Pink Line – Delhi Metro's longest – open to public

New Delhi: The over 20 km-long Majlis Park-Durgabai Deshmukh South Campus section of the much-awaited Delhi Metro's Pink Line was on Wednesday inaugurated from Metro Bhawan, taking the operational span of the rapid transit network to 252 km.

Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs (Independent Charge) Hardeep Singh Puri and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal ceremonially flagged it off from the Metro Bhawan during a function.

The Chief Minister said on Wednesday that his government would soon clear the Delhi Metro's long-pending Phase-IV project, while indicating that there were "issues of financial viability" on some of its routes.

He said, "Metro is the lifeline of Delhi, and it is an important mode of transport for the city. The Delhi government will soon give clearance for the Phase-IV project. There are issues of financial viability on some of the routes."

On the last fare hike, Kejriwal said the Delhi government and the Centre should "sit together and find out a solution".

The newly-opened section, which has 12 stations, is part of the 59 km-long Majlis Park-Shiv Vihar corridor (Pink Line - Line 7) of Delhi Metro's Phase-III.

"A small segment of the Pink Line in the Trilokpuri area in east Delhi is also awaiting clearance due to some land issues and other related matters associated with the local people," said a DMRC official. He also added that entire Pink Line corridor is expecting to be operational by June this year.

According to the DMRC statement, with the opening of this stretch the operational network is 252 km and 62 km in phase 3 and after the completion of the Pink Line it would be 98 km. And after the completion of phase three, the entire operational network would be 360 km (excluding Noida- Greater Noida section of 30 km). Meanwhile, interchange station on this section would be four and interchange facility between Dhaula Kuan and Durgabai Deshmukh South Campus will be operational by June, 2018.

However, total interchange stations are 17 (including Sikanderpur with Rapid Metro) and total interchange station after the completion of phase 3 would be 27.

Speaking on the occasion, Puri complimented Delhi Metro for the opening of the line and said, "The inauguration of this line will add several kilometres and will take Delhi Metro across the 250 kilometres mark. The overall kilometre age in India is over 450 and we are scheduled to reach 700 kilometres mark very soon."

"Delhi Metro, today is the pride of the city of Delhi. The way it is being constructed and operated, is indeed an example in front of the world. After the Delhi Metro, now Metros are being built in cities across the country," said Kejriwal.