Dilshad Garden to Ghaziabad New Bus Adda Metro line gets safety approval

Officials of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said this was the final clearance required for passenger operations on the 9.41km network to commence passenger operations.

The 9.4-km metro link between Dilshad Garden to New Bus Adda (earlier New Bus Stand) received required approvals to commence passenger operations, on Wednesday.

The Dilshad Garden-New Bus Adda Metro line is an extension of the Red Line of the Delhi Metro. (Sakib Ali / HT Photo)

The Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) completed safety trials to the line, which is an extension of the Red Line of the Delhi Metro.

Officials of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said this was the final clearance required for passenger operations on the 9.41km network.

The route is on an elevated section with eight stations — at Shaheed Nagar, Raj Bagh, Rajendra Nagar, Shyam Park, Mohan Nagar, Arthala and New Bus Adda.

“The CMRS has given the final clearance for the Metro line. We will soon decide a date for inaugurations. After this, operations can start. There were no major objections from the CMRS and the minor suggestions they had will be incorporated soon,” a DMRC spokesperson said.

“This section will benefit the people of Ghaziabad immensely and connect the satellite city with national capital. Passenger services on the section will be started soon after meeting all necessary compliances and completing all formalities,” the spokesperson said.

Trial runs for the project started in August 2018, and it was cleared by the Public Investment Board on January 11. Later, the Union cabinet cleared the project on January 23 and approved the Centre’s grant of ₹324.87 towards the project.

The total cost of the project is pegged at ₹1781.21 crore, with shares from the Centre, state agencies, and the DMRC towards the rolling stock. The broadgauge route has the capacity to run trains with up to eight coaches.

The 9.41km section is an extension of the 25.09km-long Rithala to Dilshad Garden Red Line, with 21 stations. After the opening of the 9.41km section, the DMRC will have a 336.5-km network with 244 metro stations.

The 9.41km route is the second under the DMRC’S network in Ghaziabad. The 2.57km route, from Anand Vihar to Vaishali, was the first Metro route in the city and has been operational since July 2011.