London, Delhi can work together to overcome challenges: Johnson
27 Nov 2012 1:46 AM GMT
Visiting Mayor of London Boris Johnson on Monday met Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and offered his city’s expertise to Delhi in a number of fields including higher education, transport, traffic and housing.
Johnson, who led an eight-member delegation, including British High Commissioner to India Sir James Bewan, told Dikshit that both the cities can work hand-in-hand in facing various challenges.
Senior Delhi government officials, who attended the meeting, said the government would like to explore the offer in respect of private financing for infrastructure projects for expansion of metro network and commissioning of Monorail.
They said the government would work on finalising a proposal for a two-way engagement between the two cities.
The officials said Johnson commended the Delhi government for a series of initiatives like introduction of CNG for bus transport to improve the environment in city.
Dikshit gave an overview of the city and appraised the delegation about various challenges facing Delhi. The issue of FDI in multi-brand retail also figured in the discussion.
Urban development minister Arvinder Singh Lovely, education minister Kiran Walia and chief secretary P K Tripathi were among those present in the meeting.
Officials said the mayor was surprised to learn that around five lakh people visit the city in connection with their professional commitments and government has been able to provide them all the facilities.
He also referred to the river Yamuna and stated that the city of London is yet to complete work on ‘clean and safe Thames project’ under which a separate sewerage system is being constructed underneath the river to dump the waste into the sea directly.
Johnson, who led an eight-member delegation, including British High Commissioner to India Sir James Bewan, told Dikshit that both the cities can work hand-in-hand in facing various challenges.
Senior Delhi government officials, who attended the meeting, said the government would like to explore the offer in respect of private financing for infrastructure projects for expansion of metro network and commissioning of Monorail.
They said the government would work on finalising a proposal for a two-way engagement between the two cities.
The officials said Johnson commended the Delhi government for a series of initiatives like introduction of CNG for bus transport to improve the environment in city.
Dikshit gave an overview of the city and appraised the delegation about various challenges facing Delhi. The issue of FDI in multi-brand retail also figured in the discussion.
Urban development minister Arvinder Singh Lovely, education minister Kiran Walia and chief secretary P K Tripathi were among those present in the meeting.
Officials said the mayor was surprised to learn that around five lakh people visit the city in connection with their professional commitments and government has been able to provide them all the facilities.
He also referred to the river Yamuna and stated that the city of London is yet to complete work on ‘clean and safe Thames project’ under which a separate sewerage system is being constructed underneath the river to dump the waste into the sea directly.
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