Delhi’s biggest transport hub coming up at Sarai Kale Khan
Three high-speed trains connecting the airport to Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Panipat and Alwar; a metro station connecting the entire Delhi; a railway station and an interstate bus terminus — Sarai Kale Khan is going to be the biggest transport hub of Delhi.
Three high-speed trains connecting the airport to Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Panipat and Alwar; a metro station connecting the entire Delhi; a railway station and an interstate bus terminus — Sarai Kale Khan is going to be the biggest transport hub of Delhi.
The Delhi government has planned an Rs 550 crore makeover plan for the existing bus terminal with interchange facility for every mode of transport.
Facilitated with lifts, escalators, walkalators, foot overbridges and underpasses, all modes of transport will come under one roof. Currently, interstate buses and trains bound for Mumbai side operates from Sarai Kale Khan, which is next to the Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station. The metro station will be on line 7 of Delhi Metro connecting Mukundpur (Majlis Park) to Shiv Vihar.
“We are going to develop it as a major transport hub. This will be a one stop destination for the need of travellers within Delhi and outside Delhi too. A plan has been prepared, where commercial spaces like malls and food courts will be developed and all modes of transport will be interlinked,” said a transport department official.
Delhi government’s transport department has prepared the plan, but the public works department might execute the project. A discussion on this is currently on and the project will be completed in two years.
“Currently, there is haphazard movement of traffic. We want the UP-bound buses to start from here and the footfall will increase first after the operation of Delhi Metro in 2018 and then the operation of Delhi-Meerut high-speed rail corridor in 2023. We are developing it in a way so that it can handle over 10 lakh passengers every day,” the official added.
The underground metro station at Sarai Kale Khan will be operational by next year and will connect the commuters with almost every part of the capital.
“Interchange is our focus and future projects are kept in a mind while developing the area. We don’t want passengers to come out from one system to use another. Everything will be under one roof and even the ticketing system will be integrated. Our three lines will connect at Sarai Kale Khan. So for us, this is the main point,” said Vinay Kumar Singh, managing director of National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), which is executing the high-speed rail corridors.
The Delhi government will also develop the area around it, so that it is accessible from private and public modes of transport.
“A loop has been constructed at Barapullah exclusively for interstate buses, so that they don’t have to get stuck in jam. The new structure that will come up will be directly connected with the loop. To reduce congestion on the main ring road, another flyover will be constructed,” a PWD official said.
