DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION has held preliminary talks with a New Delhi firm - Infrastructure Leasing & Finance Services (ILFS) - to prepare a development project plan for introducing fast track metro rail between Dewas, Indore, Pithampur and Mhow.
The idea is to provide a 10-minute connection between City’s peripheries to core areas, District Collector Vivek Aggarwal informed. He said that administration would also explore possibility for launching a mass rapid transport system within the City along with peripheral services.
The ILFS representatives during their recent visit to the City had a look at the Special Economic Zone, Pithampur and Crystal IT Park for the proposed project.
Besides, they obtained information about the work model of Indore City Transport Services Limited (ICTSL). Like the City buses, ICTSL will look after the metro rail project.
The New Delhi firm’s representatives will make another visit by May first week for another round of talks. Once the project is finalised, the outstation firm will undertake project study, assess financial feasibility and submit project development plan.
It will then hold financial bids for the operator who will develop infrastructure and operate the metro rail. Although mode of technology for new railway system is yet to be discussed, it is apparent that special railway tracks will be laid for the project in coordination with western Railways.
{{/usCountry}}It will then hold financial bids for the operator who will develop infrastructure and operate the metro rail. Although mode of technology for new railway system is yet to be discussed, it is apparent that special railway tracks will be laid for the project in coordination with western Railways.
{{/usCountry}}While the project was for long on the administration and Indore Municipal Corporation’s agenda, the process expedited after Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan during his visit here this month stressed for a fast train service that could connect the inner areas of the City with the periphery.
Incidentally, this is the second attempt to launch City trains. The maiden attempt by IMC kicked off a controversy when a Hong Kong based company BCD Food and Oil SA signed a preliminary agreement with IMC to launch City trains. A year after the agreement, it was found that the company had fudged facts and figures to bag the contract. Inquiry into it is still on.