Longest underground stretch in Delhi Metro’s Phase 3 to be opened soon

The 10.16km-stretch between Kalkaji Mandir and Vasant Vihar will be the longest underground stretch in Phase 3 and the third longest stretch in the entire metro network (Phase 1, 2, and 3).

With the opening of the entire section of the Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line connecting Janakpuri West and Kalkaji Mandir, commuters from the national capital and NCR will be able to travel in one of the longest underground stretches of the Metro network.

Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line connects Janakpuri West and Kalkaji Mandir. (Virendra Singh Gosain/HT File Photo)

The 10.16km-stretch between Kalkaji Mandir and Vasant Vihar will be the longest underground stretch in Phase 3 and the third longest stretch in the entire metro network (Phase 1, 2, and 3).

This section, of the 25.6km line, has 10 stations and closely follows GTB Nagar-Saket section of Phase 2 (13.43kms) and Central Secretariat-Vishwavidyalaya section of Phase 1 (11kms), in the list of the Delhi Metro’s longest underground stretches.

Sources from the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) confirmed that the entire stretch of the Magenta Line is likely to be opened for public by mid-April. Work has been completed and the DMRC is awaiting safety clearances from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS).

A section of the line, between Kalkaji Mandir and Botanical Garden, was inaugurated in December last year.

A metro spokesperson said the underground stretch from Kalkaji Mandir to Vasant Vihar passed below the Outer Ring Road, which witnesses lakhs of vehicles daily. It passes through several densely populated residential and commercial hubs because of which its construction was a major challenge.

“The DMRC’s engineers closely monitored the movement of the tunnel boring machines on a round-the-clock basis. The tunnel also passes below the already operational metro tunnel of the Yellow Line at Hauz Khas, which was also an obstacle we had to overcome,” the Metro spokesperson said.

The coming of the entire line will make travel easier between west and south Delhi and will also reduce travel time to Noida, Gurgaon and Faridabad. The line also covers several residential areas such as RK Puram, Munirka, and Vasant Vihar, which was earlier devoid of metro connectivity.

This will also ease travel in heavily populated pockets such as Palam, Dabri, Dashrathpuri, and Mahavir Enclave.