Metro Rail News Online

New Delhi: The new metro rail policy empowers states, by putting the onus on them to improve project viability by stressing on economic viability and private participation, according to a recent ICRA report. The report elaborated that the viability can be improved by promoting transit-oriented development (TOD) and allying it with real estate development, improving last-mile connectivity as well as attracting private investments. “The new metro rail policy will increase the state government’s role and responsibility in developing the new metro projects,” K Ravichandran, Senior Vice-President and Group-Head, Corporate Ratings, ICRA, said in a statement. The policy provides for rigorous assessment of new metro proposals, including alternate transit mode analysis to ensure that the least-cost and most-efficient mass transit mode is selected for public transport, the report pointed out. Further, it also proposes an independent third-party assessment of proposals by gover...

New Delhi: The construction sector in the country is expected to witness a boost in its order book due to the strong traction seen in the Metro rail sector, according to rating agency ICRA. The rating agency expects orders from the Metro rail sector to help boost the order book of the construction industry by Rs 75,000 to Rs 90,000 crore over the next three to five years. "The overall cost of expansion of operational and under-implementation Metro projects is over Rs 2.5 lakh crore. This would support the order books of construction contractors.Further, Metro Rail projects (MRP) worth another Rs 2 lakh crore are at various stages of approval and are likely to come up for bidding within the next five years," ICRA said in its note. "Roads and urban infrastructure, including Metro Rails are two key segments that have witnessed robust order inflows for the construction companies. Further, with a sizeable pipeline of projects i...