DMRC in fray for Tel-Aviv metro project, says MD Vikas Kumar
2 min read . Updated: 28 Jul 2022, 04:09 PM IST
Premium- DMRC, currently involved as a consultant for a section of the Dhaka Metro project in Bangladesh, will also bid for projects in Bahrain and Mauritius
NEW DELHI: Urban mobility provider Delhi Metro Rail Corp. (DMRC) is set expand its global footprint by taking up consultancy and management projects for metro trains in newer geographies.
As part of its overseas ventures, the entity has qualified in the initial bidding round to take up consultancy for Tel-Aviv metro rail project in Israel, said DMRC managing director Vikas Kumar in his opening remarks at the Mint Mobility Conclave on Thursday.
DMRC, currently involved as a consultant for a section of the Dhaka Metro project in Bangladesh, will also bid for projects in Bahrain and Mauritius.
“We are focusing on international consultancy projects. Also, the Delhi Metro Rail Academy (DMRA) has expanded its horizons overseas as well with the training of MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) Jakarta, Dhaka, and Sri Lankan officials, Kumar added.
At home, DMRC is currently involved in the construction work of Mumbai and Patna Metro projects.
“The Delhi metro recognises its role as the biggest metro system in the country and is guiding almost all other metros in varying capacity," Kumar said.
DMRC is also focussing on other rail-based solutions which are smaller in capacity but can cater to the requirements of two-tier cities.
“Systems such as Metrolite and Metro Neo are in planning stages for cities- which are smaller in size with lesser population," Kumar said.
A Water Metro project is also being implemented in Kochi, Kerala, by DMRC where metro like mass transportation services with comfortable travel and enhanced safety will be offered utilising adjacent water bodies.
Despite challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the current passenger data of Delhi Metro shows that most of the passengers are returning to metro trains.
“Today we are receiving 70-75% of pre-covid passenger journeys," Kumar said.
The pandemic had a severe impact on metro revenues across the world. Prior to the pandemic, Delhi metro was among the very few in the world which was making operational benefits.
“Our revenue model was designed to make the system self-sustainable."
Apart from ticketing revenue, DMRC also explored diverse revenue options such as property business, property development, consultancy services and tie-ups with last mile connectivity providers.
“We are using solar generated power plants on rooftops of stations, depots and residential quarters and are producing around 47 MW of power. In addition, we are also receiving solar energy from an offshore power plant in Madhya Pradesh. For the first time, we drew power from a waste to an energy plant in Ghazipur," Kumar said.
Products made from construction and demolition waste are being used in construction work.
Delhi metro earned ₹19.5 crores from the sale of 3.55 million carbon credits which it had collected over 2012-18.
“We have a number of dedicated projects oriented towards energy efficiency. In 2007, Delhi metro became the first metro or railway project in the world to be registered by the United Nations under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) which enabled the organisation to claim carbon credits."
Delhi metro is also developing India's first indigenous signaling technology i-ATS, in association with Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL).
