Airport Metro line to be extended

New Delhi: Delhi Metro’s high-speed Airport Express corridor connecting the centre of the city to the Indira Gandhi International Airport will now be extended till Dwarka Sector 25. With the extension, the commuters will be able to travel between New Delhi and Dwarka Sector 25 within 25 minutes. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, after receiving an in-principle nod from the Centre, has already conducted the feasibility study for the extension.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) chief Mangu Singh told this newspaper that the Centre had written to the Corporation for the extension of the Airport Express Line till Dwarka sector 25, following which the feasibility survey for the same has already been conducted. The Airport Metro corridor at present connects New Delhi area to the international terminal of the IGI Airport and terminates at Dwarka Sector 21. The high-speed line comprises six metro stations including New Delhi, Shivaji Stadium, Dhaula Kuan, Aerocity, Terminal 3 and Dwarka sector 21. Delhi Metro has now planned to extend the corridor by 1.5 km till Dwarka Sector 25.

As part of the Dwarka sub-city development project, a large convention centre is being planned in sector 25 on the lines of Pragati Maidan and India Habitat Centre.

The western part of the city does not have any such convention centre at present to organise exhibitions and seminars.

“In a bid to facilitate smooth commute of people to the fairs, events or seminars organised at the upcoming convention centre, the union government wanted the high-speed corridor to be extended till sector 25 Dwarka,” Mr Mangu Singh said.

He added that the extension of the Airport line’s route will also help in increasing the ridership of the corridor, which crossed 50,000 recently. “The feasibility study for the 1.5 km extension has already been conducted and the Detailed Project Report will be prepared soon. The work will begin as soon as the approvals are granted,” he added.