Delhi has always created its own history. It has wonderful monuments and architectural heritage. It has wide roads and a number of flyovers, the unique Red Fort, Rashtrapati Bhawan, Qutub Minar, and Chandani Chowk are some of. Its great glories metro is its crowning glory which adds a new speed to its progress.
Delhi MRTS (Delhi Mass Rapid Transit System) or Delhi Metro is a rapid transit system in Delhi operated by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited. With a view to reducing the problems of the Delhi commuter, the launching of an Integrated Multi Mode Mass Rapid Transport System for Delhi had long been under consideration.
The first concrete step in this direction was however taken when a feasibility study for developing such a multi modal MRTS was commissioned by GNCTD (with support from GOI) in 1989 was completed by RITES in 1991. It recommended a 198.5 km predominantly road based network with first phase to cover a length of 85.3 km. The report was completed by RITES in 1995.
Since CRRI (Central Road Research Institute) proposal was based on transport demand protection upto the year 1981, it was assigned to Town and Country planning organization, the work of further projection of demand to the year 2001. Its concept plan envisaged a net work of 58 km underground and 195 km surface corridor.
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As a part of the techno economic feasibility study, subsoil exploration were conducted on four specific trunk routes and by the side of existing railway tracks and recommended for taking up pilot projects.
Due to rapid growth, especially along the western and eastern part of the city, a study group was appointed by the Ministeiy of Railway Govt of India to recommend a precise alignment for the east west corridor and in 1987 further appointed a last-force for assessing the choice of exact construction technology. These all resulted in the success of Integrated Multi Modal Mass Rapid Transport System of Delhi.
The total network contains sixteen sections to be implemented in a sequence based on passenger km carried per kilometre length of each section. The first phase of the network comprises of 65.11 km of route length with 13.01 k.m. underground called metro corridor and 82.10 km surface/elevated rail corridor. The current lines as on Dec 2005 are line 1 (Shahdara Rithala) Line 2 (Vishwa Vidyalaya- Central Secretariat) Line 3 (Indraparstha- Dwarka sub city). Metro is going to be extended to Noida by 2010.
The objectives of the Metro project in Delhi, are: (i) time saving for commuters; (ii) reliable and safe journey; (in) reduction in atmospheric pollution; (if) reduction in accident; (y) reduced fuel consumption; (w) reduced vehicle operating costs; (vii) increase in the average speed of road vehicles; [viii) improvement in the quality life; (ix) more attractive city for economic investment and growth.
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Each train consists of four coaches and can carry upto 240 seated and 300 standing passangers. The trains operate at interval of 3 to 5 minutes between 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. All coaches on all trains are air conditioned and temperature of 29 °C to be mentioned in them.
On whole the Delhi MRTS is essentially a social sector project whose benefits will pervade wide sections of economy. It is a boon to the Delhites and a glory to India.