Tripartite meet to clear lojam

The delay over the opening of 23-km Delhi Metro Airport Express Line is going to be over with the intervention of the Union Home Ministry. The Express Line, which has already missed many deadlines, is likely to be opened, at least partially, within a week.

The delay over the opening of 23-km Delhi Metro Airport Express Line is going to be over with the intervention of the Union Home Ministry. The Express Line, which has already missed many deadlines, is likely to be opened, at least partially, within a week.

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Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is likely to hold a tripartite meeting with the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and the concessionaire company, Delhi Airport Metro Express Pvt Ltd (DAMEPL) within a couple of days to clear the logjam over long-pending security issues, said MHA sources.

“About 10 days ago, the MHA had issued an order, asking the CISF to make necessary security arrangements in association with the private security guards of DAMEPL. Both the parties are holding talks to work out modalities. Once the security matter is resolved the line will be thrown open for public immediately,” said Mangu Singh, director (works), Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.

“This is a welcome move. We have been requesting the government to call a meeting with all concerned parties at the earliest,” said a DAMEPL spokesperson. Sources said the line will be opened immediately after settlement of security issues. It is now over three weeks since the DAMEPL got a safety nod from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety RK Kardam.

But despite promises made earlier by the DAMEPL to open the line immediately after receiving the CMRS nod, it failed to kickstart the service so far mainly due to issues related to security.

According to sources, the line will be initially operational in four stations — New Delhi, Shivaji Stadium, IGI Airport and Dwarka Sector 21, while Dhaula Kuan and NH-8 stations — will be added to the line later. HTC