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New Delhi: People living in Delhi-NCR can expect big improvements in travel soon. Two important transport projects are likely to open around September 17, which is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday. One is the 82km-long Namo Bharat RRTS route from Delhi to Meerut through Ghaziabad. The other is a 12.3km extension of the Metro’s Pink Line between Majlis Park and Maujpur.
The Pink Line extension will complete the entire circular route, making it one of the longest Metro corridors run by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). Out of the 82km Namo Bharat corridor, 55km is already working. This part has 11 stations and connects New Ashok Nagar to Meerut South.
The test runs on the rest of the route were finished last month. Right now, Namo Bharat trains come every 15 minutes. Once the full corridor starts, trains will arrive every 10 minutes.
An official from the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), which is in charge of the project, said: “The whole route is ready and will open soon. Currently, trains go only up to Meerut South, which is near the border of the city. But the last station, Modipuram, is in the main city and will make travel easier. It will take just 58 minutes to go from Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi to Modipuram in Meerut.”
Out of the three stations in Delhi, Anand Vihar and New Ashok Nagar are already open. The third one, Sarai Kale Khan, will also start working soon. This station will become an important travel point because it will connect the Metro (Pink Line), Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station, Veer Haqeeqat Rai ISBT, and city buses.
In the same way, the Majlis Park–Maujpur line, part of DMRC’s Phase IV, is expected to open this month. This is the first corridor in this phase.
The current Pink Line, which runs from Majlis Park to Shiv Vihar, is already the longest in DMRC’s system. It is over 59.2km long and has 38 stations. The new extension will add eight more stations and make a full loop.
Two special features on this new stretch — a Yamuna bridge and a double-decker track — are also finished. The 1.4km-long double-decker structure between Bhajanpura and Yamuna Vihar will change how northeast Delhi looks. The Metro will run on the top level, while regular vehicles will use the lower level.
A report by TOI had earlier said that the Metro would cross the Yamuna river for the fifth time with this new bridge connecting Soorghat and Sonia Vihar. This is one of the 25 bridges along the 22km stretch of the Yamuna from Wazirabad barrage to Okhla barrage.
All eight stations on the Majlis Park–Maujpur line — Burari, Jharoda Majra, Jagatpur Village, Soorghat, Sonia Vihar, Khajuri Khas, Bhajanpura, and Yamuna Vihar — will be built above the ground.
Under Phase IV, work is going on for three important Metro lines: RK Ashram Marg to Janakpuri West (Magenta Line extension), Aerocity to Tughlaqabad (new Golden Line), and Majlis Park to Maujpur.
Also, last year, three more new lines were approved for Phase IV. These are: Lajpat Nagar to Saket G Block (Golden Line extension), Inderlok to Indraprastha (Green Line extension), and Rithala to Narela and Kundli (Red Line extension).
Altogether, DMRC is building around 112km of new Metro lines under Phase IV in Delhi. The first part of this phase — the Janakpuri West to Krishna Park Extension on the Janakpuri West–RK Ashram line — opened for passengers on January 5 this year.
