France signs agreement with India, will help modernising railway stations

Indian Railway Station Development Corporation or IRSDC has entered into a tripartite agreement with French National Railways SNCF and French Development ncy AFD, under which a grant of up to 7 lakh euros will be given to give a boost to capacity building for India's railway station development program.

agreement was signed in presence of Suresh Angi, Minister of State for Railways, and Jean Baptiste Lemoyne, Minister of State for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, Alexandre Ziegler, Ambassor of France in India and or senior officers of French Embassy and Indian Railways.

"Under this agreement, AFD, has agreed to provide in-kind grant financing up to 7,00,000 Euros, through SNCF-Hubs and Connexions as a Technical Partner to IRSDC to support capacity building for Railway Station Development Program in India," said a statement released by Indian Railways.

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This will impose financial liability on IRSDC or Indian Railways, statement said.

"India and France have a strong and long standing prosperous partnership in railway sector. French Railways (SNCF) in past has been associated with Indian Railways in conducting speed upgration study for Delhi-Chandigarh section and station development of Ludhiana and Ambala stations," Mr Angi said.

"I am sure that this effort will go a long way in furr strengning Indo-French cooperation and will help Indian Railways in positioning its stations to world class standards," he ded.

On Twitter, Mr Ziegler said, "Just after signing ceremony of an Indo-French agreement to support India's modernisation of railways stations, @JBLemoyne (Lemoyne) met Shri @PiyushGoyal (Piyush Goyal) to discuss about future of this cooperation!"