New Delhi: On Dec 25, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a 12-km stretch of Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line with a ride between the Botanical Garden & the Okhla Bird Sanctuary stations, the day would also mark 15 years since Delhi Metro’s journey began.
Image Credit: Thales Group
About Delhi Metro-
- Having constructed a massive network of 231 Kilometers with 173 metro stations in record time, the Delhi Metro Rail today stands out as a shining example of how a mammoth technically complex infrastructure project can be completed before time and within budgeted cost by a Government agency.
- The swanky & modern Metro system introduced comfortable, air conditioned & eco-friendly services for the first time in India & completely revolutionized the mass transportation scenario not only in the National Capital Region but the entire country.
History-
- Planning for the metro started in 1984, when the DDA (Delhi Development Authority) & the Urban Arts Commission came up with a proposal for developing a MMTS (Multi-Modal Transport System) for the city.
- DMRC (Delhi Metro Rail Corporation) was incorporated in May 1995, construction started in 1998, and the first section, on the Red Line, opened in 2002.
- The first line of the Delhi Metro was inaugurated by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, then Prime Minister of India, on 24 December 2002, and thus, it became the second underground rapid transit system in India, after the Kolkata Metro.
Image Credit: insightsindia.blogspot.in
- The DMRC opened its first corridor between Shahdara & Tis Hazari on 25 December, 2002.
- Subsequently, the first phase of construction worth 65 kilometres of Metro lines was finished 2 years & 9 months ahead of schedule in 2005.
- Since then the DMRC has also completed the construction of another 125 kilometres of Metro corridors under the second phase in only 4 and a half years.
Network-
- Currently, the Delhi Metro rail network consists of about 231 Km with 173 stations.
- The network has now crossed the boundaries of Delhi to reach NOIDA & Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, Gurgaon & Faridabad in Haryana.
- With the opening of the Botanical Garden- Kalkaji Mandir section, new age trains equipped with the Unattended Train Operation (UTO) technology have been introduced.
- These trains operate with the CBTC (Communication Based Train Control) signaling technology which facilitate movement of trains in very short frequencies.
Airport Express link-
- The Airport Express link between the Indira Gandhi International Airport & New Delhi Railway Station has now propelled Delhi to the league of global cities which have high speed rail connectivity between the city and the airport.
Image Credit: Delhi Metro Rail
- The line has six stations (Dhaula Kuan and Delhi Aerocity became operational on 15 August 2011), with some featuring check-in facilities, parking, and eateries.
- Rolling stock consists of six-coach trains operating at intervals of ten minutes and having a maximum speed of 135 kmph (84 mph).
- Eight 6-car trains supplied by CAF Beasain were imported from Spain.
