Come next year, the travel on the blue line of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) may be sans the usual mad rush at Rajiv Chowk with a new interchange station coming up at the Mandi House station, much to the respite of travellers.
The three-kilometre new corridor under Phase III will have Janpath as its core station, connecting Central Secretariat to Mandi House. This will also directly connect Badarpur line to Mandi House with the latter as the interchanging station.
DMRC Chief Mangu Singh said, “We are giving priority to this site in order to reduce rush at Rajiv Chowk station.”
Beginning the construction was a big hurdle as the site was located at a crowded location but most of the issues have been sorted out now, he said.
The corridor will have Janpath station, which will directly connect commuters to Janpath Market.
“We have started the work in October last year and within 17 months we have restored this road. Ninety per cent area of the road is open. Seventy per cent work has been completed in this corridor and our target is March 2014,” Singh said.
On whether Delhi Metro will be able to provide 24x7 facility like that in foreign countries, the DMRC chief said it is not possible in India. “We can’t have 24x7 metro service here,” he said.
On speculations about increase in metro fares, Singh said “We are waiting for the constitution of Fare Fixation Committee. If the fares are increased, we will get benefit definitely.”