The Delhi Government on Friday approved Delhi Metro’s phase-IV project of 113-kilometre network, including 68-kilometre elevated corridors, across the six new routes, making outer Delhi easily accessible. The mega project, which will be completed within six years of initiation of construction work, will cost an estimated Rs 50,000 crore, which is to be borne equally by the Delhi Government and the Centre.
The approval was given during a Cabinet meeting chaired by the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The Cabinet also took a slew of decisions —including a hike in the old age pension and a commendation certificate with Rs 2,000 to those who help road accident victims.
While making the announcement about this decision, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the Phase IV project of Delhi Metro which will have 72 new stations, is going to be an important one that reflects “future-oriented” approach. The new six routes include Rithala-Bawana-Narela, Janakpuri
West to RK Ashram, Mukundpur to Maujpur, Inderlok- Indraprastha, Aero City to Tughlakabad and lajpat Nagar to Saket G Block.
“We have chosen the routes of Metro’s Phase IV project after a lot of study on future-oriented approach to prevent the expected traffic congestion at such places. We would need the clearance from the Central Government. Once we got the clearance, work will start and will be completed in 72 months,” Sisodia said in a Press conference.
He also said, “We have put a clause in it underlining that the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will submit monthly progress report to the Delhi Government.”
“Once the project is completed, daily ridership will increase by 8.5 lakh. The project will provide people in Delhi better connectivity outer parts of the city and also to the Delhi Airport,” said the Deputy Chief Minister, adding it was big decision by the Cabinet which considers the betterment of the people of city.
This announcement comes at a time when DMRC’s Phase III project has been delayed by many months from the date of its expected completion.
The Phase III project, expanding the Metro network to315 km, with 227 stations, is supposed to be complete by end of 2016 but even when 2017 has arrived the project is not complete.
The DMRC is carrying out trials on the stretch of Botanical Garden to Kalkaji and IGI Airport (Domestic Terminal) to Janakpuri West which fall on the same line. The new date of completion for this is April 2017. On the second line of the Phase III, Shiv Vihar to Mukundpur is expected to be completed in June. However, the DMRC is planning to inaugurate the line connecting ITO to Kashmere Gate in this month.
The DMRC has blamed the unavailability of land at certain stretches for missing 2016 deadline for completion of the Phase III. The DMRC has had to reach out to private owners of land to settle acquisition. While the Phase III will see the implementation of the Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) technology for the first time, the infrastructure body has found itself caught in a legal wrangle over land acquisition.