Seven stations on Delhi Metro's Magenta Line to get subways
Seven subways on Delhi's Outer Ring Road will be thrown open for pedestrian access next month, senior Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) officials said. Crossing the busy junctions at these points is tricky, hence the subways will offer numerous exit points to help the pedestrians. Seven major stations on the Magenta Line will get these subways, which will be linked with passages internally.
Subways part of unopened stretch of Janakpuri West-Botanical Garden corridor
DMRC officials said these subways will come up at Munirka, RK Puram, IIT, Panchsheel Park, Chirag Delhi, Greater Kailash and Nehru Enclave stations. "The entry/exit structures at these stations will double up as pedestrian subways," said a DMRC spokesperson. The subways will be a part of the yet-to-be-opened 21.56-km stretch of Janakpuri West-Botanical Garden corridor of Metro Phase 3.
Locals don't have to worry about traffic congestion during construction
Metro engineers plan to construct these subways using the 'box pushing' technology. This technology does not entail large excavations, rather a box-like structure is inserted into the ground and then it is pushed forward to make a subway. Experts say this is faster than the conventional 'cut and cover' technology that often requires diversion of traffic during construction.
Specialists applaud move, locals pray for no encroachment in subways
"Since Delhi Metro is involved in a lot of construction, a decision was taken that wherever they build a station, a subway or FOB should be constructed for non-Metro users," said Sarvagya Srivastava, former head, Delhi PWD. Specialists applauded the move, adding that more such steps are required for pedestrians. Meanwhile, locals expressed hope that there would be no encroachment in the subways.
After two recent inaugurations, Delhi Metro ridership on a high
Delhi Metro registered growth in average ridership after two recent inaugurations. After the December launch of the 12.64-km Botanical Garden-Kalkaji Mandir section of the Magenta Line corridor and a March launch of part of the Pink Line, ridership is going north, DMRC said.
