The deadlock over the opening of ITO metro station is likely to be over soon as the Union Urban Development Ministry is set to issue a notification to amend the Metro Railway General Rules, 2013.
The amendment is aimed at bringing more clarity regarding the clause of single-line operations not only in the Delhi metro but metro networks across the country.
According to sources, the Ministry will now bring about a Metro Railway Amendment General Rule by early next week.
The move will enable the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to fast-track the opening of the much-awaited ITO station, which is expected to have a ridership of 40,000.
The Central Secretariat-Kashmere Gate line, of which the ITO station is a part, is an extension of the existing Badarpur-Central Secretariat Line (violet line).
Explaining the technique of single-line operation, a metro official said: “All last stations of a line have two tracks (up-line and down-line), which have a provision for shifting from the up-line to the down-line. But since ITO is not the end station of the line, there is no provision for a train to shift between tracks. Under single-line operations, alternate trains will be taken to ITO from Mandi House. The train will then begin the reverse journey on the same track.”
It is pertinent to note that the Ministry is not amending the Delhi Metro Railway (Operations And Maintenance) Act, 2002.
“The amendment is to the general rules which apply to the Delhi Metro Act and will also be applicable for metro projects all over the country. Through the amendment, the Ministry has incorporated the provision of normal operation of single-line of metro trains,” said a senior government official.
The official added that changing the Delhi Metro Railway (Operations And Maintenance) Act, 2002, will be a tedious process as it would have to be taken up in Parliament.
Despite being ready since early February, the station has failed to be inaugurated. Earlier, the rules not only had a clear provision of single-line operations during emergency situations, but also had an “implied provision” of using this technique for normal operations.
However, the Commissioner for Metro Rail Safety (CMRS), according to sources, demanded a “clear-cut” mention in the rules about the same.
Once the notification is made by Monday or Tuesday, the DMRC will write to the CMRS to inspect the single-line operation.
“Once the Ministry issues a notification, the ITO metro station can be opened. We will write an application to the CMRS for inspection and then, if it gives the clearance, services shall begin,” informed a metro official.
The ITO station is a part of the “heritage corridor” connecting Central Secretariat to the Kashmere Gate line. The line will have stations having historical importance like Lal Quila and Jama Masjid.
