Top Japanese companies show interests in 19 DMIC projects

NEW DELHI: Japanese engineering companies such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Hitachi, Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co, Toshiba, Sojitz etc. have shown interests in executing 19 projects that would be funded out of $4.5 billion Japanese support promised for India-Japan friendship project, Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC). The project that envisages creating seven new industrial cities around Western Dedicated Rail Freight Corridor between Delhi and Mumbai, is expected to create infrastructure worth over $100 billion. In September last year, the government had approved Central assistance of Rs 18,500 crore for a period of five years for the DMIC.

The 19 short-listed projects under Japanese funding include Ahmedabad-Dholera rail line project, Dahej water supply, Delhi-Manesar-Bawal metro rail, power projects in Maneswar and Neemrana Industrial Parks, conveyance system of Delhi's treated sewage water to Rajasthan, just to name a few. According to a list published in the official website of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan, recycling solution maker company Japanese Environment Planning (Jeplan) could be engaged in a mobile phone recycle project in Gujarat whereas NEC Corporation, Japan's leading provider of Internet, broadband network and enterprise business solutions may be roped in for a logistic data bank project which will not be specific to any state. The same list says Toshiba has shown interests in Light Rail Transit system in Pune.

When contacted, DMIC Development Corporation CEO Amitabh Kant refused to elaborate on the prospective projects within DMIC and about Japanese companies that could handle them. Kant added that DMIC would meet the deadline. "Despite being a complicated project involving a number of state governments, we have moved ahead satisfactorily. Every deadline will be met. We need to remember, for such a vast project like DMIC, the planning is as important as its implementation," he said.