To improve connectivity to the outer regions of the national capital, the Delhi government has approved the fourth phase of the Delhi Metro – a move that could boost real estate development and prices along its corridor.
Construction on the fourth phase that comprises six lines will start in 2017 and is scheduled to end in three years. After the completion of Phase IV, the total length of the metro corridor in the city will cross the 450-km mark. The project will cost 55,000 crore and is expecting to see 1.5 million commuters daily. The length of the currently operational corridors is around 213 km and phase III will add another 140 km to it by the end of this year.
These lines, in addition with the 140 kilometres of Metro network added in Phase III, are expected to free up traffic bottlenecks in the congested central and south parts of the city and help passengers from outer Delhi.
The new phase will benefit south Delhi as residents will have the option of taking the Metro to go to the airport and other localities.
The DMRC originally proposed to build a 20-km-long corridor between the existing Aerocity and Tughlakabad metro stations but has now extended it to Terminal 1 station.The line will go through densely populated areas such as Sangam Vihar, Saket, Mehrauli, Vasant Kunj and Mahipalpur of south Delhi.
A senior official said that the government has cleared the original ‘Detailed Project Report’ prepared by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) despite demands by a few MLAs for bringing about minor tweaks in the route.
“In the meeting, some changes were proposed but the project has been approved in its original form. The construction will start next year and is scheduled to end within three years,” he said.
Earlier this month, a team of DMRC had made a presentation on the six proposed lines before Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The proposed lines are expected to add around 105 km to the metro network and make the airport more accessible for south Delhi residents.
The proposed corridors:
Rithala – Narela – (21.73km)
Stations: Rohini Sector 26, Rohini Sector 31, Rohini Sector 32, Rohini Sector 36, Rohini Sector 37, Barwala, Put Khurd, Bawana Industrial Area – 1, Bawana Industrial Area – 2, Bawana, Bawana JJ Colony, Sanpath, New Sanath Colony, Anaj Mandi and Narela
Inderlok – Indraprastha – (12.57km)
Stations: Dayabasti, Sarai Rohilla, Ahmal Khan Park, Nabi Karim, New Delhi Delhi, LNJP Hospital, Delhi Gate, IG Stadium and Indraprastha
Tughlakabad – Terminal 1(22.20 km)
Stations: Tughlakabad, Tughlakabad Railway Colony, Anandmayee Marg Junction, Tigri, Khanpur, Ambedkar Nagar, Saket G Block, Saket, Lado Sarai, Mehrauli, Kishangar, Masoodpur, Vasant Kunj (Sec-D), Mahipalpur and Delhi Aerocity
Lajpat Nagar – Saket G-Block – (7.96 km)
Stations: Saket-G Block, Sheikh Sarai, Chirag Delhi, GK-1, Andrews Ganj, Lajpat Nagar
Janakpuri (west)- RK Ashram- (28.92km)
Stations: Krishna Park Extn, Keshpur, Meera Bagh, Paschim Vihar, Peeragarhi Chowk, Peergarhi, Mangolpuri, West Enclave, Deepali Chowk, Madhuban Chowk, Rohini East, Prashant Vihar , North Pitampura, Haiderpur, Mukarba Chowk, Bhalaswa, Majlis Park, Azadpur, Ashok Vihar, Derawal Nagar, Rajpura, GG Sabji Mandi, Pulbangash, Sadar Bazar, Nabi Karim and RK Ashram Marg
Mukundpur-Maujpur – (12.54 km)
Stations: Burari Crossing, Jagatpur Village, Surghat, Khajuri Khas, Bhajanpura, Yamuna Vihar and Maujpur
The government had earlier written to the DMRC, stating that it would prefer the revenue sharing model adopted in the construction of the previous metro phases.