India and Germany
are collaborating on projects worth Rs 1 Lakh Crore. The ties have built up to
augment India’s infrastructure plans to provide better connectivity to ports,
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari today said.
Leading a German delegation, Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt, had a
detailed meeting with Mr. Gadkari focusing on various aspects of infrastructure
development.
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Road Transport, Highways and
Shipping Minister Gadkari conveyed that, "We have sought Germany's
co-operation in developing our infrastructure and planned out an investment of
Rs 1 lakh crore. The investment would help develop infrastructure projects
including railways to provide connectivity to our ports and it would be
undertaken by Indian Port Rail Corporation Ltd (IPRCL)."
Mr. Gadkari said the
companies IPRCL and the German Railways Deutsche Bahn (DB) are collaborating on
several areas like connecting ports to railways networks and connecting with
waterways and roads. Mr. Gadkari further said the meeting was fruitful and
strengthening it further it will help deepen the ties.
Memorandum has been signed
between IPRCL and DB during the Maritime India Summit earlier this year. The
pact calls for co-operation port rail facilities of Indian ports and on
modernization of rail port connectivity.
Under the ambitious Sagarmala program Government of India has already proposed
to engage IPRCL for the port connectivity projects. Also to implement 22
projects under Sagarmala program, Government has already entrusted the job to
carry out feasibility analysis to the corporation.
Subject to the feasibility
report of IPRCL of these 22 projects, 10 projects are likely to be completed
during 2017-18 and during 2018-19 7 projects are likely to be completed. Five
projects are at survey/detailed project report (DPR)/land acquisition stage, as
per the government.
Last-mile rail connectivity of ports holds significance for efficient
evacuation of cargo from ports and to reduce logistics cost. IPRCL has been set
up specifically to work in this area.
It was proposed in the meeting to form groups with representatives of IPRCL and
DB to identify areas of co-operation and identify potential projects along with
implementation of cost effective measures and new rail technologies.
This would help bring in
foreign investment and cost effective, environment friendly, innovative
technology for the port-rail connectivity projects.
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