Japan has agreed to modernize railway stations across the country while participating in Indian Railways’ $140 billion investment over the next five years.
A Japanese delegation will soon visit India to study the opportunities for industries in the railway station development plan of railways as the public transporter has identified 400 stations to be upgraded in private investment, an official release said here on Wednesday.
Aims
1. Technology upgradation and modernisation of the railway station would be the main focus.
2. To succour in achieving the zero-accident mission.
3. A legal and regulatory framework for achieving high-speed railways.
4. Japan will also focus on sanitation. It plans to include water less, odorless toilets in trains and at stations.
Railway minister Suresh Prabhu, who is in Japan to strengthen cooperation in rail sector, held a series of high-level meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, deputy Prime Minister and finance minister Taro Aso among other ministers and senior officials and has highlighted that the Indian public transporter would be the next major destination for infrastructure investment worth $140 billion, it said.
Participation of Japanese railways and Japanese companies in various areas of Indian Railways with the aim of modernization and technology upgradation was also emphasized in the discussions.
Prabhu also held meetings with heads of leading financial institutions and highlighted the investment prospects in railways in the coming years. Railways has chalked out a plan to investment $140 billion in infrastructure upgradation in the next five years, the release said.
Japan will also provide its expertise and technology in solving problems of sanitation including the development of waterless, odourless toilets in trains and at stations, it added.
Besides, the country has also agreed to assist Indian Railways in development of a legal and regulatory framework on high speed railway here, the official statement said.
Prabhu is on a two-nation visit to Japan and Korea since September 7.
