Barakhamba-Indraprastha metro to be launched tomorrow

New Delhi, Nov 10 (UNI) The annual India International Trade Fair (IIFT) could this year witness fewer 'parking blues' and less traffic chaos with the much-awaited Barakhamba-Indraprastha extension of line three of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation all set to begin operations tomorrow.

The stage is all set for opening of the 2.81 km Barakhamba Road-Indraprastha section, comprising the stations of Mandi House, Pragati Maidan and Indraprastha tomorrow, three days before the IITF begins on November 14, thus benefitting millions of people from all over Delhi who visit Pragati Maidan every year for the fair and other exhibitions.

''The Metro trains on the section will start operating from 1130 hours on November 11,'' a DMRC spokesperson told UNI.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had last month inspected the three stations of the section, an extension of the Barakhamba Road-Dwarka line of the Delhi Metro.

The section was given clearance by the Commissioner of railway safety earlier this week.

''The section has been undergoing trial runs and will be open for the people of Delhi just before the commencement of the India International Trade Fair,'' the spokesperson said.

Delhi Metro has also made special arrangements to facilitate the movement of visitors to the IITF. For example, the existing number of ten ticket operating machines on the Pragati maidan station will be increased to 16 on the days of the fair depending on the number of commuters.

Besides, the station has been equipped with 16 Automatic Fare collection gates and has two entries and exits.

A temporary walkway is also being constructed from behind the Pragati Maidan Metro station so that visitors can directly go up to Hall 12 of Pragati Maidan without having to use the busy Mathura Road. The walkway will be about 300-metre-long.

The starting of the stretch will also facilitate lakhs of officegoers from East Delhi areas who commute daily to their offices in and around Connaught Place. Further, many of the children have their schools in and around the Mandi House area.

Trains on the Barakhamba road-Indraprastha stretch will operate between 0600 hrs and 2200 hours daily like the trains on the Barakhamba Road-Dwarka section, the spokesperson said.

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