Delhi Metro on Thursday said that the trials and testing on the 12.64 kilometre long Kalkaji Mandir-Botanical Garden section of Phase 3 has been successfully completed. “Most of the mandatory clearances required for inviting the Commissioner for Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) to inspect including Fire Safety Clearance, license for Working lifts, Preliminary Independent Safety Assessment (ISA) Reports for Signalling and Platform Screen Doors, clearances from the Department of Telecommunications etc have been received by DMRC,” said the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) spokesperson.

The official said that the papers submitted to the Commissioner for scrutiny and detailed examination are under submission. After these are cross checked, examined and scrutinized in depth by the office of CMRS, further action is expected.

“This section will also be Delhi Metro’s first ever corridor to be operated using the Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) signalling technology which will facilitate movement of trains with a frequency of 90 to 100 seconds. With the opening of this section, the people of NOIDA will get additional connectivity to south Delhi,” said the official.

Currently for travelling to south Delhi areas, they have to change trains at Mandi House (from Blue line to Violet line). However, with this new section, they will be able to travel directly to Kalkaji Mandir and save on travelling time. Botanical Garden has been developed as NCR’s first ever interchange station.

Once the entire corridor from Botanical Garden till Janakpuri West (38.23 kms) is opened, commuters from NOIDA will be able to go to Gurugram by changing trains at Hauz Khas. This will help immensely in decongesting Rajiv Chowk, which is currently the interchange point for travellers between NOIDA and Gurugram.

The Botanical Garden-Kalkaji Mandir section has nine stations — Kalkaji Mandir, Okhla NSIC, Sukhdev Vihar, Jamia Milia Islamia, Jasola Vihar Shaheen Bagh, Kalindi Kunj, Okhla Bird Sanctuary and Botanical Garden. While Kalkaji Mandir is underground, all other stations are elevated. The section will also cater to two major educational institutions — Jamia Milia Islamia University and Amity University, NOIDA and a major super speciality hospital — Fortis Escorts Heart Institute.

On this section, Delhi Metro’s third bridge over the river Yamuna has come up at Kalindi Kunj between the Kalindi Kunj and Okhla Bird Sanctuary stations. It is a 574 metre long bridge with 14 spans (41 metres each) and 15 piers. It has come up about 85 metres downstream of the existing Okhla bridge over the river Yamuna.