NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News): The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) this year saw the start of loan proposal evaluations for the 106.5 km Delhi – SNB (Shahjahanpur – Neemrana – Behrod) Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) line.
These loans are in addition to the $457 million proposal from the World Bank. Their name first appeared in the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) procurement form in 2020 as a project financer.
ADB: $1.3 Billion Loan
According to the Asian Development Bank’s updates, on October 11, its team approved a concept proposal to lend the project USD 1,382 million.
ADB finances the 82.15 km Delhi-Meerut RRTS line due to a $1.049 billion loan approved by its board in August 2020.
Their proposed Loan of approximately Rs. 11,416 crores would be applied for the construction and system procurement of a second semi-high-speed rail line in Delhi-NCRs.
The line to SNB will have a design speed of 180 km/h and an operating speed of 160 km/h, just like the Meerut line. It will eventually be expanded 35 km to Sotanala and 58 km to Alwar in the south.
$890 million Loan from JICA
The NCRTC and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have also communicated since at least 2019. According to the World Bank’s project information document, JICA is appraising a loan for it at USD 890 million (Rs. 7352 crore).
This line will consist of these stations at INA, Sarai Kale Khan, Munirka, Aerocity, Udyog Vihar, Gurugram Sector 17, Rajiv Chowk, Kherki Daula, Manesar, Panchgaon, Bilaspur, Dharuhera, MBIR, Rewari, Bawal, and Shahjahanpur – Neemrana – Behrod (SNB).
According to ADB, their team will conduct a fact-finding mission between March 13 and March 23, 2023, and then hold a management review meeting (MRM) before seeking board approval.
The Central Government must approve that final board decision, which is anticipated would happen just before the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
SYSTRA – Egis Rail – Consulting Engineers Group JV was chosen as the preferred bidder for the line’s General Consultant (GC) contract back in July. It is anticipated that a contract will be signed with the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) after the project approval to help with its speedy implementation.
