Imbibing a history lesson on your way to work or college is what the Delhi Metro has in store for commuters at the new Mandi House station, which is expected to open soon.
Artwork inside the station, which is coming up next to the existing one, showcases the area’s transformation “from brick kilns to a culture circle”. The facade of the station, with its jaaliwork, blends in with the surroundings, which house theatres, galleries and other cultural institutes. Between the new station and the existing one, there will be two large backlit panels of 37 feet by 6 feet showcasing interesting facts and photographs from the Capital’s history. The panels, covered with protective sheets, have been provided by the Indian Council for Historical Research.
The exhibit includes old photos of present-day landmarks in areas like Modern School, Barakhamba Road. “This line from Central Secretariat to Kashmere Gate is basically a heritage line. There are many historical places on the line, so we wanted to reflect that inside the stations too,” said Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) spokesperson Anuj Dayal.
According to Metro officials, the 3-km Mandi House to Central Secretariat corridor will reduce the rush at Rajiv Chowk station by giving interchange facilities to commuters on the Violet Line. Currently, commuters coming from Badarpur have to change trains twice, at Central Secretariat and Rajiv Chowk, to take the Blue Line (Dwarka-Noida). The new Mandi House station will enable them to change to the Blue Line directly.
The civil work on the new station is complete and the finishing touches are on. The DMRC is awaiting clearance from the Commissioner for Metro Rail Safety to flag off this line. The new station is expected to have a daily footfall of 70,000, while the existing Mandi House station sees 10,000 commuters every day.
For Delhiites, the new station will bring the city’s past and future together.
