NEW DELHI: The inauguration of the Delhi Metro’s Pink Line, connecting Lajpat Nagar and Mayur Vihar, on Monday saw Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia urging authorities to consider reduction of fares for the benefit of commuters.A New Year gift for Delhiites, the 9.7 km stretch comes with five Metro stations, and further expands the already existing 59 km network of Pink Line.
While heaping praises on the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), Sisodia talked about the marvels of civil engineering as well as reduction of Metro fares. “Delhi Metro is a necessity for Delhi’s residents. It is not a luxury. The fares of the Metro are too high for ordinary commuters of the city,” he said in the presence of Union urban development minister Hardeep Singh Puri.
Last year, the DMRC had increased its fares on all the lines, a decision which was vehemently opposed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The CM had called the move “highly flawed” and demanded a third party audit of the DMRC to look into its expenses. The DMRC had contended that the hike was necessary for maintenance of the Metro train network and for providing good services.
Sisodia congratulated engineers for their feat while highlighting the difficulties that the authorities faced while taking up mega infrastructure projects in the national capital. “Seventy per cent of Delhi’s land is covered by unauthorised colonies, slums, and, in that sort of setup, providing quality public transport was a challenge, and the DMRC accepted it.
Today, the Delhi Metro passes through these very complex areas, overhead or underground, which is really praise worthy.” Incidentally, the DMRC and the Delhi government have put aside past skirmishes behind them and come together to approve the next phase of the much-delayed Phase IV Metro project.
Five stations
The Lajpat Nagar-Mayur Vihar Pocket 1 corridor has five stations — Lajpat Nagar, Vinobapuri, Ashram, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Mayur Vihar Ph-I and Mayur Vihar Pocket-1. Mayur Vihar Ph-I and Mayur Vihar Pocket-1 are elevated stations and the rest are underground, a DMRC official said.
FIRST COACH FOR WOMEN
The first coaches in all the lines of Metro will be reserved for women passengers from New Year. “The decision was taken keeping in mind women’s safety and to ensure more convenience to commuters and to maintain uniformity across the DMRC network” said a DMRC official. Till now, the first and the last coach at the terminal stations at Dilshad Garden to Rithala, Inderlok/Kirti Nagar to Brig. Hoshiar Singh, Kashmere Gate to Raja Nahar Singh, Majlis Park to Mayur Vihar Pocket-1 and Trilokpuri-Sanjay Lake to Shiv Vihar and Botanical Garden to Janakpuri West were alternately used as Ladies Coach in the Uttar Pradesh section and other lines, respectively.