatives, are worth examining,” he added.

The fact-finding team will submit its report to the Japanese agency within two months.

The agency is expected to give a financial aid to the tune of Rs 2,170 crore for the Rs 5180-crore Kochi Metro Rail project. However, Fukayama refused to comment on the time needed to process the loan.

Usually, Japanese agencies take nearly one year to process loans for capital-intensive projects.