Metro Rail Project Approved-2011

Phase-III of Delhi Metro Rail Project Approved, Total Length of the Network Approved is 103.05 kms
First Phase of Metro Rail in Bangalore to be Completed by the End of 2013 Mr Kamal Nath, Minister of Urban Development informed the EGoM that commuters in Delhi will be greatly benefited with the approval of the third phase of the Delhi Metro Rail Project. Minister Nath also informed that by 2021, when all four phases of Delhi Metro project are complete, Delhi will have 428 km of Metro network, making it among the largest metro network connection in the world.

The EGoM approved the third phase of the Delhi Metro project of 103.05 km that includes - Mukundpur -Yamuna Vihar corridor of 55.69 Kms, Janakpuri West- Kalindikunj corridor of 33.49 kms, Central Secretariat - Kashmere Gate 9.37kms and Jahangirpuri -Badli 4.489 kms. There will be a total of 67 stations with 15 inter-change points, which will facilitate ridership. The project is expected to be completed by March 2016. With the completion of Phase III, the estimated ridership on Delhi Metro is expected to be 39.50 lakh in 2016, 48.32 lakh in 2021 and 65.62 lakh in 2031. The completion cost of project is estimated to be Rs. 35,242 crore.

Mr. Kamal Nath brought to the attention of the EGoM the long pending demands for Metro connectivity, of the residents of Najafgarh and Shiv Vihar areas of Delhi. On his request, it was decided that three additional lines shall be brought to the EGoM as a supplementary item for approval for inclusion in Delhi Metro Phase III. These are Metro connectivity from Dwarka to Najafgarh, extension of Metro from Yamuna Vihar to Shiv Vihar and extension of Mundka line to Bahadurgarh (in Haryana). These additional lines will meet the long cherished demands of the people of these areas.

At Minister Nath’s instance the DMRC has been directed to conduct surveys for Metro connectivity from Shiv Vihar to Mukundpur and Extension of Metro from Rithala to Bawana.

The extension of Delhi Metro from Badapur in Delhi to YMCA Chowk in Faridabad, Haryana has also been approved. The total length of this corridor is 13.875 km, which is fully elevated with 9 stations at a cost of Rs. 2533 crore. The date of completion for this corridor is September 2014.

The matter of overcrowding of the existing metro coaches in the Delhi Metro network was also discussed. To facilitate procurement of additional 212 coaches by DMRC, Minister Nath proposed that the Ministry of Finance enter into a bridging agreement with DMRC in order to enable DMRC procure the additional coaches. Through this arrangement, the Government of India would allow DMRC to defer payment of three installments for JICA loan totaling Rs 1035 Cr to Government of India for three years i.e 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 by entering into a bridging agreement with DMRC.

The citizens of Bangalore too can look forward to comfortable Metro system with the completion of its first phase in December 2013. The total cost approved by EGoM for the phase I is Rs. 11609 crore and the total length of the network is 42.3 kms. The cost of the project has been revised from Rs. 8158 crore to Rs. 11609 crore .It was decided that the cost escalation amounting to Rs. 709.57 crore will be met entirely by Government of Karnataka. The remaining revised cost of Rs. 10899.43 crore will be shared by Government of India and Government of Karnataka.

India wants fifteen to twenty-five membership expansion of the U N S C

India wants expansion of the membership of the United Nations Security Council from fifteen to twenty-five members India in collaboration with Brazil, Japan and Germany (together known as the G-4) has proposed expansion of the membership of the United Nations Security Council from fifteen to twenty-five members with the addition of six permanent and four non-permanent members.

India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, has in a statement at a meeting of the UN General Assembly plenary on the intergovernmental negotiations on the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and other matters related to the Council on 2 March 2011, clearly stated India's views regarding expansion of the Council in both permanent and non-permanent categories.

There are a range of proposals suggesting an increase in the numbers of permanent and non-permanent members of the Security Council. During the course of intergovernmental negotiations, the proposals for expansion of the Council in both permanent and non-permanent categories have commanded the most support among UN member states.

The Government has been actively seeking support from all UN member states for India's candidature for permanent membership in an expanded Security Council. As a result of these efforts, there has been a steady accretion of support for India's candidature.

Both India and the US are actively involved in the on-going negotiations on Security Council reform in the UN and seek an expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories of membership of the Council. US President Barack Obama in a speech to the Members of both Houses of the Indian Parliament on 8 November 2010 said that he “looked forward to a reformed United Nations Security Council that includes India as a permanent member”.

The Minister of State of External Affairs Smt. Preneet Kaur gave this information in Lok Sabha today.