New Year boost for commuters: Centre announces 13 new metro stations in Delhi | Check details
The project will be funded by the Centre, the Delhi government and international funding agencies, and is expected to be completed within three years. With this expansion, the Delhi Metro network will exceed 400 km.
New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Delhi Metro Phase V(A) project, clearing three new corridors spanning 16.076 km at an estimated cost of Rs 12,014.91 crore, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said.
The project will be funded by the Centre, the Delhi government and international funding agencies, and is expected to be completed within three years. With this expansion, the Delhi Metro network will exceed 400 km.
The three corridors approved are
- Ramakrishna Ashram Marg to Indraprastha (9.913 km)
- Aerocity to Indira Gandhi Domestic Airport Terminal 1 (2.263 km)
- Tughlakabad to Kalindi Kunj (3.9 km)
The Phase V(A) project will include 13 stations, of which 10 will be underground and three elevated, Vaishnaw said.
Reacting to the Cabinet decision, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the expansion would give a major boost to Delhi's infrastructure. "Cabinet's approval for three new corridors as part of Delhi Metro’s Phase V(A) project will expand our capital's metro network, boost ease of living and reduce congestion," he said in a post on X.
Expansion expected to improve airport connectivity
According to the government, the Central Vista corridor will provide direct metro connectivity to Kartavya Bhavan, benefiting around 60,000 office-goers and nearly two lakh visitors daily. The expansion is also expected to improve airport connectivity, particularly linking south Delhi with IGI Airport's Terminal 1 via areas such as Saket, Chhatarpur and Kalindi Kunj.
The government said the metro expansion would play a key role in addressing Delhi's pollution challenge by reducing dependence on private vehicles. The project is expected to cut carbon dioxide emissions by around 33,000 tonnes annually.
65 lakh passenger journeys per day on average
At present, the Delhi Metro operates 12 lines covering nearly 395 km with 289 stations across Delhi and the National Capital Region. The system caters to an average of 65 lakh passenger journeys per day, with a record 81.87 lakh rides logged on August 8, 2025.
Meanwhile, construction work on Phase IV, comprising 111 km and 83 stations, is underway. Officials said over 80 per cent of civil construction on the three priority corridors has been completed, with the phase likely to be commissioned in stages by December 2026.
India currently has the third-largest metro network in the world, after China and the United States, with metro systems across the country recording an average daily ridership of around 1.15 crore passengers.