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During its Phase 4 initiatives, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has started construction activities for laying its Silver Line to connect Tughlakabad with the Aero-city Metro Station on the Metro New Delhi Railway Station – Airport Line (since extended up to Sector 22/23 in the sub-city of Dwarka New Delhi. The total outlay for this project phase 4 has been estimated at Rs. 30,000 crores. It would definitely facilitate travelers in Delhi to have connectivity with various important places in Delhi on this line such as Mahipalpur, Vasant Kunj, Chhatarpur, Neb Sarai, IGNOU, Saket, Khanpur, Ambedkar Nagar, Sangam Vihar, etc. This line is also expected to provide improved connectivity to the commuters at important locations/intersections like Janakpuri, Indraprastha, Saket, Lajpat Nagar, Rama Krishna Ashram, etc.
- Although T2 and T3 terminals of the Indira Gandhi International Airport have very well connectivity through the metro network, passengers travelling through the T1 terminal (normally for domestic flights) of the same airport in New Delhi do not have adequate access through the metro line. Moreover, if passengers are required to travel through any two terminals viz., T1 and T3 or T1 and T2, they need to face lot of inconvenience and spend lot of time & efforts, with their accompanied luggage, in using road transport like shuttle bus service/ taxi service, etc. between the two said terminals or between the T1 and the Aero-city metro station. When they have shortage of time for the connecting flights, their situation becomes more precarious and they are caused with mental tension and agony sometimes owing to traffic jam, etc. Further, if the outside weather is not good enough to provide friendliness, especially during harsh winter, summer, and rainy days or when it foggy or dusty, the situation becomes awfully bad, and the passengers face extreme hardships traveling through this sector. Many a time private transport operators demand hefty money out from these passengers for shuttling them through.
- Therefore, a suggestion is expressed here for consideration of the DMRC, Delhi Govt. or all the development agencies involved in the process to get the Phase 4 Silver Line extended up to the T1 domestic airport instead of getting the same terminated at the Aero-city metro station. There will be a large no. of social advantages as compared to the incremental financial cost in laying metro line of hardly another 1.5 to 2.0 kms. To mention a few:
(i) Passengers traveling through T1 and T2/T3 would enjoy better facility of travel on metro lines (by changing at the Aero-city station), and thus save immensely from all the hardships mentioned above.
(ii) Travelers from the Western and Central part of Delhi can find effortless way to travel to & from T2/T3 terminals on the metro network by traveling on the Magenta up to the T1 metro station and then catching Silver Line at T1 while interchanging at the Aero-city metro.
(iii) Even though travelers will have to change metro coaches just after traveling over for one metro station apart, the convenience and comfort of travelling on metro would far past any inconvenience, as they need not come out in the open to face inclement weather conditions.
- Providing the above connectivity would still hold good even if all the three terminals of the said airport are internally connected through rail-bus-coach for the convenience of the transit passengers using the airport terminals (might have been proposed). Because it will continue to provide larger connectivity to the outside airport travelers and to those who would be reaching various terminals from outside.
- Constructing this additional metro Silver Line now would be much smoother and cost saving than if it is thought of after sometime in future on completing the current activities. At that time cost overrun would be much higher and different machines and equipment would have to be mobilized again. It was observed that various fly overs on the outer ring road from Munirka to Sankar Vihar were earlier not laid to accommodate larger traffic flow. It was realized many years after construction of these flyovers that expansion of such fly over was necessary for smoother traffic flow and accordingly additional flyover was constructed parallel to the existing one. Although this has facilitated traffic flow to a greater extent, the cost and efforts were tremendous. Hence, it would be quite appropriate if such situation is conceived for implementation now itself and an extension of about 2 kms. Metro line is laid. This suggestion to extend the metro line would definitely find techno-feasible acceptability and financial viability, if a proper understanding is developed. Current level of techno capabilities make almost every endeavor possible and underground extension may not pose any security issues around the airport.
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