The Delhi Metro on Tuesday said that the 25.6 km Janakpuri West-Kalkaji Mandir section of the Magenta line will be inspected by the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) from May 8 to 10. In December last year, the Botanical Garden-Kalkaji Mandir section was thrown open to the public, reducing travel time from Noida to South Delhi to 19 minutes.
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Executive Director Anuj Dayal said, "Out of the 38.235 km long Janakpuri West-Botanical Garden corridor, a section of 12.64 kilometres from Botanical Garden to Kalkaji Mandir was thrown open to public last year in December. This section has 16 stations, including two interchange stations- Hauz Khas and Janakpuri West."
The 25.6 km section will include Nehru Enclave, Greater Kailash, Chirag Delhi, Panscheel Park, IIT, Hauz Khas, RK Puram, Munirka, Vasant Vihar, Terminal 1 IGI Airport, Sadar Bazaar Cantonnment, Palam, Dashrath Puri, Dabri Mor and Janakpuri West metro stations.
The Pioneer on May 1 carried the story on how once the section opens up for the public, the Greater Kailash and Chirag Delhi stations will cause traffic bottlenecks.
The Chirag Delhi station located near the busy Chirag Dilli intersection on now defunct Bus Rapid Transit Corridor is just 500 metres from the Greater Kailash metro station. Entrances to both are situated on these main arterial roads.
"This is the first time that two metro stations have been built in such close proximity," said a Delhi Metro official.
A visit by the reporter to these two stations last week found that the Metro authorities do not seem to have factored in the possible chaos due to vehicles slowing down and stopping at these metro stations on main roads. In fact, the Delhi Traffic Police had submitted their assessment on the choke points likely to be caused if the Metro stations are made operational, but their observation seems to have been ignored.
locals said once these two Metro stations become operational, it will be a nightmare for them to step out. Obviously, no lessons have been learnt from the traffic chaos caused outside existing Metro stations like Kailash Colony and Moolchand which result in congestion due to auto-rickshaws, cabs and private vehicles parked outside these stations, they said, adding terrible traffic snarls are expected at the upcoming Chirag Delhi and Greater Kailash Metro stations.
Talking about the entire Botanical Garden- Janakpuri West line, a senior DMRC official said, "This line will have many firsts to its credit. For the first time in India, trains will run unattended. The platform screen doors (PSDs) are being used here for the first time"
"The Magenta line will be the first line to run on the CBTC technology (auto mode). The trains will run under the supervision of a driver for at least two years before running on the auto mode," he added.
The PSDs are glass-made screens installed near the edge of platforms that open only when a train arrives and shut after it departs. They are installed to enhance commuter safety.
"Besides, a new-age technology, Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) signalling technology will be used that can facilitate movement of trains with a frequency of 90 to 100 seconds will also be pressed into service," said the official. Initially trains will operate with the frequency of five minutes and 14 seconds on this section.