E-Paper
Dwarka-Najafgarh metro line may be opened next month
New Delhi
New Delhi
Delhi Metro’s Grey Line, which connects Dwarka with Najafgarh, is likely to be thrown open for commuters by next month. The commissioner for rail safety (CMRS) will inspect the corridor on Wednesday to provide a final safety go-ahead before the opening.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said in a statement on Tuesday that CMRS Janak Kumar Garg will inspect the 4.29-km stretch between Dwarka and Najafgarh.
“After we get a safety clearance from the CMRS, we will be ready to open the line for passenger service,” said a Delhi Metro spokesperson.
The new section will for the first time put Najafgarh on the Delhi Metro map. The existing Dwarka station will be connected to the new station by an 80-metre passage from the old station on the Blue Line (between Dwarka Sector 21 and Noida Electronic City/Vaishali).
An additional parking facility has been provided outside the station, adhering to the multi-modal integration (MMI) model, to accommodate increased traffic in the area.
The Grey Line will be opened with three stations — Dwarka, Nangli, and Najafgarh. By 2020, DMRC will extend this line to Dhansa Bus Stop in Najafgarh, Metro officials said.
Apart from making an entry into the rural pockets, the Grey Line at Najafgarh will be the first train depot in the network to have both standard and broad gauges.
The standard gauge, which has a narrow track width compared to broad gauge, is considered a more advanced choice because it allows a low turning radius of trains and allows easy availability and higher quality of coaches.
“The Najafgarh Station is where the section’s depot will be. It will be the first depot in the network to have both broad and standard gauges,” a senior Metro official privy to construction work said.
