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Delhi Metro rolling along on schedule
By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, FEB. 23. ``Delhi Metro: A Dream Coming True'' proclaims a message painted on a span across the new Yamuna Bridge constructed by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. And a visit to various construction sites of the Mass Rapid Transport System project today revealed just how true this is.

While most Delhi'ites have in the past few years got used to the sight of helmet-wearing DMRC workers, few among them realise the extent to which the construction work has progressed in a relatively short period, as the inconvenience to the general public has been kept to the minimum through some excellent planning and team-work.

While the 553-metre Yamuna bridge was completed in just 30 months on February 2, 2001, the progress on the stations falling along the 8.3 km Shahdara-Tis Hazari section, of which this bridge is a part, has been equally rapid.

As this section is due to be operational in December this year, over 80 per cent of the civil works -- including formation, bridges and viaducts -- has been completed and the major structural, finishing, electrical, signaling and telecom work has started.

Notable on this elevated corridor is the progress of the Seelampur station, which is almost complete and shows to Delhi'ites the kind of infrastructure and facilities they would soon be able to enjoy. The colourful station looks splendid with its properly laid concrete approach from the main road, spacious interiors, steel grills and information boards.

Apart from two granite staircase on the sides, Seelampur station would -- like all other stations -- also have elevators and escalators to take passengers from one level to the other. At Seelampur and Gautampur, two Box Tunnel Subways for vehicles have also been constructed below the existing Northern Railway tracks and Delhi Metro within just 22 days, and that too without disturbing the movement of trains, for facilitation vehicular movement.

The Metro project has also taken adequate care of the physically challenged by providing ramps and elevators. The need of these would probably be felt most at ISBT station, which would have five levels as both the underground Central Secretariat-Delhi University corridor and the elevated Shahdara-Rithala corridors would cross here. Even the elevated part of this station, is in an advanced stage of construction now.

The Metro project would come up in a phased manner. Following the inauguration of the Shahdara-Tis Hazari section, the operations on this line would be extended by 4.5 km up to Tri Nagar by 2003 and by another 8.5 km up to Rithala by 2004. While work between Tis Hazari and Tri Nagar is almost 35 per cent complete, initial formalities of awarding tenders and physical works have started on the Tri-Nagar Rithala section.

By 2004 work on the underground corridor from Central Secretariat to Delhi University would also have advanced a great deal. As of now, on this section definitive designing and civil works are in progress.

The construction would reach an interesting stage in April, when the Tunnel Boring Machines reach Delhi. While two of them would be lowered from Patel Chowk station site and would move up to New Delhi Railway Station from where they would be taken out and then lowered at Old Delhi Railway Station for northward movement up to ISBT, a third for hard rock cutting would first move from Old Delhi station to New Delhi station and then vice versa.

The ISBT-Delhi University section would be built through cut-and-cover method, which would also be adopted for all stations barring Chawri Bazar, and this corridor would become fully operational in 2005.

As for the rolling stock, the modern lightweight coaches -- which have low noise and vibration levels and are specially designed for urban conditions -- are at present being manufactured in Korea and the first train is expected to arrive in Delhi by July. With the first trial run expected from August, Delhi is eagerly awaiting the ``dream run''.

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