Delhi Metro's DDSC-Lajpat Nagar line to cut travel time

New Delhi: The much awaited section of Pink line, 8.1-km Durgabai Deshmukh–Lajpat Nagar, formally became operational on Monday. This new stretch comes as a big relief to commuters as it is expected to cut down the major traffic away from the Delhi's arterial roads. The stretch was inaugurated by Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State ( independent charge), Housing and Urban Affair and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at 9:30 am during a ceremony.

The new section has six stations –Sir Vishweshariah Moti Bagh, Bhikaji Cama Place, Sarojini Nagar, INA, South Extension and Lajpat Nagar. Except Moti Bagh, all five are underground. INA and Lajpat Nagar are also interchange stations for the Yellow Line and the Violet Line respectively.

The Durgabai Deshmukh (DDSC)-Lajpat Nagar section will reduce travel time for commuters drastically. One will be able to travel from INA to Rajouri Garden in 23 minutes, instead of the earlier 40 minutes. Lajpat Nagar to Rajouri Garden would take 28 minutes now, instead of the earlier 45 minutes, while it will take 39 minutes instead of 47 minutes to travel from Lajpat Nagar to Netaji Subhas Place in the Red Line. Twenty trains will ply from Majlis Park to Lajpat Nagar with a frequency of 5 minutes 25 seconds during peak hours from Monday to Saturday, said a Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (DMRC) spokesperson.

Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Puri said, "Metro serves a very useful purpose because it takes the pressure off private means of transport and brings more people to an efficient, green mode of public transport."

Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal applauded the Delhi Metro for the opening of the section and said, "It is a day of happiness for the people of Delhi as a section of the Pink Line from Durgabai Deshmukh South Campus to Lajpat Nagar is being started. This section will connect the city's prominent markets by Metro. The problem of parking in these markets will also be solved."

DMRC's Managing Director, Dr Mangu Singh said that DMRC's engineers had constructed the section in the best possible manner with high quality artwork, landscaping etc. All the six stations of the newly inaugurated section were also awarded with the 'Platinum' rating by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) for adherence to green building norms. With the opening of this section, the Delhi Metro network has now become 296 kilometres long with 214 Metro stations.