NEW DELHI: After a month’s delay, the Najafgarh-Dhansa Bus Stand extension of Delhi Metro’s Grey Line will be inaugurated on September 18 by Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) Hardeep Singh Puri and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal via video conference. Passenger service on the section will commence the same day from 5 pm.
Minister of State, MoHUA, Kaushal Kishore, and Delhi’s Transport Minister and Nazajafgarh MLA Kailash Gahlot will also be present at the inaugural event. The opening of the stretch will increase the total length of the Grey Line from 4.3 km to about 5 km. The Dwarka-Najafgarh corridor, connecting the urban village of Najafgarh to the Metro network, was opened in 2019.
The 1-km-long Najafgarh-Dhansa Bus Stand extension was scheduled to be completed by December 2020, but got delayed due to the Covid lockdown. It was set to open in August this year, but got delayed due to approach road issue. According to Transport Department officials, the approach road to Dhansa Bus Stand was in a poor condition and inaccessible to the public.
Keeping in mind the rich heritage and culture and flourishing wildlife of Najafgarh-Dhansa region, the DMRC has decorated the station with artworks and photographic displays showcasing the area’s rich biodiversity and unique characteristics.
“The colour palette of the station has been kept earthy and bold to show the amalgamation of rural and the urban values. A hand painted artwork shows the residents coming together to honour the essence of their values and is themed as ‘fringes of rural-urban progression’. The artwork showcases the bridge that is built in order to connect the past and the future,” said DMRC. The stretch has received the mandatory approval from Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety. With its opening, the Delhi Metro network will become 390-km-long with 286 stations.