PM Modi likely to inaugurate Delhi Metro's Blue Line extension on March 8: Officials

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to inaugurate the 6.6-km Noida City Centre-Noida Electronic City section, an extension of the Delhi Metro's Blue Line on March 8, official sources said. The fully-elevated Noida City Centre-Noida Electronic City section consists of six stations -- Sector 34, Sector 52, Sector 61, Sector 59, Sector 62 and Noida Electronic City.

On the same day, the prime minister is also slated to inaugurate the 9.4-km-long Dilshad Garden-New Bus Adda section, an extension of the Red Line. It has already been granted the nod by the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) and will take the rapid transit network into the interiors of Ghaziabad for the first time.

The Noida City Centre-Noida Electronic City section, an extension of the Blue Line, was inspected for safety on Monday. According to officials, Prime Minister Modi will launch civilian flight operations at Hindon airbase and inaugurate the Dilshad Garden-New Bus Adda section of the Delhi Metro's Red Line on Friday

PM Modi will arrive at the airbase from Kanpur around 4 pm and head to the New Bus Adda metro station by road, District Magistrate Ritu Maheshwari said Monday. Dilshad Garden-New Bus Adda section comprises eight stations -- Shahid Nagar, Raj Bagh, Rajendra Nagar, Shyam Park, Mohan Nagar, Arthala, Hindon River Station and New Bus Adda.

After inaugurating the metro corridor, the prime minister will return to the airbase, where he will launch the the civilian flight operations and will then address a public meeting at an adjacent ground, which falls under Sikanderpur village, she said.

Sources said, the prime minister is likely to inaugurate the extension of the Blue Line during the public meeting, along with a few other projects.

The Delhi Metro's current operational span is 327 km with 236 stations. After opening of the two corridors, it will extend to over 342 km with 250 stations. Once the Noida City Centre-Noida Electronic City section becomes operational, the extended corridor will also bring the Blue Line close to the recently-opened Aqua Line, which connects Noida and Greater Noida.

The Sector-52 station of the DMRC's Blue Line is very close to the Sector-51 station on the Aqua Line, operated by the Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC), and its commuters are awaiting last-mile connectivity between the two lines.

Plans are afoot to connect the two lines through a dedicated pathway and a carriage-way for e-rickshaws, officials had said. There is a distance of around 300 metres between the Sector-51 metro station, the terminus of the Aqua Line in Noida, and the upcoming Sector-52 metro station of the Blue Line.