DMRC aims at 2 additional corridors by 2010

New Delhi, July 10: Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has submitted a proposal to the Delhi government to construct two additional metro corridors in the city before the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

It had been suggested to construct an 18.2 km long line from Central Secretariat in Central Delhi to Badarpur near the capital's border with Haryana in the South East, and another 10.4 km long line from Adarsh Nagar in North Delhi to Rajouri Garden in West Delhi, DMRC sources said.

The proposal came in response to Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit asking Delhi Metro to suggest more lines--in addition to the six lines being constructed under DMRC's phase II project--which could benefit people living in those parts that had so far not been connected with the metro network and which would be commercially viable and could be completed before the Commonwealth Games.

There had been a long standing demand for a metro line connecting Central Secretariat with Badarpur while the Adarsh Nagar-Rajouri Garden line would link the existing Line 2 (Viswavidyalaya-Central Secretariat) with Line 1 (Shahadra-Rithala) and Line 3 (Barakhamba-Dwarka).

Both the lines would be mostly elevated -- Central Secretariat- Badarpur 13 km and Adarsh Nagar-Rajouri Garden 8.4 km--and only a small portion would be underground.

The first line was expected to cost Rs 2,860 crore and the second Rs 1,510 crore. The state government, however, had not given its response to the proposal so far.

The Central Secretariat-Badarpur line was slated to pass through Defence Colony, Jangpura, Lajpat Nagar, East of Kailash, Nehru Place and Okhla Phase I and II.

The Adarsh Nagar-Rajouri Garden line was slated to run parallel to the Ring Road while passing by areas like Punjabi Bagh. It would link up with Line 2 at Adarsh Nagar, Line 1 at Netaji Subhash Place and Line 3 at Rajouri Garden. It would also connect the under construction Inder Lok-Mundka line at Shivaji Park.

The Central Secretariat-Badarpur line was originally conceptualised in the Mass Rapid Transport System Master Plan to be undertaken as part of Delhi Metro's phase III project.

DMRC's phase III had three mostly-elevated lines totaling 62.2 km. Besides the Central Secretariat-Badarpur line, it planned connecting Dwarka with Vasant Kunj via Delhi Airport, and a Rithala-Bawana line.

DMRC's phase IV had four mostly-elevated lines totaling 68.2 km.

It planned lines from Kakrola (Dwarka) Mor to Narela, Jhangirpuri to Sagarpur (Janak Puri) along the Outer Ring Road, Andheria Mor to Iffico Chowk (Haryana) that was now being taken up along with phase II, and Dilshad Garden to Nandnagari.

Meanwhile, Detailed Project Report for a two km-line in Ghaziabad had been prepared and submitted to Ghaziabad Development Authority.

The line would have two stations-- Kushambi and Vasundhara. It was proposed to complete the line by 2010.

However, an extension of metro alignment from Badarpur to Faridabad was not on the cards at the moment.

UNI