Delhi Metro's Airport Express Line opens today

Delhi's wait for the high-speed Airport Express of the Delhi Metro will finally come to an end tomorrow. After several missed deadlines and failed safety clearances, the operator, Reliance Infrastructure, would start running trains on the country’s first private metro rail line, a Rs 5,700-crore project.

“The line will begin operations by 2 pm on Wednesday after a formal announcement. The service will be available between 6 am and 10 pm everyday,” said a Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) official. The line has been developed jointly by Delhi Airport Metro Express Pvt Ltd, a Reliance subsidiary, and DMRC. “The fare has been set at Rs 80 for a journey between New Delhi metro station and Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport,” the official added.

The showcase metro line was originally scheduled to start operations before the Commonwealth Games in early October, 2010. DAMEPL, however, failed to secure the mandatory safety clearance from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS). The delay had sparked off a row between Reliance and DMRC, with the latter slapping a penalty on DAMEPL, accusing the concessionaire of causing the delay.

CMRS R K Kardam had finally given his go-ahead to the 23-km line earlier this year after a second round of inspection. He had, however, asked Reliance to settle two issues — security and speed —before opening the line for the public. While Reliance wanted to deploy its own private security on the line, the home ministry insisted on a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) security network, given the strategic nature of the stretch.

The matter was settled last month when CISF was designated the security agency for the entire line. “CISF is ready to begin formal security operations, beginning Wednesday morning. The deployment and sensitisation of CISF guards has been completed today. More than 400 men have been deployed on the entire stretch,” said CISF spokesperson, Rohit Katiyar.

“We have completed all checks on the line, including anti-sabotage checks. Our own dog squads have been used to sweep the entire stretch, as private security guards have been working here in the past,” he said.

The trains on the line would run at a speed of 105 kilometre per hour (kmph) to begin with, since a formal approval by the Research Design and Standards Organisation for 120-kmph speeds (demanded by the safety commissioner) is still awaited.