Magenta Line boasts many firsts

With the Janakpuri West-Kalkaji Mandir corridor of the Magenta Line set to start passenger operations from May 29, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) promises better access and facilities for commuters.

Union Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will flag off the first train on May 28. With the opening of the entire stretch of the Magenta Line, the metro’s network will expand to over 272 km with 202 stations.

Terming the corridor as the “Knowledge Corridor”, DMRC spokesperson Anuj Dayal said, “The Magenta Line will be a boon for students in the Capital as it will connect four educational institutions — Jamia Millia Islamia, the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi [IIT-D], Amity University and Jawaharlal Nehru University.”

This is also the first time that Indira Gandhi International Airport’s Terminal 1 (T1) will have a metro station of its own. Passengers travelling from T1 can reach Noida directly on the Magenta Line and while Gurugram-bound commuters will need to change trains at Hauz Khas metro station. Travel time between Gurugram and Noida is also set to reduce to 50 minutes from 90 minutes.

DMRC officials said drop off points for vehicles and public transport have been constructed close to stations to decongest nearby areas.

“Despite space constraints, all necessary design changes were brought in to make space for drop off points for autorickshaws, cars and intermediate public transport. All stations have bus stands within 100 metres of entry and exit points. Cycle paths have been created near IIT-Delhi. All stations will have the provision for parking of vehicles of differently abled passengers near elevators, which will be connected with the help of ramps,” he said.

Additionally, nine subways along the Capital’s Outer Ring Road have been constructed by the DMRC. These subways, located at Munirka, RK Puram, IIT, Panchsheel Park, Chirag Delhi, Greater Kailash and Nehru Enclave, can also be accessed by pedestrians, officials said.

The 38-km-long Magenta Line will have four interchange stations. At the two ends — Botanical Garden and Janakpuri West — commuters will be connected to the Blue Line. At Hauz Khas and Kalkaji Mandir stations, they will be able to switch to the Yellow Line and Violet Line respectively.

Official said at a height of over 15 metres, escalators at Janakpuri West are the highest in the country. Hauz Khas station, which is touted as an “emerging metro hub”, is also the deepest station in the network at a depth of 29 metres.