The Delhi Metro railway began trial runs on the Central Secretariat-Lajpat Nagar section of the Central Secretariat-Badarpur corridor on Friday. The first train ran from Lajpat Nagar station to Central Secretariat station, covering a distance of 9 km.
According to a Delhi Metro Rail Corporation spokesperson, the trial run was conducted at a restricted and controlled speed as it was the first train on this section. “During the trial runs, interaction of the metro train with physical infringements (civil structure) was checked to ensure that there was no physical blockage during the movement of the train on the track. The entire signalling system will also undergo rigorous testing,” said the spokesperson.
The response of the train at different speeds, braking of the train and the interconnection with the operations control centre will also be monitored during the trials. “The behaviour of the track system and the overhead electrification will be checked repeatedly during the trials. The trial runs will continue for a few weeks after which trials will gradually be extended up to Okhla and beyond as the works get completed on the other sections of the Central Secretariat-Badarpur corridor,” the spokesperson said.
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The corridor is expected to be opened for the public before the Commonwealth Games after attaining the statutory safety clearances from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety.
Special Prayers
With the line being dragged into controversies, first opposition from residents’ welfare associations over its elevated construction and then the accident at Jamrudpur, the DMRC officials conducted special prayers before the first trial run was initiated.
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The 20.16-km-long Central Secretariat-Badarpur corridor is the second standard gauge corridor after the Inderlok-Mundka corridor. The line has 16 stations with Central Secretariat, Khan Market, Jawarharlal Nehru Stadium, Jangpura stations being the underground ones and Lajpat Nagar, Moolchand, Kailash Colony, Nehru Place, Kalkaji Mandir, Govindpuri, Okhla, Jasola, Sarita Vihar, Mohan Estate, Tughlakabad and Badarpur being the elevated ones.
“The line has been one of the most challenging lines to construct since the total time available for construction was 41 months, which is extremely short. This line was sanctioned in April 2007 and the DMRC intends to commission it by September before the Commonwealth Games,” said the spokesperson.