Trial run of Delhi Metro begins on 'Heritage Line' on Wednesday

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Ending months of delay, the Delhi Metro will begin trial run on the upcoming 'Heritage Line' between Delhi Gate and Kashmere Gate stations on Wednesday, while aiming to throw it open for commuters by November.

The 5.1-km-long section, an extension of the Violet Line, will have three stations namely Delhi Gate, Jama Masjid and Red Fort after ITO.

"The trial run of Metro trains on the Delhi Gate, Kashmere Gate section of the Central Secretariat, Kashmere Gate Metro corridor of Phase III will begin from August 10, 2016," the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said in a statement.

DMRC Chief Mangu Singh is expected to be present on the occasion.

The expansion, fully underground, was particularly challenging due to the walled city's structure and a dense populace. The deadline of the project was revised twice in the last one year.

The Yellow Line of DMRC already passes through old Delhi areas like Chandni Chowk and Chawri Bazar. With this, its network will delve deeper into the Mughal-era part of the national capital.

The stations will have a number of informative panels depicting the history of the area, which is also known as Shahjahanabad.

Moreover, the line, once operational, will bring down the commuting time of passengers and reduce the dependency on interchange stations like Rajiv Chowk and Central Secretariat.

For example, a passenger travelling from Faridabad will be able to travel straight to Kashmere Gate, without having to change at Central Secretariat.