The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on Sunday presented a research report charting how the coming of the Delhi Metro in the national Capital changed the way the city travelled, brought down pollution levels and also reduced traffic.
The report titled, ‘Breaking Ground — A Narrative on the Making of Delhi Metro’ published as a part of an evaluation exercise by JICA with an intention to throw light on the processes underlining the development of the metro services in India.
‘Huge modal shift’
“The report accounts the views and personal experiences of those who were engaged with the Delhi Metro project. It is expected to unveil secrets that were not publicly available but contributed in making the project unique and showcased it as an example to be emulated by other projects in India,” a statement released by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) read.
Takema Sakamoto, chief representative, JICA India office, said the report trails the ethnography of the birth and the making of the Delhi Metro.
“Readers will experience how, due to Delhi Metro’s operations, there was a huge modal shift from private vehicle transportation to mass public transportation, leading to less traffic and enhancement of environmental conditions of Delhi,” said Mr. Sakamoto.
Completed on time
He added, “It will also showcase how a massive project like the Delhi Metro was completed within the planned time and budgeted cost and influenced the lifestyle of people, leading to Delhi Metro being one of the most successful urban transport projects in the whole world.”
The DMRC said that this report also encompasses Delhi Metro project’s journey from beginning to the future and gives a first-hand account of the undertaking of the construction of the first ride of the Delhi Metro project.
The report is a guide to explore the trajectory of development of the Delhi Metro, which has become an essential part of daily life in present day Delhi, they said.
“The Delhi Metro project is an extraordinary example of Indo-Japan partnership and has gained the success which now other Metro projects are looking forward to emulating. JICA has now extended its association with the DMRC beyond Phase-III of the project as there is a need for huge capacity expansion in public transportation,” the statement read.
