Metro station at ITO to open early next year

Metro station at ITO to open early next year

NEW DELHI: Though progress of work on phase III of the Delhi Metro network may be questionable-last month, Delhi Metro head Mangu Singh wrote to the chief secretary of the Delhi government over delays in land acquisition and the work on the ITO Metro station.

"Trials are going to start on the ITO corridor from this month. After the trial runs, a request for inspection will be sent to the concerned authorities" said a spokesperson for the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation,

The ITO Metro station is one of the anticipated openings in 2015 for the Delhi Metro. Besides the commissioning of the ITO Metro station, the opening of the extension of the Gurgaon line to Faridabad till Badli is also on the cards for the first part of 2015.

However, before the official opening, a nod from the commissioner of Metro rail safety (CMRS) is required. Adding to the Delhi Metro's uncertainty on the line is the fact that the ITO Metro station is not equipped for train reversals. As a result, trains on this line will need to run on the "wrong" track till the reversal station is available. The rest of the corridor-till Kashmere Gate-is expected to take longer to open.

"All the operational and safety parameters will be checked during the trial runs.

The trial runs will continue for at least one-and-a-half-months if not more," the Delhi Metro official said. "Getting a safety clearance from the commissioner of CMRS is a must. It shall come provided the trial runs are successful. Immediately after that the line will be open to the commuters," the official added.

The Mandi House-ITO stretch is a part of the upcoming heritage corridor from Central Secretariat to Kashmere Gate, which will have stations at the historical Red Fort, Jama Masjid, and Delhi Gate. The ITO station, according to officials, is almost ready as all the civil work has been completed.

Once operational, around 22,000 passengers are expected to use the station daily and the number is likely to rise to 31,000, according to DMRC. The ITO area houses prominent establishments like the Delhi Police headquarters, Delhi Secretariat, Income Tax Office, PWD headquarters and the intersection in its vicinity is a nightmare for regular commuters owing to heavy traffic.