DMRC to construct metro loop corridor under Centra Vista project

The new circular line will have four metro stations and it will be built separately from the existing metro corridors -- Yellow Line and Violet Line -- passing through the area, officials said

A new metro loop corridor, spanning about 3 km, has been proposed in the heart of the national capital to cater to people who will be visiting the new government buildings coming up as part of the Central Vista redevelopment project, officials said on Monday.

The new circular line will have four metro stations and it will be built separately from the existing metro corridors -- Yellow Line and Violet Line -- passing through the area, they said.

The existing Central Secretariat station is an interchange facility between the Yellow Line and Violet Line.

The foundation stone of the Central Vista project was laid in December 2020. The infrastructural revamp envisages a new triangular Parliament building and a common Central Secretariat. The Central Vista redevelopment project also seeks to upgrade the boulevard running from Vijay Chowk to India Gate with more amenities.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) on Monday "signed a memorandum of understanding, as per which DMRC shall provide technical assistance as well as execute finishing and services works for the construction of a metro loop corridor" to connect the existing metro network with the new central secretariat buildings, which shall come up as part of the Central Vista redevelopment project, the Delhi Metro stated.

A metro loop corridor, connecting "four common Central Secretariat stations" with the existing Central Secretariat metro station is being proposed to cater to the office-goers who shall travel to these offices using the metro. Planning is being done expecting a peak hour demand of 20,000 passengers per hour during the morning and evening peak hours. The entire corridor shall be underground, it said in a statement.

As per the MoU, the DMRC shall prepare the detailed project report apart from finalising the horizontal and vertical alignment of the tracks and tunnels along with sizing of facilities like platforms, support services and maintenance facilities. DMRC shall also appoint a detailed design consultant for the project, officials said.

While CPWD will carry out the basic civil structure construction work, DMRC shall execute all other finishing and services works including design and construction of control systems, signal systems, track work, rolling stock, electrical and maintenance works etc., the statement said.

Presently, DMRC is operating a metro network of about 391 km with 286 metro stations. As part of its fourth phase of expansion, DMRC is engaged in the construction of 65 km of new lines across three different corridors.

The MoU was signed at Metro Bhawan between DMRC's director, business development, Pramit Kumar Garg and P S Chauhan, additional director general, CPWD in the presence of DMRC's managing director, Mangu Singh and other senior officials.

The Central Vista redevelopment project, which was announced in September 2019, envisages a new triangular Parliament building, with a seating capacity for 900 to 1,200 MPs, that is targeted to be constructed by August, 2022, when the country will be celebrating its 75th Independence Day.

The common Central Secretariat is likely to be built by 2024.