Barakhamba-Indraprastha section of DMRC delayed, to open by Oct end

New Delhi, Aug 10 (UNI) Even as the residents of East Delhi await the opening of the Barakhamba-Indraprastha extention of the line of the Delhi Metro, some complexities involved in construction of a bridge over the railway line at Pragati Maidan have pushed back the opening date of the section by a month, from September to October end.

DMRC sources said the main reason for the delay was the time required for the construction of the "extra dozed bridge" to connect the metro network between Pragati Maidan and I P estate, the last metro station on the 2.8 km stretch which will have three stations- Mandi House, Pragati Maidan and I P Estate.

This is only the second bridge of its kind being made over a railway crossing for MRTS, the first having been already built in Japan.

DMRC sources said what had led to the delay was the refusal of the railway authorities to allow construction of piers along the Pragati Maidan railway crossing on which the 93 m span over the railway crossing was supposed to rest.

This had forced the DMRC authorities to go for a more complicated 94 m viaduct over the railway crossing without any piers, the construction of which would involve a longer time.

The sources, however, said the contsruction of the bridge would be complete by the first or second week of October, making it possible for them to open the stretch by the last week of October.

''In any case, the stretch will be ready in time for the annual India International trade fair in November,'' they said.

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