The much-awaited ITO-Kashmere Gate ‘Heritage Line’ of Delhi Metro has received safety clearance, paving the way for its long-awaited commercial launch. The Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS) gave the clearance following an inspection of the 5.17-km-long corridor on 22-23 May, a DMRC official said. “The line will be opened very soon, possibly this week. We will shortly announce the date,” the official said.
With the launch, the metro will make a major foray into old Delhi or the ‘Walled City’, with three stations – Delhi Gate, Jama Masjid and the Red Fort. The new line, which is essentially an extension of the Violet Line, that runs between Faridabad and ITO presently, will take considerable load off the Chandni Chowk and Chawri Bazar stations on the Yellow Line.
Once the section is launched, residents of the densely- populated area, made up of areas in and around the Mughal seat of power ‘Shahjahanabad’, will have direct access to commercial centres such as Connaught Place, Janpath, offices in Central Secretariat, and the satellite town of Faridabad.
The three stations of this line, all underground, have been designed in accordance with the heritage of the area, to provide glimpses of its rich past and vibrant present.
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