Just walk across to change Metro
Once the Badarpur-Central Secretariat line becomes operational, Metro commuters wouldn't have to change levels at Central Secretariat to change trains.
Once the Badarpur-Central Secretariat line becomes operational, Metro commuters wouldn't have to change levels at Central Secretariat to change trains.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is constructing an additional station next to the existing one. Commuters wanting to take the new line would not have to climb up or down to change trains --- they would just have to walk across the platform.
Separated from the existing station by just a boundary wall, the DMRC is constructing an additional station without disrupting the daily operations at Central Secretariat station.
The expanded station would have two interconnections --- one each on the north and south side to facilitate same-level change of lines.
DMRC spokesperson Anuj Dayal said: "This will be for the first time in Delhi Metro that the interchange facility and passenger connectivity will be provided for commuters both at the concourse and platform level in any underground station of Delhi Metro."
“The underground work at the site was quite challenging for the engineers as they had to excavate 17-metre deep tunnels that run beneath the VIP zone, with heavy traffic on Rafi Marg," said Kumar Keshav, Director (Project) of DMRC.
Keshav said that they are yet to cut a 35-metre long section of the operating station's main wall. The engineers have projected 105 tonne/metre load that has to be supported once the wall section is taken out.
"This was a big challenge as the entire depth --- from the roof slab to the base slab --- has to be supported inside the wall in the existing station before cutting the wall for interconnection," said a DMRC engineer working at the site.