India to tap Canadian expertise for road projects, transport systems
12 Jun 2012
India and Canada today signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to facilitate sharing and exchange of knowledge and technical expertise in the areas of infrastructure development, operation and maintenance of roads and intelligent transport system.
Union minister for road transport and highways Dr C P Joshi and Canada's minister of transport, infrastructure and communication Denis Label signed the MoU in Cubec, Canada.
Dr Joshi is on an official visit to Canada from 10-13 June 2012.
Resource-constrained India is shifting focus towards the public-private-partnership mode for undertaking development and up-gradation of national highways network as also for development of express ways, which will be access-controlled by modern construction technology and information technology, including electronic toll collection system.
The PPP package is expected to be more attractive for Canadian construction companies while meeting the country's need to develop modern highways and expressways.
India and Canada have long-standing bilateral relationship and cooperation and the roads and road transportation sector will give a new boost to the ties.
India has a long way to travel before coming up with a full intelligent transport system and Joshi said the MoU provides for enhanced cooperation, technology transfer and capacity building programmes and will enable the country to achieve the goal of infrastructure development.