The construction of Delhi Metro did not come into being in one day but it was infact built in different phases. Phase one attained its completion with fifty eight stations, with 65 kilometres of route length. Of this length 13 kms is underground while the remaining is elevated or on surface. The inauguration of Dwarka and Barakhamba road gateway of the blue line raised flag for phase one completion in October 2006. The second phase of metro network involved 124.6 kms of rail length with 85 stations. It got completed in June 2008 and its last line was opened in August 2011. The third phase flagged 103 kms route length with 69 stations while the fourth phase flagged 113.2 kms in length. The 3rd and 4th phase are planned to be open for public by 2016 and 2021 accordingly covering total network of 413 kms.

Current Routes

Till October 2014, with successful completion of first and second phase and the start of functioning of 3rd phase, Delhi Metro marks the network length of 6 lines, excluding the airport express line, serving 140 metro stations with addition of 6 more stations which fall on airport express line and operates on complete route length of 193 kilometres.

Red Line

This line was started as the first metro line which connected Rithala (west) to Dilshad Garden (East) thereby covering length of 25.09 kms. This is partly at grade while partly elevated and makes a cross above the Yamuna River amid the Shastri Park and Kashmiri Gate Stations. The inauguration of the 1st stretch amid Tis Hazari and Shahdara on 24th December 2002 led to collapse of ticketing system owing to the line which was overcrowded 4 times to its actual capacity since the citizens were too excited to enjoy their first ride of metro. The subsequent sections were then inaugurated from Tis Hazari to Trinagar which is also called Inderlok on fourth of Oct 2003, Inderlok to Rithala on thirty first March 2004, and Shahdara to Dilshad Garden on fourth of June 2008. The red line of Metro has two interchange stations of which the first is Kashmere Gate that is linked with yellow line while the second is Inderlok which connects to green line. Initiating from twenty four November 2013, total 6 coaches will be added in a very phased manner to the red line.

Yellow Line

This metro line was the 2nd line of Delhi Metro which was the very first underground rail line to be opened. This line stretches upto 44.36 kilometers and links HUDA city center in Gurgaon to Janakpuri in Delhi. The southern and northern parts of this line are elevated whereas the central segment via some of the highly crowded parts of New Delhi is underground. The 1st segment between Kashmere Gate and Vishwa Vidyalaya opened in December 2004, while the other stations of Kashmere Gate and Central Secretariat opened in July 2005, the Vishwa Vidyalaya and Jahangirpuri opened in February 2009. The yellow line even hold’s India’s deepest metro station (infact the 2nd deepest metro station of whole world) at Chawri Bazaar which is located 30 meters beneath the ground level. On twenty first June 2010, a new stretch from Huda City Center to Qutub Minar was established and opened for public, for start just distinguishing it from main metro line. The Chhatarpur station on yellow line was opened in August 2010 but due to some delay in getting ownership of land for building the stations, it was built using some pre-fabricated structures setting time record of 9 months. And it is the only metro station which in Delhi is built of complete steel. The associating link amid Qutab Minar and Central Secretariat opened in September 2010. There interchanges are easily available with Kashmiri Gate ISBT and Red line at Kashmiri Gate Station, Rajiv Gandhi Chowk using blue line, Central Secretariat at violet line, Sikandrapur at Rapid Metro Rail Gurgaon and with some prominent Indian Railways network located at New Delhi Railway Station and Chandni Chowk Delhi Junction Railway Station.  The yellow line is the 1st line of metro railways which has embraced all four coaches’ trains which were further increased to 6 and then 8. The metro museum located at Patel Chowk Metro Railways Station displays collection of panels, and historical pictures while also showcasing the tracing and genesis of DRMC. This museum was inaugurated in January 2009 for public visit.

Blue Line

This line was the 3rd of all metro lines which was opened to connect districts outside and adjoining Delhi. Blue line is partly underground and is elevated, connecting Dwarka sub city located in the west to Noida in the East. It covers route length of 47.4 kilometres. The 1st section of this blue line was between Bharakhamba and Dwarka and was opened on 31st December 2005, while the subsequent segments were opened amid Dwarka and Dwarka sector 9 on the first of April in 2006. The others are listed below:

• Indraprastha and Barakhamba Road – November 2006
• Yamuna Bank and Indraprastha – May 2009
• Noida City Centre and Yamuna Bank – November 2009
• Dwarka Sector 21 and Dwarka Sector 9 – October 2010

