CEREMONIES were held on July 2 to mark the completion of the second metro line in the Indian capital. The 7 km section from Kashmere Gate to Central Secretariat was inaugurated by Sonia Gandhi, Chair of the United Progressive Alliance party.
The first 4 km of Line 2 from Vishwavidalaya to the Line 1 interchange at Kashmere Gate was opened in December. The extension runs under the city centre, adding a further six stations. The start of revenue service on July 3 saw the line completed eight months ahead of schedule.
According to Delhi Metro Rail Corp, work is well advanced on the 32·1 km Line 3, with 31 stations. The western section from Dwarka to Barakhamba Road, interchanging to Line 2 at Connaught Place, is expected to open in December. The final section to Indraprastha will be completed in March 2006, bringing the network to 65·1 km and completing Phase I of the metro.
On June 20, the Delhi city government officially approved Phase II, which now awaits final clearance by the national government. Expected to be completed by 2010, the Rs81·2bn package covers a further six sections of line totalling 50 km.
Line 2 would be extended 7 km north from Delhi University to Jehangirpuri, and 10·8 km south from Central Secretariat to Qutab. Line 3 would continue southeast for 8 km from Indraprastha to New Ashok Nagar and Mayar Vihar, with a 6·2 km branch from Yamuna depot running northeast to Anand Vihar. An eastern extension of Line 1 from Shahdara to Dilshad Garden would add 3·1 km. The other 15 km would run west from Line 3 at Kirti Nagar to Nangloi along the Rohtak Road corridor. n
