• By Nidhi Giri
  • Tue, 01 Apr 2025 04:54 PM (IST)
  • Source:JND

Delhi Metro Expansion: Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has planned to expand metro connectivity in Delhi-NCR with its phase-5 project. DMRC’s proposal to the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, includes the construction of 18 new metro corridors spanning 206.5 km. The detailed project report (DPR) for some of these corridors has already been submitted, while financial assistance has been requested from the central government to help with the development of the comprehensive mobility plan, DPRs, feasibility studies, and research for the remaining corridors.

Delhi Metro Expansion In Two Phases 

The 18 corridors in Phase-5 are proposed to be built in two phases. In the first phase, approval is being sought for three major corridors.

Phase I

Central Vista Corridor

The most prominent of these is the 9.5 km Central Vista Corridor, connecting Indraprastha to Ramakrishna Ashram, as per an NBT report. This underground corridor will provide access to key locations like India Gate, Kartavya Path, Rashtrapati Bhavan, the new Prime Minister's Office, and several major government offices being developed under the Central Vista project. DMRC submitted its DPR for this corridor in February this year.

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Corridor Between Aerocity And Terminal-1 of IGI Airport

Another key proposal is a 2.3 km underground corridor between Aerocity and Terminal-1 of IGI Airport to improve connectivity between various airport terminals. The DPR for this project was submitted to the Delhi government in February last year, and it will have only one underground station.

Corridor Connecting Tughlakabad To Kalindi Kunj

The third priority corridor connects Tughlakabad to Kalindi Kunj, enhancing connectivity between South Delhi and Noida. This 4 km elevated corridor will have three stations, and its DPR was submitted in December last year.

Phase II

The second phase includes 15 corridors, mainly aimed at improving connectivity between Delhi and the NCR. Five of these corridors will connect Delhi with various NCR areas. Three of these will be built with the cooperation of the Delhi and Haryana governments, while two will involve collaboration between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Additionally, five corridors will be entirely within Delhi, while three will be in Uttar Pradesh and two in Haryana.

New Corridors

Out of the proposed 18 corridors in Phase-5, four will be entirely new. These include the Mayapuri to Kashmiri Gate, CGO Complex to Surya Vihar (Faridabad), Mayur Vihar Phase-3 to Loni Border, and the Najafgarh-Nangloi Metro Corridor. The remaining 14 corridors will be extensions of existing metro lines. Some of these extensions already have submitted DPRs, while new DPRs are being prepared to further extend the lines. These extensions are designed to ease congestion on current metro lines.

Awaiting Formal Approval

Although the proposal for Phase-5 is still in its early stages, the proposed corridors have yet to receive formal approval. Some adjustments may be made to their routes or designs during discussions with the central and state governments, as well as during the financial approval process. The final structure of these corridors will become clearer once formal approval is granted.