Eight years on, Delhi Metro plans for Phase III

NEW DELHI - The Delhi Metro, which completed eight years of its operations Friday, is now planning to reach the so far untouched corners of the capital through its Phase-III, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) managing director E. Sreedharan said.

“The Delhi Metro has already initiated work on Phase-III. We have submitted the project reports but certain changes were suggested by the Delhi government, so we worked on it and will send a new detailed report in the next 10 days,” Sreedharan told reporters.

The DMRC is currently conducting geo-technical surveys, and finalising station design for the Phase III, which is likely to have 10 lines.

The third phase will add another 65 km to the Metro network in the national capital. The project was approved in-principle by the Delhi government in October 2010 after suggesting some amendments to cover more areas on the Outer Ring Road and the Inner Ring Road.

Sreedharan said the work will start in April 2011 as the top brass of the planning commission has called for a meeting with the Delhi Metro officials Jan 13 to review the project.

“After the meeting, the final decision of the fund pattern would be decided,” he said.

After the planning Commission’s approval for Phase-III, the project will be reviewed by an empowered committee of officials and will finally be approved by the union cabinet.

Quizzed about the funding of the project, Sreedharan said in all probability it would be funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

“As of now, they have not given any assurance on funding in writing, but we are sure that they will not deny,” he said.

One of the important features of Phase-III will be that their will be 23 interchange stations to ensure seamless connectivity.

Delhi Metro’s Phase-I and II were funded by the Delhi government, the central government and the JICA.

Some 16 lakh passengers travel daily by the Metro.

The year 2010 was a huge hit as daily ridership doubled during the Commonwealth Games Delhi hosted in October, particularly after the authorities dedicated separate lanes for the Games vehicles, leading to traffic jams. Thousands of people switched over to the Metro at that time, a Delhi Metro official said.

The mass rapid transit network made its first journey Dec 24, 2002, as then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee flagged off the first Delhi Metro train.

Although the Metro is now jam-packed and its sleek image has been dented with frequent technical snags in the past few months, commuters still prefer it to other modes of transport. Many daily passengers complain that the Metro has become overcrowded in recent times.