Delhi Metro seeks Rs2000 crores fund through PPP for Phase-IV project

New Delhi (Urban Transport News): The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Board recently re-approved the final detailed project (DPR) of Delhi Metro Phase-IV project. The phase-IV is likely to be implemented under Public-Private Partnership mode according to the provisions of new Metro Rail Policy 2017 released by the Govt. of India. The revised DPR has been forwarded to Delhi Gornment cabinet for further approval.

Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi Government has asked the Delhi Metro Management to re-approve the revised DPR of the phase-4 project before forwarding its files to the Delhi Government cabinet. The phase-4 project was facing a lot of controversies due to non-feasibility of DPR in some routes of the proposed metro rail network.

The Delhi Metro Board was chaired by Durga Shankar Mishra Secretary Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, Principal Secretary of Delhi Government and other Director of DMRC. The approval of revised DPR of phase-4 was mandatory as the estimated project cost has been revised to Rs 46,800 crores from Rs 45,603 crores. 

According to sources, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) may provide ODA loan about 43% amount of the project cost. 

During a seminar on Urban Rail Network-Building Sustainable Cities hosted by UITP in association with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) in Metro Bhawan, New Delhi on Friday, KK Saberwal Director (Finance) of DMRC said that it was now mandatory for any metro project to get some public-private-partnership in order to get central assistance. He said that one of the avenues that DMRC is looking at for private partnership is the installation and maintenance of AFC gates, elevators, and escalators.

“All the proposed six corridors of Phase IV would witness similar tie-up with private players. It is also likely that the entire contract is bundled out to one firm”, he added.

The DMRC expects similar public-private-partnerships to fund about Rs 2,000 crore of the Phase IV project.