Delhi Metro’s Airport Express Line extension to be ready by 2021

The corridor, which currently connects New Delhi railway station with Dwarka Sector-21, will add another stop to the line, linking it to the upcoming exhibition-cum-convention centre.

The work for the 1.7-km extension of the Airport Express Line into the interior pockets of Dwarka is in full swing and once completed, it will provide better and faster connectivity between central and southwest Delhi, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said.

File photo of Delhi Metro’s Airport Express Metro Line. (HT Photo)

The corridor, which currently connects New Delhi railway station with Dwarka Sector-21, will add another stop to the line, linking it to the upcoming exhibition-cum-convention centre.

Senior officials said that though the work for the station though had begun by mid-2018, it has gained momentum in the last fortnight and is expected to be completed by 2021 and operationalised by early 2022.

“An underground station is planned inside the ECC Centre complex, which will be connected with a subway. ‘Cut and cover’ method is being used for the subway construction,” a DMRC spokesperson said.

Under the cut and cover method a section is first excavated and then covered with an overhead support system.

The official said that with the extension, the Airport Express Line will be 24.4 km long.

Neighbouring areas such Bharthal, Bamnoli and Pochanpur villages will also have convenient commute with the opening of this extension. At present, residents of these areas rely on shared and feeder services to commute.

Metro officials said that the attendance at the convention centre, which promises facilities to host large-scale seminars, meetings and exhibitions, is also expected to boost the ridership of the line. In fact, in September last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken the Airport Express Line to inaugurate the convention centre.

The journey from Dhaula Kuan to Dwarka took him merely 18 minutes to cover, officials said.