PM Modi's NY gift: Delhi gets 13 new metro stations, ₹12k crore boost

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Modi government has given a New Year's gift to the residents of Delhi-NCR. The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the expansion of the Delhi Metro. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav shared this information on Wednesday.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav informed that the Union Cabinet has approved three new corridors under Phase 5A of the Delhi Metro. This corridor will include 13 new metro stations. The three new corridors include RK Ashram Marg to Indraprastha (9.913 km), Aerocity to IGI Airport T-1 (2.263 km), and Tughlakabad to Kalindi Kunj (3.9 km). The total length of this project is 16.076 km and will further improve connectivity in the national capital. The total cost of Phase 5A of the Delhi Metro is ₹12014.91 crore, which will be funded by the Government of India, the Government of Delhi, and international funding agencies.

The Central Vista Corridor will connect all official buildings, providing convenience to office-goers and visitors in the area from the comfort of their homes. This connectivity will benefit approximately 60,000 office-goers and 200,000 visitors daily. These corridors will improve living standards by reducing pollution and fossil fuel use. Speaking on the Union Cabinet decisions, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said, “The Union Cabinet has approved Phase 5A of the Delhi Metro, which will include the construction of 13 new stations, including 10 underground and 3 elevated stations. The project is expected to be completed in 3 years.”

He stated that a new 16-kilometer line will be laid under this initiative, with an investment of ₹12,015 crore. This will expand the Delhi Metro network to over 400 kilometers, a significant achievement in itself. Currently, the DMRC operates 12 metro lines in Delhi and the NCR, totaling approximately 395 kilometers and serving 289 stations. Today, the Delhi Metro is India's largest metro network and one of the largest in the world.