Syrian Deputy PM visits Delhi Metro, seeks DMRC help

New Delhi, Jan 18 (UNI) Syria today sought the assistance of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) in analysing the feasibility report for a Metro system in its capital Damascus, currently being prepared by SYSTRA France.

Syrian Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Dr Abdullah Dardari, accompanied by Ahmed K Al Ali, Ministry of Electricity and Dr Tayssir Al Padduwi, Head of State Trading Commission, visited the Delhi Metro.

DMRC Managing Director Dr E Sreedharan escorted them during their yesterday visit from the Central Secretariat to Rajiv Chowk and back and briefed them about the Delhi Metro.

Indian Ambassador to Syria G.Mukhopadhaya also accompanied the visiting dignitaries.

Dr Dardari said Syria was keen to have DMRC's assistance in analysing the feasibility report for a Metro system in its capital Damascus, currently being prepared by SYSTRA France.

It also wanted to collaborate with DMRC to understand its project implementation strategy and project management techniques because of which the Delhi Metro project was completed before time and within budget.

The Deputy Prime Minister said a delegation from the Syrian Government would visit the Delhi Metro to get a first-hand experience of the Phase-I operations, construction activities in Phase-II, training facilities and DMRC's expertise in various fields such as consultancy.

This would be followed by a visit to Damascus by a DMRC delegation which would study the feasibility report and also the ground conditions. Dr Dardari was keen that the exchange of delegations takes place within two months.

A high-level delegation from DMRC, headed by Dr Sreedharan, had visited Damascus in October 2004 earlier and studied two corridors where the Metro is proposed - the first line (Green Line) expected to be about 15.7 km long and the second line (Red Line) proposed to be about 12.6 km.

DMRC's first international consultancy assignment was special asistance on project implementation (SAPI) study for the Jakarta Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) System in Indonesia. Other countries that have shown interest in Delhi Metro's expertise include Pakistan, Ireland, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, etc.

DMRC is also the consultant for Metro projects in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Kolkata, Kochi and Chennai and is currently preparing the detailed project report for Pune.

UNI AG AE RK2225