Highlights

11.48 am ISTMagenta Line stations decorated with cultural, flora, fauna themes
11.44 am ISTBotanical Garden is first-ever metro interchange station outside Delhi
11.38 am IST10 trains to operate on Kalkaji Mandir-Botanical Garden section
11.34 am ISTMagenta Line to use high-tech signalling system
11.29 am ISTBroad-sized coaches to ply on standard gauge Magenta Line: DMRC
11.26 am ISTNoida traffic police advisory ahead of Magenta Line inauguration
11.21 am ISTKalkaji Mandir to Botanical Garden in 19 minutes
11.25 am ISTTraffic police issues advisory ahead of PM Modi’s Noida visit
11.23 am ISTArvind Kejriwal not part of Magenta Line inauguration ceremony
11.18 am ISTModi to address a public meeting in Noida after Magenta Line inauguration
11.15 am ISTNarendra Modi to inaugurate section of Magenta Line

A ‘driverless’ train parked at a station on Delhi metro’s Magenta Line during a trial run on Botanical Garden-Kalkaji Mandir section in New Delhi. Photo: PTI

What comes as a Christmas gift to thousands of daily commuters in the Delhi-Noida region, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to inaugurate a section of the Magenta Line of Delhi Metro on Monday. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath will also attend the opening ceremony. However, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal will not be a part of the inauguration ceremony. The 12.64km section connects Botanical Garden in Noida to Kalkaji Mandir in South Delhi and vastly improve travel time providing relief to thousands of daily commuters. Here are the latest updates and developments from the inauguration of the Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line:
11.48 am IST Magenta Line stations decorated with cultural, flora, fauna themesSix of the nine new stations—Botanical Garden, Okhla Bird Sanctuary, Jamia Milia Islamia, Ishwar Nagar, Okhla NSIC and Kalkaji Mandir—have been decorated, reflecting themes of nature, Yoga, and cultural landmarks. At the new Kalkaji Mandir station, ceramic murals of Lotus Temple, ISKCON Temple and nature-themed artworks, and paintings showing birds have been displayed. (PTI)
11.44 am IST Botanical Garden is first-ever metro interchange station outside DelhiThe Botanical Garden has been developed as the metro’s first-ever interchange station outside the boundaries of Delhi. With the commissioning of the new line, the travel time between south Delhi and Noida would be significantly reduced. The direct ride on the Magenta Line from Kalkaji Mandir to Botanical Garden takes 19 minutes while travelling through Blue and Violet Lines between the old stations takes 52 minutes, with interchange facility at Mandi House station. The new Kalkaji Mandir station is underground and an elevated walkway connects the new facility with the existing station, to facilitate passengers travelling towards Fardiabad side. (PTI)
11.38 am IST 10 trains to operate on Kalkaji Mandir-Botanical Garden sectionThe DMRC authorities said that 10 trains would operate on this new line, while two would be kept on reserve, one each at Kalkaji Mandir and Botanical Garden stations. The coaches running on this line have electronic information display, power charging capacity, including directly through USB ports, and seats in different colour shades. The new trains are also energy-efficient and would save about 20% energy compared to the existing coaches. (PTI)
11.34 am IST Magenta Line to use high-tech signalling systemThe Magenta Line has many other firsts to its credit. The new line has platform screen doors (PSDs) on all nine stations that will become operational from today, besides a high-tech signalling system that will allow the DMRC to run trains with enhanced frequency. The DMRC authorities said that 10 trains would operate on this new line, while two would be kept on reserve, one each at Kalkaji Mandir and Botanical Garden stations. The coaches running on this line have electronic information display, power charging capacity, including directly through USB ports, and seats in different colour shades. The new trains are also energy-efficient and would save about 20% energy compared to the existing coaches. (PTI)
