DMRC asks Haryana to pick one of two proposed Gurgaon lines, residents want both

Both lines originate from Huda City Centre and while one goes towards Gurgaon railway station, the other towards Dwarka Sector 21.

The Haryana government is contemplating which routes to select from the two options recommended by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to provide connectivity to more parts of Gurgaon.

Gurgaon, India - Oct. 29, 2017: A general view of Delhi Metro Rail, in Gurgaon, India, on Sunday, October 29, 2017. (Photo by Sanjeev Verma/ Hindustan Times) (Sanjeev Verma/HT PHOTO)

In a feasibility report submitted for the creation of a new metro route, the DMRC has suggested two routes — both originate from Huda City Centre and while one goes towards Gurgaon railway station and the other towards Dwarka Sector 21.

Residents, however, have demanded that they need both lines to have a seamless commuting option that covers most parts of Gurgaon.

Both lines will cover areas on the west side of the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway such as such as sector 45, 46, 47 and Subhash Chowk, which are not covered by the existing yellow line of the DMRC and the Rapid Metro network.

Beyond Subhash Chowk, the routes take different paths. The roughly 12km railway station line would cover areas in Rajiv Chowk, Civil Lines, Roshanpura, and Sector 4/5. These areas are are bereft of metro connectivity. Commuters here depend on the city bus service, unmetered autorickshaws and aggregator-based cabs.

“While I understand old Gurgaon does not have adequate public transport facilities, the 12km line will only assist us in travelling to parts within Gurgaon. The line to Dwarka is also needed as it will give us easier access to parts of west and northwest Delhi as well as central Delhi through the Airport Express Line instead of existing options that are more time consuming,” Bhanu Sharma, a resident of Civil Lines said.

With the line covering areas that have no public transport facilities, residents want this line to be integrated with the other.

“Areas such as Hero Honda Chowk, Basai, Dhankot get covered by the Dwarka line. In these areas, if you do not have a private vehicle, then you have a tough time as cab and auto-rickshaw drivers refuse to ply there. Hence, it is vital that these areas are not only connected to Dwarka but are well connected within Gurgaon through the other railway station line,” Vijay Rohilla, a resident of sector 37 said.

For travel between Dwarka and Gurgaon, there are two buses of Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) that only operated till Iffco Chowk and are infrequent.

In addition, without direct metro connectivity, one can only take the Delhi Metro yellow line and get off at either the Rajiv Chowk or New Delhi railway stations to change to the blue line or the Airport Express Line, respectively, to reach Dwarka. The total travel time is in excess of 100 minutes.

“As a salesman, I travel to various parts of Gurgaon on my motorcycle, in the absence of a public transport service. A metro link that not only provides a link between Dwarka and Gurgaon but also covers interior areas of Gurgaon will help save time and ensure safety,” Amit Bhardwaj, a resident of Sector 3 Dwarka, said.

Officials reiterated that the decision on the route rests with the Haryana Mass Rapid Corporation (HMRC).

“The DMRC has prepared both feasibility reports as it have been roped in as consultants for the project. The HMRC will be undertaking the project and will decide upon which route is more feasible,” V Umashankar, additional chief executive, Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority, said.