Smaller trains, route for Central Vista Metro link

The project aims to cater to people travelling to the offices being built along Rajpath, now remanned as Kartavya Path, as part of the Central Vista project.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has appointed a design consultant for the underground loop transit system that will connect the government offices being built along the Central Vista, officials said. It has also submitted a draft detailed project report to the Central Public Works Department, they said.

A glimpse of the redevelopment of Central Vista Avenue. (PTI)

“The detailed design consultant for the underground metro project at Central Vista has now been appointed,” said Anuj Dayal, principal executive director, corporate communication at DMRC.

The 2.65km loop line with four stations will have smaller trains connected to the existing Central Secretariat Metro station. Delhi Metro will plan and execute the underground system and CPWD will build the civil infrastructure, according to an agreement signed on February 28.

The project aims to cater to people travelling to the offices being built along Rajpath, now renamed as Kartavya Path, as part of the Central Vista project. A peak footfall of 20,000 passenger per hour is expected on the line.

A timeline to execute the project is yet to be released, officials said. Once the project report is approved, the station names and a deadline can be fixed, they said, seeking anonymity.

The project is likely to use an automated people mover, a type of small-scale automated transit system. The number of coaches utilised for this is likely to be 3-4 as opposed to the conventional 6-8 coaches used on the conventional metro lines.

Unlike conventional Metro stations, exits from these four stations are likely to provide direct access to office buildings, using either escalators, staircases or walkways. While it primarily aimed at office-goers, anyone can access these stations and enter the buildings with a valid ID or reason, said officials. At present, there are no restrictions on anyone, added officials.

The Central Secretariat Metro station is an interchange station that connects the Yellow Line (Samaypur Badli-Huda City Centre) to the Violet Line (Kashmere Gate-Raja Nahar Singh).

A Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) spokesperson said under the current setup, it will also provide manpower support with technical expertise to CPWD during the design phase.

“After handing over the site to DMRC by CPWD, DMRC shall execute all the remaining works such as electrical and mechanical (E&M), traction work, overhead equipment, depot construction and rolling stock among others. This new underground metro system will be operated and maintained by DMRC,” the spokesperson said.

This new underground corridor is being built in addition to the three new Metro corridors that have been approved under Phase IV of the Delhi Metro expansion.

This includes the Janakpuri West – RK Ashram Marg extension of the Magenta Line, the Mukundpur – Maujpur extension of the Pink Line and new Silver Line corridor from Aerocity to Tughlakabad.

As part of the Phase IV expansion of the Delhi Metro, DMRC is constructing 65.2km of new lines across these three corridors with 46 new Metro stations. All these corridors under this phase of the Metro expansion will be completed by September 2025.