11.29 am IST Broad-sized coaches to ply on standard gauge Magenta Line: DMRCIn a first, broad-sized coaches will ply on the standard gauge track of the Magenta Line of the Delhi Metro, the Kalkaji Mandir-Botanical Garden section. All coaches to be introduced under Phase-III of the Delhi Metro rail network would be broad-sized only. “Coaches measuring 3.2m in width will be in operation on the new Magenta Line. This would also allow 30-40 more passengers than the capacity of coaches running on a standard gauge. The size of a broad gauge line is 5ft 6in (1,676mm) and a standard gauge line is 4ft 8.5in (1,435 mm). These broad-sized coaches (3.2m) can smoothly ply on the newly-laid standard tracks,” PTI quoted a senior DMRC official as saying. At present, carriages, measuring 2.9m in width are in use on existing standard gauge corridors—Violet Line (Kashmiri Gate-Escorts Mujesar) and Green Line (Kirti Nagar-Mundka), another senior official said. Yellow Line (Samyapur Badli-Huda City Centre) and Blue Line (Dwarka-Noida/Vaishali) are among the broad guage lines on which wide coaches ply.
11.26 am IST Noida traffic police advisory ahead of Magenta Line inauguration
🚨🚨🚨 *Traffic Advisory* 🚨🚨🚨
...........................
दिनांक 25.12.2017 को *माननीय प्रधानमंत्री, भारत सरकार* के जनपद भ्रमण के अवसर पर यातायात व्यवस्था निम्नानुसार रहेगी। pic.twitter.com/FviNFrhCHs
— Noida Traffic Police (@noidatraffic) December 23, 2017
11.21 am IST Kalkaji Mandir to Botanical Garden in 19 minutesThe new Magenta Line, 12.64-km section, part of the upcoming Botanical Garden (Noida)-Janakpuri West (Delhi) corridor, has nine stations and is set to be inaugurated by Modi. After the new section of the Delhi Metro is opened, commuters will be able to travel directly to the Kalkaji Mandir Metro Station from Botanical Garden in 19 minutes. The travel time Blue and Violet lines of the metro takes 52 minutes with interchange point at the Mandi House station. Metro’s new generation trains, which can run without drivers, will run on this section aided by the Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) signalling technology. (PTI)
11.25 am IST Traffic police issues advisory ahead of PM Modi’s Noida visitA Noida police traffic advisory has banned the entry of heavy vehicles in some parts of Noida. Vehicular traffic will not be allowed from Sector 38 Botanical Garden bus stand till Atta chowk road, the advisory issued by the Noida Traffic Police said. The road connecting Sector 94, 124, 125 and 126 too will remain blocked for vehicular traffic. Light vehicles can take the turn from below Mahamaya Flyover via Hajipur to reach sector 126, it said. Entry of heavy vehicles through Delhi-Noida-Direct Flyway, Chilla Regulator, Sector 60 elevated road and MP road to FNG (Parthla) crossing will not be allowed from 7am to 9pm, the advisory said. Those coming from Greater Noida to attend the prime minister’s public rally at sector 125 can take Sector 93 cut and via service road to reach the rally site. (PTI)
11.23 am IST Arvind Kejriwal not part of Magenta Line inauguration ceremonyDelhi CM Arvind Kejriwal will not be a part of the inauguration of a section of Delhi Metro’s newly-built Magenta Line to be flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 25 December, PTI reports. The official said that the Delhi government does not have any official intimation for the programme to be held in Uttar Pradesh. The DMRC, however, said it has not sent out invites since the Uttar Pradesh government was organizing the event.
11.18 am IST Modi to address a public meeting in Noida after Magenta Line inaugurationTight security is in place for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to inaugurate Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line. The 12.64-km section connects Botanical Garden in Noida to Kalkaji Mandir in south Delhi. Modi will also address a public meeting in Noida. The elite Special Protection Group, which provides security to the prime minister, has taken control of the premises. Provincial Armed Constabulary and paramilitary forces are part of the security at the venue. The area has been divided into 15 zones and an officer for each has been appointed. Aerial surveillance will be conducted with the help of helicopters, for which three helipads have been made at Botanical Garden. (PTI)
11.15 am IST Narendra Modi to inaugurate section of Magenta Line
Great news for friends in the NCR! Tomorrow, a stretch of the Delhi Metro"s new Magenta Line will be inaugurated, connecting Botanical Garden in Noida with Kalkaji Mandir in Delhi. Delhi-Noida travelling will become faster and more convenient. https://t.co/Zv785rEM7V
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 24, 2017