All set for 20 lakh by 2010

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has set its eyes on 20 lakh passengers per day by 2010. The year would see the completion of phase II of its network.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has set its eyes on 20 lakh passengers per day by 2010. The year would see the completion of phase II of its network.

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At present, the Delhi metro — it saw a 24 per cent growth in ridership this year — is still among the last in the list of world’s cities that have the metro rail in terms of passenger ridership. Kuala Lumpur and Chicago are the only two cities that are behind Delhi.

The 292-km-long metro in Moscow has the highest ridership of 68 lakh passengers per day. It is followed by 214-km-long Paris line that sees 60 lakh passengers each day.

The Delhi metro plans to occupy the number one slot by the time it completes phase IV of the plan. Its ridership is, however, better than Munich and Stockholm in terms of average passengers traveling per kilometer per day.

“Delhi Metro was launched in 2002 and it is comparatively smaller in length. By 2010, the network of lines will be around 193 kms from the existing 85 kms,” said Anuj Dayal, the chief public relations officer of the DMRC.

Dayal said the DMRC also plans to add 616 more coaches to the existing strength of 280 coaches. “We would also launch six-coach trains at some of the busiest lines,” he said.