Delhi: Pink Line's South Campus-Lajpat Nagar section to open next-Monday
What's the story
The over 8km-long South Campus-Lajpat Nagar section of the Delhi Metro's Pink Line is all set to be inaugurated on August 6.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri, will inaugurate it next Monday.
"They will formally open the section at around 11:30 am. Services will begin on Monday from 1 pm," a senior DMRC official said.
Information
New section dubbed as 'corridor for shoppers'
The 8.10km-long Durgabai Deshmukh South Campus-Lajpat Nagar section has six stations, including interchange facilities at INA (with Yellow Line) and Lajpat Nagar (Violet Line). The new section is billed as a "corridor for shoppers" as it will connect with four major markets of Delhi.
Details
Here are some details of the new section
Delhi's four major markets (INA, Sarojini Nagar, South Extension, Lajpat Nagar) will be connected on one stretch of the network, that will also cut travel time by up to 20 minutes.
The new stations are Sir Vishveshariah Moti Bagh, Bhikhaji Cama Place, Sarojini Nagar, INA, South Extension, and Lajpat Nagar. Only Sir Vishveshariah Moti Bagh station is elevated, and the rest all are underground.
Operations
23 trains will run in the new section
Twenty-three trains will be put into service, with a frequency of 5mins and 12-seconds during peak hours and 5mins and 45-seconds during non-peak hours.
With the opening of this section, expected in the first week of August, the operational span of the Majlis Park-Lajpat Nagar Pink Line will become 29.66km and the entire operational span of the DMRC will reach 296km with 214 stations.
Reducing travel time
Travel time between certain stations to reduce
The current travel time between INA to Lajpat Nagar stations is about 24mins which would reduce to 5mins. Commuting time between Hauz Khas-Lajpat Nagar is 23mins, which would come down to 16mins.
The travel time between INA to Rajouri Garden stations would reduce from 40mins to 23mins, Lajpat Nagar-Rajouri Garden stations from 45mins to 28mins, and Lajpat Nagar-Netaji Subhas Place from 47mins to 39mins.
High expectations
DMRC expecting big turnout due to bustling Central Market
Lajpat Nagar, currently served by a station on the Violet Line, has a bustling Central Market in its vicinity, and the DMRC is expecting a jump in the station's footfall, once the new station becomes operational.
Shoppers and regular commuters traveling to INA Market (neighboring Delhi Haat), Sarojini Nagar Market, and South Extension Market areas will also save time once the stretch becomes operational.