Metro heads in four new directions

Airport to Gurgaon, Faridabad to Badarpur, new links to Noida and Ghaziabad in Phase-III plans as DMRC fast-tracks connections

The Phase-III of Metro network might grow larger than its planned length of 103 km. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is considering adding four more lines to the Phase-III network, taking the length to 140 km.

On DMRC table are plans to link Gurgaon to IGI Airport via a 14-km line, Badarpur to YMCA Chowk in Faridabad via a 13.5-km line and a 3.5-km link between Kalindi Kunj and Botanical Garden in Noida.

A fourth line is proposed either from Vaishali or Dilshad Garden to connect to Ghaziabad.

“The Airport Express Line will be extended till Gurgaon as part of phase III. Commuters can reach the airport from the satellite city within 35 minutes. The link could be implemented through on a public-private partnership model,” said E Sreedharan, DMRC managing director, during the 17th Foundation Day ceremony of the DMRC on Tuesday.

Sources in DMRC said talks are on between the DMRC and the Haryana government over the Airport Metro extension. A detailed project report is being worked out; it will take 45 days to complete the surveys for location of stations. Metro is exploring two options — a high-speed link with fewer stations and normal Metro link with more stations between airport and the terminating point.

The line will start from the existing Dwarka Sector-21 station and the terminating point will either be HUDA City Center or IFFCO Chowk stations.

According to sources, Reliance Infrastructure, operator of Airport Metro line, might be considered for the upcoming project.

Sreedharan, however, said the terms and conditions for the link to Gurgaon will be the same as the existing Airport Line, if Reliance Infra agrees then negotiations will be done.

For Faridabad extension, approvals from the Empowered Committee of Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) have already been received and a final nod from group of Ministers is awaited. The elevated line will have eight stations between Badarpur and YMCA Chowk — Sarai, NHPC Chowk, Mewala Maharajpur, Sector-27A, Badkal Mor, Faridabad Old, Ajronda and Faridabad New Town.

Source: The Indian Express By Sweta Dutta Metro heads in four new directions