Phase-III of Delhi Metro gains speed, aims at better NCR connectivity

After changing the face of public transport in Delhi-NCR, the third phase of Delhi Metro will tremendously improve the connectivity in the national capital and the surrounding areas such as Gurgaon, Ghaziabad and Faridabad.

"The construction work of the third phase has now gained momentum. Apart from connecting the arterial Ring Road and Outer Ring Road, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will reach new areas in Old Delhi. The satellite cities of Faridabad and Bahadurgarh in Haryana will also get connected, while Noida will get an additional connection," says Mangu Singh, managing director of Delhi Metro Rail Tughlakhabad, Rithala to Narela and Inderlok to Indraprastha.

According to DMRC, the metro service carries around 2.5 million passengers on weekdays (till May 2014). As many as 200 trains take 2,800 trips everyday travelling as much as 70,000 km on a 190 km network.

Singh says that apart from emerging as the mass transportation backbone of the NCR, Delhi Metro is also benefiting people by keeping the environment clean and reducing congestion on the streets.

As per the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) report, Delhi Metro kept 1.7 lakh vehicles off the road and reduced the number of accidents by 591 per annum.

DMRC is working on multiple fronts to boost its revenue while rationalising expenses.

Property development and fare box contribute to a large chunk of DMRC's revenues, and the corporation is taking up consultancy work for additional revenues.

DMRC has a role to play in all the 17 cities which have plans for a metro rail system. It mostly assists them in preparing detailed project reports and securing clearances and sanctions for projects.