Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Ministry of Railways (MOR), Government of India (GOI) held the First Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) meeting to commence “The Project for Capacity Development on Railway Safety”. The Technical Cooperation (TC) project to be implemented during the next two years, aims to enhance the capacities of the Indian Railways (IR) and the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) with regard to safety of the railway network.
At the JCC meeting on Dec 4, the project outline and implementation strategies were discussed. In the Project, JICA experts will share Japan’s expertise based on safe operation in Japanfocussing on the rails welding, inspection, track maintenance, rolling stock maintenance, accident investigation and safety management. JICA experts will assist IR and DFCCIL on field surveys and making action plans for railway safety. On the job training in Japan will be also planned through JICA experts in the said fields.
The JCC was Co-Chaired by S K Mishra, Principal Executive Director (Infra), MOR cum Project Director of the TC Project, and Yoshiro Masuda, Senior Deputy Director, Infrastructure and Peace Building Department of JICA Head Office, along with Makoto Ishida, Chief Advisor of the TC Project. Other attendees including observers were Kenko Sone, Minister (Economic), Embassy of Japan in India, Tomoyuki Nakano, JICA Expert on Railway Safety Policy (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Government of Japan), Dr. Fuminao Okumura, JICA Expert on Railway Accident Investigation (Member, Japan Transport Safety Board, Government of Japan), and Katsuo Matsumoto, Chief Representative, JICA India.
Speaking on the occasion, Katsuo Matsumoto, Chief Representative, JICA India Office said, “The Indian railway network is one of the largest in the world, therefore maintenance of safer and reliable operations is of utmost priority. JICA is currently supporting construction of 1500 km network for freight operation between Delhi and Mumbai; i.e. the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor. We expect that Japanese knowledge and experience on railway safety would contribute to the existing as well as newly developed railway networks in India, thereby promoting safe operations and appropriate maintenance.”
Responding to India side, in February 2017, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), Government of Japan and Ministry of Railways (MOR), Government of India (GOI) concluded Memorandum of Cooperation on Railway Safety seeking the support from Japan on railway safety. In this connection, the Governments of India and Japan exchanged the note verbale in July 2018, and JICA concluded the Record of Discussions (R/D) with Ministry of Railways (MOR), Government of India (GOI) in August 2018 for implementation of the TC project.
