Delhi Metro Phase - III

DMRC plans east-south link, Phase III proposal includs Ghazipur-Dhula Kuan and Noida-NH-8 lines
If all goes well, there will be a Metro link between Ghazipur and Dhaula Kuan by 2015. The proposed route is part of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation's (DMRC) Phase III plan, sent to the Delhi government for approval.
Other highlights of the Phase III plan are a link between Noida's Sector 18 and National Highway 8, and an additional line between Central Secretariat and Kashmere Gate.

Senior DMRC officials said the corporation had prepared an initial plan of 85 km for Phase III. Construction for this phase will start by the end of 2010. To be completed by 2015, the additional network is expected to cost Rs 23,000 crore.

"Our hands are currently full with the 128 km of Phase II projects but we have definitely started planning for Phase III," said DMRC Managing Director E Sreedharan.

Other Phase III routes include a line connecting Ashoka Park and New Delhi Railway Station through the congested areas of Karol Bagh and Paharganj; extension of the Vishwavidyalaya-Jehangirpuri line to Badli; a new route between Shiv Vihar (near Yamuna Vihar in northeast Delhi) to Yamuna Bank; and yet another route in northwest Delhi from Mukundpur to Shivaji Park via Adarsh Nagar and Netaji Subhash Palace.

Keeping in mind the congestion on the Central Secretariat-Kashmere Gate section, DMRC has proposed another line between the two stations via a different route. DMRC sources said this line might touch areas like ITO and Daryaganj. "The actual alignment will be decided only after its approval," said a DMRC official.

NEW COACHES TO DECONGEST METRO


NO CROWDING Delhi Metro will roll out a new set of trains to decongest its network by June 2009. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation managing director E. Sreedharan said the new coaches would start arriving from March 2009 and start running after three months of trials.

NEW TRAINS 131 new trains of four and six coaches will be added to its rolling stock.

COFFEE BREAK Sreedharan was speaking at the release of Delhi Metro's coffee-table book titled A journey to remember. The 94-page book contains over 50 photographs, some of which have historical value, and chronicles the Metro's history.

"These routes have been proposed keeping in mind the convenience of commuters. All these routes have many interchanges. For example, the Ghazipur-Dhaula Kuna line will have interchange facilities at Mayur Vihar (Yamuna Bank-Noida line), Lajpat Nagar (Central Secretariat-Badarpur line) and AIIMS (Central Secretariat-Gurgaon line). These interchanges will help commuters travel faster across the city," DMRC spokesperson Anuj Dayal said.
Senior DMRC officials said the routes for Phase III had been decided after several rounds of meetings within the corporation. "It is now up to the Delhi government to either approve the routes which we have proposed or make changes to the plan. Once the Delhi government gives its approval, we will start working on the detailed project report," Dayal said.

DMRC has proposed extension of its network on two sections in Ghaziabad. It has asked Ghaziabad Development Authority to deposit Rs 60 lakh for the preparation of a detailed project report of the Metro extension up to Indirapuram. The Anand Vihar-Kashmere Gate ISBT line will be extended by 6 km beyond Vaishali, up to Indirapuram.

"We had also prepared a DPR for the extension of the Rithala-Dilshad Garden line up to the new bus terminal in Ghaziabad. But GDA wants us to update and upgrade the DPR for that 9 km section. We have asked GDA to deposit Rs 20 lakh for this," said Dayal.