Metro to run inside Dwarka from tomorrow

New Delhi, Mar 31 (UNI) The Delhi Metro Rail is all set to run inside Dwarka from tomorrow with the the formal inauguration today of the extension of the Barakhamba Road-Dwarka line within Dwarka sub-city.

The Metro services in the Dwarka sub-city were inaugurated by Outer Delhi MP Sajjan Kumar by flagging off the inaugural train on the 6.5 extension.

Trains on the Barakhamba Road-Dwarka line, which only run till the outskirts of Dwarka to date, would now also pass through sectors 14, 13, 12, 11, 10 and 9 in the sub-city, fulfilling the long-cherished dream of the people of a faster mode of transport to reach the centre of the city.

Present on the occasion of the inaugural run of the Metro on the stretch were managing director of the DMRC E Shreedharan, Mr Mahabal Misra, MLA and member DDA, DDA Vice Chairman Dinesh Rai and other senior officers of the DDA and the DMRC.

The opening of the 6.5 km stretch will give the inhabitants, of one of the Delhi's biggest residential colonies an access to a proper and fast mode of transport to the heart of the Capital.

With the starting of the extension, the total length of the Delhi Metro will go upto 62 Kms.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Sajjan Kumar, thanking the Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy, Delhi government and the DMRC for bringing the Metro to Dwarka, said the operationalisation of the Metro extension to Sector 9 would benefit lakhs of residents of the area who earlier had to travel the long distance to Connaught place on their own vehicles, negotiating huge traffic jams on the way.

A ride from Dwarka Sector 9 to Barakhamba Road is likely to take just over 50 minutes (54 minutes to be precise), much less than the commuting time by a bus, DMRC spokesperson Anuj Dayal said.

With the extension of the line, DMRC's ridership is expected to increase by about 20,000-25,000 a day.

A unique feature of the Metro stations in the Dwarka sub-city is that the stations are just 6.7 m high, compared to the 12-12.5 m height on other elevated sections.

Initially the frequency of Metro trains to the sub-city will be every ten minutes. However, as the ridership level rises the frequency would be increased, the spokesperson said.

Interestingly, the 6.5 km stretch from Dwarka Sector 14 to Sector 9 is that the construction work on it has been completed in a record time of 22 months.

Mr Sajjan Kumar said the total cost of the section was Rs 479 crore of which the Delhi Development Authority has provided about Rs 320 crore for the construction of the Metro stations -- cost of infrastructure, civil, electrical and signalling and telecommunication work -- while the cost of the rolling stock, such as trains is being borne by the Delhi Metro Railway Corporation on its own.

Mr Kumar said that it was for the first time that the DDA had granted such a huge amount to facilitate smooth travelling by the residents of the area.

He said that work was also set to begin on further extension of the Metro beyond Sector 9, to Dwarka Sector 22, towards the international airport.

''The DDA is providing Rs 275 crore to the DMRC for the purpose,''he said.

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