The Hindu : New Delhi News : DMRC planning to increase frequency of trains

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 03, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

DMRC planning to increase frequency of trains

Staff Reporter

Particularly during office hours to clear the extra rush at stations

NEW DELHI: In the wake of increased passenger traffic in all its three lines during the past few months, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation is planning to increase the frequency of its trains, particularly during office hours, so that extra rush at stations could be cleared easily.

"At present, our trains run at a frequency of around four to five minutes. But now keeping in mind the growing demand from passengers, we are looking at the feasibility of increasing frequency of our trains. We are also studying various other measures to meet growing passenger traffic at our stations," informed DMRC spokesperson Anuj Dayal.

Asked when the new trains would be introduced in the system, Mr. Dayal said DMRC has already placed orders to get 10 new trains that would take the total number of trains to 70. "However, the trains will reach Delhi only by January next year, as its parts will first be brought from Korea to Bangalore, where it would be assembled at the Bharat Earth Movers Limited's plant before being introduced in our system," he added.

Informing that the passenger traffic has increased from 4.5 lakhs to 4.75 lakhs during the past two months, Mr. Dayal said peak time passenger traffic was increasing every day, particularly in the Barakhamba-Dwarka line.

But DMRC is also taking other measures to clear passenger rush from its stations that includes adding new escalators and lifts.

It has already added more escalators at a couple of stations, while new escalators are being installed at five stations that will start functioning within a month.

Two new escalators have become operational at the Central Secretariat station, one at the entry from Boat Club and another at Red Cross entry. Similarly, two new elevators, with each costing around Rs.75 lakhs, have started functioning at Chawri Bazar station on underground section between Central Secretariat and Delhi University, he added.

According to Mr. Dayal, work on installing four new escalators has already begun at Uttam Nagar (West), Janakpuri (West), Tagore Garden and Karol Bagh on the Barakhamba-Dwarka line that would take at least a month to become operational.

Similarly, three more escalators have become operational at the busiest Delhi Metro station -- Rajiv Chowk (Connaught Place) -- besides a new entry have been opened near Palika Bazar at the same station.

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