Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train: Saito Mitsunori, the Chief Representative of JICA India, expressed satisfaction with the ongoing Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project, highlighting the positive impact of the PM Gati Shakti plan on accelerating public works in India. In an interview with PTI, Mitsunori also discussed Japan's interest in contributing to India's border road networks and participating in transnational power transmission projects involving Bhutan, Nepal, and Bangladesh.

The Chief Representative emphasised the improvements in project clearance timelines, attributing the positive changes to the official preparatory route within the government under the PM Gati Shakti plan. This approach has streamlined assessments and progress monitoring, mitigating delays and cost overruns.

JICA, a key funding partner for India's major infrastructure projects, including metro systems in Chennai, Ahmedabad, and Delhi, has been supportive of various initiatives in sectors like rural development and education.

Regarding the Ahmedabad-Mumbai High-Speed Corridor project, Mitsunori expressed excitement about the work progressing on all sections, noting the Maharashtra government's decision to initiate tendering works and the commencement of undersea tunneling between Mumbai and Thane.

In addition to the northeastern region, JICA expressed interest in collaborating on the construction of quality and resilient border roads in the Himalayan region. Mitsunori highlighted the need for knowledge transfer to enhance India's road and transport network resilience, particularly in border areas.

JICA is keenly interested in funding power transmission projects connecting Nepal and Bhutan with Bangladesh. Despite expressing interest, Mitsunori expressed disappointment over the slow decision-making process in trilateral and multilateral frameworks for power projects.

The Chief Representative underscored the significance of countries getting connected for efficient power utilisation, expressing eagerness to initiate discussions with the Government of India for joint initiatives.

Notably, India and Nepal have signed an agreement for the export of 10,000 megawatts of electricity from Nepal to India over ten years. Furthermore, discussions are underway for a tripartite agreement between Nepal, Bangladesh, and India, marking Nepal's inaugural power export to Bangladesh.

The Chief Representative concluded the interview by emphasising JICA's commitment to engaging with regional countries in developing critical infrastructure projects and collaborating on joint initiatives for power connectivity networks.

(With PTI inputs.)