The over 4.2 km-long Dwarka-Najafgarh corridor of the Delhi Metro is likely to open soon as the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) has accorded the mandatory approval for starting passenger operations, officials said on Thursday.
This section, colour coded the Grey Line, consists of three stations - Dwarka (interchange with Blue Line), Nangli and Najafgarh, and it will connect the outer Delhi locality of Najafgarh with the rest of the city.
Of the three stations in this corridor, Dwarka and Nangli are elevated ones, while Najafgarh station is underground. CMRS Janak Kumar Garg had inspected the corridor for safety on Wednesday.
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"He has accorded the mandatory approval for the commencement of passenger operations on the 4.295-km Dwarka-Najafgarh section of the Delhi Metro, paving the way for its opening, a senior DMRC official said. The exact date for commencement of operations shall be communicated shortly, he said.
Trial runs on the section had begun in July. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation had earlier said the corridor is being extended by another 1.18 km till Dhansa Stand which is slated for completion by December 2020.
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"During the trial runs, the interaction of the metro train with physical infringements (civil structure) were checked to ensure that there is no physical blockage during the movement of the train on the track," the DMRC said.
The Delhi Metro's total operational network at present stands at over 343 km, with multiple corridors and 250 stations having its footprints in Delhi and various neighbouring cities. An average of about 28 lakh commuters use the Delhi Metro every day.