Rapid Metro phase 2 trial run begins, no clarity on deadline yet
The the trial run of phase 2 of the Rapid Metro has started on Golf Course Road and residents can hope that the south extension will soon be added to the scarce public transport network of the city.
The trial run of phase 2 of the Rapid Metro has started on Golf Course Road and residents can hope that the south extension will soon be added to the scarce public transport network of the city.
However, the promotors of this privately funded metro service, which is a first in the country, are silent about the tentative launch dates of phase 2 operations.
The metro service will have five stations at DLF Phase I, Sushant Lok, Sectors 53/54, AIT Chowk and Sectors 55/56. The termination point will be Sikandarpur — an interchange station with the yellow line (Jahangirpuri to Huda City Centre) of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).
Gurgaon is notorious for its public transport services because of the lack of quality and safety. Haryana Roadways serveices are inadequate and the DMRC has only five metro stations — Guru Dronocharya, Sikanderpur, MG Road, Iffco Chowk, and Huda City Centre —in the Gurgaon. As a result, residents prefer to use private vehicles and cab services, often leading to massive jams in
the city.
The trial runs are being conducted on the 6.7-kilometre-long second phase between 8 pm and 4 am since November-end, sources said.
“The key milestones have been achieved —the track work completed, power system energised and train trials commenced. We are now in the final stages of the project. The process of securing requisite approvals to commence commercial operations at the earliest have been initiated,” an official spokesperson of the Rapid Metro said.
The work on station entries and roofing are also being completed. After the trials and construction work are completed, the metro officials would require a clearance certificate from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS).
However, Rapid Metro officials did not respond about the about the deadline of the project. The metro officials have already extended the deadlines twice. The officials had earlier quoted the deadline as mid-2016 to September 2016.
Phase 1 of the Rapid Metro has six stations at Sikanderpur, DLF Phase 2, Belvedere Towers, Cyber City, Phase 3 and Moulsari Avenue.
While the private service expected a daily ridership of over a lakh, it has not been able to catch up with its expectations as the current daily ridership is 35,000 to 40,000.
Rapid Metro officials said the extended service will boost the ridership as the second phase passes through a heavily populated area with corporate firms and residential sectors.