Angela Merkel visits Dwarka Sector 21 Metro Station
Delhi Metro's Dwarka Sector 21 metro station has a deep German connection which is why the country's Chancellor Angela Merkel visited the Dwarka Sector-21 metro station on Saturday morning. She met electric-rickshaw operators at the metro station.
Merkel, who announced to earmark Euros 200 Million to reform bus sector in Tamil Nadu, said, "Whoever has looked at pollution in Delhi yesterday would find very good arguments to replacing diesel buses with electric buses."
The photo-voltaic panels on the roof of Dwarka Sector 21 metro station were built with the cooperation with a German enterprise.
Merkel visited to the metro station is the last item on her itinerary before she leaves for home.
She arrived in New Delhi on Thursday night for the 5th Intergovernmental Consultations (IGC), which she co-chaired with PM Modi on Friday. The two sides inked over 20 agreements after holding talks.
The power generated by the 500-kWp 'Roof-Top Solar Power Plant' in the station is used to meet its requirements.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and the German government-owned not-for-profit enterprise GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit) set up the solar plant under the Renewable Energy Service (RESCO) model.
The Dwarka Sector 21 station is India's first-ever metro station to install a solar power plant. It was inaugurated by the then Union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu in August 2014.
Merkel, in her address after the IGC talks, said that India has been working to reduce its CO2 emissions, and has also raised its target of renewable energy, for which she congratulated the Indian government.
She also said Germany would be keen to cooperate with India in the field of sustainable development, like waste management, pure water and climate issues.
The five Declarations of Intent inked between India and Germany on Friday include cooperation in green urban mobility, and in the field of prevention of marine litter.
(With Inputs from IANS)
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