The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) team, led by Yasunori Takahashi, inspected the two corridors proposed by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) in the city on Tuesday.
The team, comprising of experts in the fields of civil and architecture, environment, power and railways, inspected the corridors and studied the proposals prepared by the DMRC.
They interacted with the officials to study the project. An internal meeting of the team is slated to be held in the city on Wednesday.
The team would send its report to its higher-ups. Another visit is scheduled in April this year, said sources.
The JICA team, sources said, has responded positively to a request to sanction a loan of Rs. 4,000 crore for the project.
In fact, the JICA is said to have expressed willingness to sanction loan to the tune of Rs. 3,600 crore prior to their visit now. But, the Amaravati Metro Rail Corporation (AMRC) has urged the JICA team to re-look into their assessment and increase the funding. “They responded positively,” a senior official said.
The AMRC officials, on Tuesday, requested the JICA team to go by the merit of the project and jack up the funding to Rs. 5,000 crore. But, the team is learnt to have said that the JICA has not financed more than Rs. 4,000 crore to this kind of project elsewhere in the world.
The JICA team, sources said, has responded positively to a request to sanction the loan in six months. The JICA, as a matter of fact, hinted that it would take 15 months to sanction the loan.
