The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation is likely to open three new metro lines with a combined length of nearly 50 km marking the completion of the Metro’s Phase-III project. The 9.7 km Lajpat Nagar to Mayur Vihar Pocket 1 section of the 59 of the 59 km Pink Line will bring the heart of south Delhi and its popular markets such as Lajpat Nagar, Sarojini Nagar, South Extension and INA closer to east Delhi.
The opening of this section will nearly complete the Pink Line except for a 1.4 km missing link between Mayur Vihar Pocket 1 and Trilokpuri. The other two corridors are the 9.4 km Dilshad Garden – New Bus Adda extension of Red Line and 29.7 km Aqua Line of Noida Metro Rail Corporation- connecting Noida to Greater Noida.
Anuj Dayal, executive director (corporate communications), DRMC said that the trial runs on both of the Dilshad Garden to New Bus Adda section of Red Line and Lajpat Nagar to Mayur Vihar Pocket – 1 section of Pink Line are in progress. The metro lines will be operational after the inspection and clearance by commissioner of metro rail of metro rail safety (CMRS).
The Lajpat Nagar to Mayur Vihar Pocket-1 section of Pink Line is said to provide much needed connectivity to the Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station, the third busiest station in the city. Apart from Lajpat Nagar, this section will also have an interchange facility at Mayur Vihar 1, connecting the Pink and Blue lines.
The Dilshad Garden to New Bus Adda section of Red Line will be DMRC’s second foray into Ghaziabad and will also connect the interior parts of the city. Passing through Sahibabad Industrial Area, it will significantly impact residential areas in proximity.
For the Aqua Line of NMRC, commuters will have to change trains and buy separate tokens to use the two networks. Dayal exlplains, “DMRC’s operations and maintenance staff comprising around 100 officers and supervisors will provide intial support including training of the freshly recruited NMRC staff over the next one year, with a provision for future extension.”
The visitors and exhibitors travelling to India Expo Centre and Mart in Greater Noida from Indira Gandhi International Airport can take the metro from IGI Airport metro station, interchage at New Delhi metro station and again interchange at Rajiv Chowk metro station for Blue Line going towards Botanical Garden metro station.
IPAMA management has negotiated best rates with the service providers and have also signed agreements with them well in advance. The exhibitors and visitors will be provided complimentary AC bus service facility from Botanical Garden metro station to the exhibition ground, if the Greater Noida Metro Rail is not ready by 15 January 2019.