This blue line crosses the Yamuna river amid Yamuna Bank and Indraprastha stations and is said to be India’s 2nd extradosed bridge all across the Northern Indian Railways mainline in close proximity to the Pragati Maidan. A new branch of blue metro line was inaugurated in January 2010. This line takes off from the Yamuna Bank Station. It runs approximately 6.25 kilometres till Anand Vihar located in East Delhi. This line was eventually extended upto Vaishali and was made open for the public in July 2011. A slight extension of 2.76 kilometers was made from Dwarka sector nine to Dwarka sector twenty one. This was inaugurated in October 2010. There are interchanges available with violet metro line at Mandi house, green line at Kirti Nagar while yellow metro line at Rajiv Chowk together with Indian Railways link at Anand Vihar Railways terminal as well as Anand Vihar ISBT.

Green Line

Started in 2010, this green metro line was first standard gauge gateway of the Delhi Metro. This completely elevated metro line links Inderlok with Mundka, stretching for 15.1 kilometers mainly running along the Rohtak Road together with branch line which connects green line’s Ashok Park Main Metro Station with the metro station of Kirti Nagar Station which connects with blue line. This metro line consists of seventeen metro stations which includes an interchange station embracing station which covers a whole length of 18.46 kms. This line got opened in two stages – length 15.1 kms (Inderlok to Mundka, inaugurated in April 2010) and the second with length of 3.5 kms (Kirti Nagar to Ashok Park Main Metro Branch, inaugurated in August 2011). An interchange with a red line is now available at the Inderlok Metro station through an integrated concourse. The green metro line has India’s 1st standard gauge maintenance depot located at Mundka.

Violet Line

This metro line is a recently opened line of Delhi Metro and the second line which has standard gauge gateway post the green line. With length of 23.2 kms this line connects Badarpur to Mandi House of which 9 kms is elevated while the rest remains underground. The 1st section amid Sarita Vihar and Central Secretariat was opened in October 2010, few hours before the commonwealth games of 2010 were inaugurated. This line connects to Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, stamped venue for opening as well as closing ceremonies of Commonwealth games. This line was built in only 41 months, embraces 100m long bridge which runs over the mainlines of Indian Railways and 167.5m long bridge which is cable stayed and runs over an operational road flyover, linking different tourists attractions, hospitals and main industrial estate along its route. Facilities are extended with frequency of 5 mins. There is impeccable interchange facility available at Central Secretariat via an integrated concourse. In January 2011, the left portions from Badarpur and Sarita Vihar were opened for business service, adding 3 new metro stations to the metro violet line network, flagging completion of this respective line. The most recent segment amid Central Secretariat and Mandi House was opened in June 2014.

Airport Express

This airport express line stretches for length of 22.7 kms from Dwarka Sector 21 to New Delhi Railway Station connecting the Indira Gandhi International Airport. This line was run by Delhi Airport Metro Express Private Limited which is a subsidiary of Reliance Infrastructure. It was run by DAMEL till June 2013 and now is run under administration of DMRC. The airport express line was built with cost of 57 billion (INR) of which 28.85 billion (INR) was invested by the Reliance Infrastructure. The Reliance Infrastructure will pay fee on a set revenue share model. Airport express line has 6 stations and these stations have outstanding eateries, parking and check-in facilities. Rolling stock includes 6 coached metro train which runs at frequency of 10 minutes and has maximum speed of 135 kms per hour. Initially set to open ahead of the 2010 CommonWealth Games, this airport express metro line failed to get the compulsory safety clearance. It was inaugurated in February 2011, post delay of 5 months. Post 16 months of start of operations, this metro line was closed for repair work in July 2012. This line again reopened in January 2013. In June 2013, Reliance Infrastructure Private Limited informed DMRC that they would not be able to operate this line after June 2013. After this, DMRC took the charge over operations w.e.f from July 2013 with Maintenance and Operations team of 100+ officials who were accountable for holding the line. In January 2015, DMRC submitted a report that Airport Metro line has set record of 30% rise in ridership post the reduction of fare by 40% in July 2014.

Planned Extensions

Delhi Metro was proposed to be constructed in different phases which were spread around twenty years. Each phase was targeted for 5 fivers and the end of phase one would mark the start of other phase.  In 2006 and 2011the phase 1(65kms) and phase 2(125kms) were completed respectively while phase 3 and 4 are anticipated to finish completion in 2016 and 2021 respectively. Construction for phase 3 has already stated while planning for phase 4 is in line. Ex-chief of DMRC gave a hint that when phase 4 gets completed, Delhi would need phase 5 to cover up and adjust with rising population as well as their transportation needs.

Network

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