Road map for some key infra projects

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Friday released detailed schedules for speedy implementation of various flagship infrastructure projects in key sectors, including railways, civil aviation and shipping.

In railways, a technical feasibility study for the Elevated Rail Corridor in Mumbai is complete and a draft State Support Agreement has been agreed to between the Maharashtra government and the central ministry. The project will be implemented as a private-public-partnership (PPP) and the concessionaire finalised by March 15, 2013. The railways ministry will constitute a Project Steering Group (PSG), headed by the chairman, Railway Board. As members, it will have the Centre’s secretaries for economic affairs and planning, the chief secretary of the state government or his representative, the Railway Board’s member (engineering) and the general manager, Western Railways. The Group will monitor implementation of the project, including finalising the documentation, overseeing the bidding and awarding the contract.