Delhi Metro | PM Modi to flag off first run of UTO train in Magenta Line

New Delhi: The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has finally announced inauguration of long awaited section between Botanical Garden and Kalkaji Mandir (line-8) of Phase-III project.  The people who travel daily between Noida and South part of Delhi will now feel happy to find new route of Metro.

The stretch of 12.64 km is part of the Botanical Garden-Janakpuri West corridor of 38.23 km under the Phase III of the Metro expansion plans, and will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the eve of this Christmas Day i.e. December 25.

Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal flags off the trial run of India’s first Unattended Train Operation (UTO). [Photo Credit: PTI]

December 25 has been a significant date for the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) as its first line, the Red Line from Dilshad Garden to Rithala, was started for the public on Christmas day of 2002. The line was marked by then Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee (then Prime Minister of India).

With the opening of the new line, Noida residents will save at least 45 minutes of daily travel when traveling to South Delhi.

The section that is opening on December 25 has nine stations namely: Botanical Garden, Okhla Bird Sanctuary, Kalindi Kunj, Jasola Vihar-Shaheen Bagh, Okhla Vihar, Jamia Milia Islamia, Sukhdev Vihar, Okhla NSIC and Kalkaji Mandir.

Kalkaji Mandir is underground and the others are elevated. The route will serve two important educational institutions: Jamia Millia Islamia and Amity University.

The Jardín Botánico subway station will be the first exchange station outside of Delhi and, since both the Botanical Garden and Kalkaji Mandir are exchange stations, there will be a significant reduction in travel time between the Blue and Violet Lines.

Once the entire corridor is opened, Noida passengers will be able to go to Gurgaon by changing the trains at Hauz Khas. The trip from Noida and Faridabad will also be shortened. Passengers between Noida and Faridabad will change trains at Kalkaji Mandir.

Interesting things to know

Very illuminated and with videos that will guide you on the routes, the Magenta line promises comfort and convenience for passengers. The trains will have Wi-Fi, USB ports along with charging points, LED and LCD screens and backrest near the wheelchair area. The seats on the new trains will be red, pink, orange and blue to give a sense of life.

Interior of new Driver-less Trains of DMRC to be operated in Line-7 and Line-8 of Phase-III corridors

This will be the first Metro line with trains without driver, the first in the country. Initially, trains on this route will run with drivers for 2-3 years.

The stretch will also be the first after the Airport Express line has screen doors on the Metro platforms. Post this, every new line launched in Phase III will have the same feature.

In fact, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has decided to include platform screen doors in all stations that will be built in Phase IV as well.

Delay in opening

The sources said that the line was ready since the Commissioner for the Safety of the Metro Railroad (CMRS), after visiting the section of November 13-15, gave the green light for its opening with a list of some observations. DMRC took about one month to clear the objections listed by the CMRS.

A senior official of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs of the Cabinet in condition of anonymity, said that the delay in opening the Magenta Line despite the approval of the CMRS was due to the fact that the authorities were solving logistical problems related to its inauguration. “It is absurd to link the opening of the line with the results of the Gujarat elections, once a line is declared ready to open, there are a number of logistical problems that must be addressed before they can be opened to the public”., added by the official.

This section was expected to be opened in last year.

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