Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has sent a revised detailed project reports (DPRs) of three corridors for the fourth phase of metro project to the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and Delhi Government for approval. The corridors are Janakpuri West-RK Ashram, Aero City to Tughlakabad and Mukundpur to Maujpur. The total cost of three corridors is estimated at Rs 34,500 crore.
The MoHUA had returned the DPRs of the fourth phase of Metro to the Delhi Government after enactment of new Metro Policy 2017 last year, saying the proposals should be on the lines of new policy’s requirement. The work on the fourth phase of metro should have started in 2016. The work on third phase of metro is yet to be completed due to land acquisitions and other issues till date.
Sources said after examining the Delhi Metro DPRs, the Delhi Government will send its approval to the Ministry. The approval will also include the funding pattern for the Phase IV projects. After the examining the projects, the Ministry will send it to the Centre for approval. As far as funding pattern is concerned, usually 70 per cent of the funds come through loan and the remaining 30 per cent is borne equally by the Delhi Government and the Centre.
The new Metro Rail Policy 2017 states that private participation either for complete provisioning of metro rail or for some unbundled components will form an essential requirement for all metro rail project proposals seeking Central financial assistance.
“The DPRs for Phase-IV would have to include private operators. The entire exercise is expected to take six to eight months. This entire exercise was not necessary if the authorities had given approval on time,” the sources said. The new lines of Delhi Metro Phase IV will add 8.5 lakh passengers every day to the ridership.
The Janakpuri West-RK Ashram stretch will be of 28.92-km long with 18 elevated and seven underground stations on the line. The Janakpuri West-RK Puram stretch will cover 28.92 km. The stations, proposed on this stretch are Krishna Park Extn, Keshpur, Meera Bagh, Paschim Vihar, Peeragarhi Chowk, Peergarhi, Mangolpuri, West Enclave, Deepali Chowk, Madhuban Chowk, Rohini East, Prashant Vihar , North Pitampura, Haiderpur, Mukarba Chowk, Bhalaswa, Majlis Park, Azadpur, Ashok Vihar, Derawal Nagar, Rajpura, GG Sabji Mandi, Pulbangash, Sadar Bazar, Nabi Karim and RK Ashram Marg
The 20.20-km Aero City-Tughlakabad line will have ten underground and five elevated stations. The stations, proposed on the stretch are Tughlakabad, Tughlakabad Railway Colony, Anandmayee Marg Junction, Tigri, Khanpur, Ambedkar Nagar, Saket G Block, Saket, lado Sarai, Mehrauli, Kishangar, Masoodpur, Vasant Kunj (Sector-D), Mahipalpur and Delhi Aerocity.
The Mukundpur-Maujpur stretch will cover 12.58 km. The stations include Burari Crossing, Jagatpur Village, Surghat, Khajuri Khas, Bhajanpura, Yamuna Vihar and Maujpur
It is estimated that the total cost of Phase IV of the Delhi Metro is likely to be over Rs 61,000 crore. The cost of the fourth phase projects had been estimated Rs 55,028 crore in the previous DPRs. “The same has been increased because of delay by the Centre and the Delhi Government in deciding on the funding agency, whether it will be the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) or some other entity,” said the sources.