With Phase IV of the Delhi Metro getting the government’s approval on Friday, the metro network will now reach the peripheries of the Capital as well as provide better connectivity to the airport and many south and central Delhi neighbourhoods.
The first phase of the Metro connected the eastern part of the city to west and north Delhi with New Delhi. The second phase saw the lines extending further, touching the southern part of Delhi and entering NCR for the first time.
While the first two phases focused on radial lines reaching all corners of Delhi-NCR, the soon-to-be-completed Phase III will see these radials being connected by new lines, eventually forming concentric circles.
Bolstering the network
Phase IV of the Metro expansion plan, work on which might now begin soon, would further bolster the network by reaching far flung areas of the Capital, as well as improving connectivity in south and central Delhi.
Once Phase IV is completed, adding three new lines and extending three others, the Delhi Metro network will be one of the largest in the world. The total number of interchange stations will also go up to 41, from the 27 proposed after completion of Phase III. This will mean more options for commuters to change trains and cut down travelling time.
So, while the expansion of the Delhi Metro will add to the daily footfall, the availability of more interchange options will mean equitable dispersal of passenger traffic and less crowding at the existing interchange stations.
The corridors that will extend the Metro network to peripheral areas of Delhi are the Rithala to Narela line, and Janakpuri (West) to RK Ashram line in north-west Delhi, Mukundpur to Maujpur line in north-east Delhi; and Tughlaqabad to Terminal 1 line, which will bring south-east Delhi closer to the airport.
The further extension of the Dilshad Garden-Rithala corridor (Line 1) will see the Metro reach the outer sectors of Rohini, Barwala, Bawana and Narela.
The Narela sub-city, developed by the DDA, which is a ghost town at present due to lack of connectivity, is expected to see a boom.
The Janakpuri (West) to RK Ashram line will connect Paschim Vihar, Peeragarhi, Mukerba Chowk, Ashok Vihar to central Delhi areas such as Sadar Bazar, Nabi Karim and RK Ashram Marg.
The Maujpur to Mukundpur line will connect areas in north-east Delhi such as Yamuna Vihar, Bhajanpura and Maujpur to Burari in north Delhi.
Real estate boom
Areas such as Narela, Bawana or Burari have not seen much development in housing compared to many NCR areas, despite being in Delhi, due to their distance from the centre of the Capital and lack of dependable public transport. The areas are likely to see a real estate boom once the Delhi Metro reaches them.
With the completion of Phase IV, Metro connectivity to the airport will also get a major boost. The Tughlaqabad-Terminal 1 corridor will provide direct connectivity to the domestic terminal for residents of Ambedkar Nagar, Saket, Lado Sarai, Mehrauli and Vasant Kunj.
The Lajpat Nagar-Saket G Block will also mean that commuters taking the Violet Line will also be able to reach the airport easily, apart from residents of Sheikh Sarai, Chirag Dilli, Greater Kailash-I, Andrews Ganj and Lajpat Nagar.
