A 13 kilometer long corridor has been approved by the Delhi government. With its eight stations, three interchange points and a mix of underground and elevated sections, the corridor is expected to ease commuters for residents across densely populated East Delhi neighbourhoods.
Delhi is getting a connectivity upgrade with the state government approving a new metro corridor linking Shastri Park to Mayur Vihar Phase III under Phase V (B) of the Delhi Metro expansion plan. The corridor was announced by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s (DMRC) 32nd Foundation Day event earlier this month.
It is one of seven new corridors approved under Phase V (B), which together will add 97.158 km and 65 stations to the metro network at a projected cost of Rs 48,204.56 crore. The proposal will now be forwarded to the Central government for approval.
All about the corridor
The corridor, spanning 13.197 km, is planned with eight stations and a combination of underground and elevated stretches. Around 8.99 km of the route will be underground, while 4.207 km will be elevated, operating as an independent line.
It will pass through some of East Delhi’s most densely populated and commercially active neighbourhoods, including Geeta Colony, Gandhi Nagar market, Kailash Nagar, Patparganj, New Kondli and Mayur Vihar Phase III.
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The corridor’s biggest advantage is likely to be its three interchange stations proposed at Shastri Park Metro Station on the Red Line, Nirman Vihar Metro Station on the Blue Line and Trilokpuri-Sanjay Lake Metro Station on the Pink Line. These are expected to significantly strengthen connectivity between east-west and north-south routes in the city.
Who will benefit from the corridor?
Residents in trans-Yamuna parts of Delhi are expected to benefit significantly from the new corridor, as many currently depend on congested roads or metro routes involving multiple interchanges at Rajiv Chowk Metro Station and Yamuna Bank Metro Station.
Busy areas like Gandhi Nagar and Geeta Colony attract large numbers of traders and office-goers every day, while Patparganj and Mayur Vihar have grown rapidly as residential hubs over the past decade.
While four corridors under Phase V (B) are being treated as priority projects for completion by 2029, officials have not confirmed if the East Delhi corridor is one of them. According to Vikas Kumar, Managing Director of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, the overall length of Phase V in Delhi-NCR is likely to be approximately 200 km.