The wait for Lajpat Nagar-Mayur Vihar-I section of Delhi Metro's Pink Line has extended further as it is likely to be opened by year-end. It was earlier scheduled to get chugging around Diwali.

According to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation officials, the 9.7 km long stretch is still undergoing various trials which started in September. Since Lajpat Nagar and Mayur Vihar-I stations are operational at the moment on Pink Line and Blue line respectively, trains can have trial runs only after their passenger services are closed for the day. Besides, the existing operations have to be suspended every night once the last train at Lajpat Nagar has made its trip, and pressed into services the next day in the morning. 

"Started around a month ago, these challenges have caused the delay in the completion of trials and they are now expected to be completed by end of November or beginning of December," officials said.

The procedure would then demand the metro to be inspected by the commissioner of metro railway safety (CMRS) after the completion of trails. Only once the CMRS gives a clearance that the section will be opened for commercial services. Meanwhile, another section of Pink Line, the 17.8 km long Shiv Vihar-Trilokpuri section is expected to complete its trial run by this month. It will start commercial operations by November-end, as per the officials.

The 9.7 km long stretch will make south Delhi more accessible to its east counterpart, connecting Moti Bagh, Sarojini Nagar, South Extension, Lajpat Nagar, Ashram, Vinoba Puri in south Delhi to east. The Shiv Vihar-Trilokpuri will give metro connectivity for northeast parts of Delhi like Gokulpuri, Johri enclave and Maujpur.

Moreover, the Mayur Vihar-I metro station will become an interchange station, connecting the Pink Line with the Blue Line making it a big hub in East Delhi, providing connectivity to South Delhi and easing travel to East Delhi areas such as Laxmi Nagar, Anand Vihar and Vaishali in Ghaziabad via the Blue Line.

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The 9.7 km long stretch will make south Delhi more accessible to its east counterpart, connecting Moti Bagh, Sarojini Nagar, South Extension, Lajpat Nagar, Ashram, Vinoba Puri in south Delhi to east.