Metro to bring in 25 trains for Badarpur line

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is on a war footing to open its much-awaited Central Secretariat-Badarpur corridor before the Commonwealth Games.

Even as the construction work for the Metro line is under way, trains for it have begun to arrive. The Central Secretariat-Badarpur line is scheduled to become operational by September this year.

This corridor is significant as it would provide easy connectivity to three of the Commonwealth Games venues: including Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (near the JLN Stadium Metro station), National Stadium (near the Central Secretariat Metro station) and Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range (near Tughlakabad Metro station).

According to the DMRC officials, six new standard-gauge trains have already arrived at the Sarita Vihar Depot located on this line. All six trains are being assembled at the depot and would soon be tested for technical fitness, before they undergo testing on the main line for load and braking.

“A total of 25 trains — each of four coaches — have been planned for use on the Central Secretariat-Badarpur corridor. Initially, these will cater to an expected traffic of about 3.6 lakh passengers per day by 2011,” Anuj Dayal, spokesperson for the DMRC said.

The DMRC had ordered 46 standard gauge trains for Phase II of its project from consortium MRMB — Mitsubishi, ROTEM, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation and Bharat Earth Movers Ltd.

Of these, 11 are already running on the Inderlok-Mundka corridor, informed officials.

In all, there would 16 stations falling under the Central Secretariat-Badarpur line: Central Secretariat, Khan Market, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Jangpura, Lajpat Nagar, Moolchand, Kailash Colony, Nehru Place, Kalkaji Mandir, Govindpuri, Okhla, Jasola, Sarita Vihar, Mohan Estate, Tughlakabad and Badarpur.

Metro Line in figures

* The 20-km-long Metro line from Central Secretariat to Badarpur would be operational by September.
* A total of 25 trains to be used on this corridor initially.
* This line is expected to handle about 3.6 lakh passengers per day by 2011.
* Line to connect three venues of the Commonwealth Games.