Delhi Metrolite: In a big boost for Delhi Metro commuters, two new Metrolite corridors are set to come up in the national capital! The preparations are underway for constructing Metrolite corridors between Rithala-Narela and Kirti Nagar-Dwarka ECC (Exhibition cum Convention Centre), which are one of the busiest areas in Delhi. According to a recent Dainik Jagran report, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has issued a directive to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to construct the corridors. Under this, it has been proposed to construct Metrolite corridors between Kirti Nagar-Dwarka Sector 25 and Rithala-Narela sections. The Delhi Metro board has given the administrative approval to plan the Kirti Nagar-Dwarka Sector 25 corridor and DMRC has started the preparations for finalizing the detailed project report (DPR) of the proposed corridor.
The process of the Metrolite corridor is similar to the Delhi Metro, however, a Metrolite train has only three coaches and can accommodate as many as 300 passengers at a time. The advantage of Metrolites is that the cost of construction is almost 30 per cent less as compared to a usual Delhi metro train.
According to the report, the length of the Kirti Nagar-Dwarka Metrolite corridor will be 19 kilometres, and it will be connected to three corridors of Delhi Metro. This is because the Kirti Nagar station of this Metrolite corridor will be the interchange station of Kirti Nagar of Delhi Metro Blue Line and Delhi Metro Green Line (Kirti Nagar-Inderlok-Bahadurgarh). The Delhi Metro Airport Express line is expanding to Dwarka Sector 25 as Dwarka is becoming an international convention centre in Sector 25. Hence this Metrolite service between Kirti Nagar to Dwarka Sector 25 will serve as a feeder service for passengers.
Additionally, 21.7 km Metrolite corridor has also been proposed between Rithala to Narela. After the DPR is ready for the construction of the Metrolite corridor on both the proposed routes, DMRC will send it to the Delhi government for approval. After this, it will be sent to the Central government for final approval. The Central government and the Delhi government will have to bear 50 per cent of the cost each for the construction of the Metrolite corridors.