The year 2024 marked significant advancements in urban transportation for the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC). Both entities achieved key milestones, paving the way for enhanced commuter experiences in the National Capital Region.
DMRC’s Major Achievements
The DMRC began the year with President Droupadi Murmu taking a metro ride on February 7. Soon after, on March 4, the Union Cabinet approved two new Phase-IV corridors: Inderlok-Indraprastha (12.377 km) and Lajpat Nagar-Saket G Block (8.385 km).
Among its construction milestones, the DMRC completed an 865-meter underground tunnel between Chhatarpur and Chhatarpur Mandir Station on August 21. It also achieved its first twin-tunnel breakthrough under Phase-IV construction on September 18. The year’s crowning achievement came on December 4 with the completion of the longest underground tunnel (2.65 km) on the Tughlakabad-Aerocity corridor.
In technological advancements, DMRC introduced AI-powered crowd management in Phase-IV projects. It also launched several commuter-centric initiatives, including QR-based ticketing systems, international flight check-ins at metro stations, and bike-taxi bookings through the DMRC Momentum app.
Despite these successes, the year was marred by a tragic incident on February 8, when a portion of the Gokulpuri Metro Station collapsed, leading to one fatality and four injuries. This prompted the DMRC to enhance safety measures across elevated stations on the Pink Line.
NCRTC’s Milestones
The NCRTC made headlines with the operational expansion of the Delhi-Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor. Following its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2023, an additional 17 km section up to Modi Nagar North was opened on March 6, 2024, and later extended to Meerut South. Over five million passengers have traveled on Namo Bharat trains, benefiting from features like parking for over 8,000 vehicles and real-time navigation via the upgraded “Namo Bharat Connect” app.
The NCRTC also emphasized women’s empowerment, launching a driving training programme for over 500 women in Ghaziabad. Furthermore, it signed key agreements for an integrated QR-ticketing system in collaboration with DMRC, promoting seamless travel across networks.
The year also saw German Ambassador to India Philipp Ackermann experiencing a ride on a Namo Bharat train, while a delegation comprising senior officials from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) visited the corridor to review its progress.
In addition, significant progress was made in the construction of the Meerut Metro. Spanning 23 km, the corridor will feature 13 stations, including nine elevated, three underground, and one at grade, which will serve as the depot station. The route comprises 18 km of elevated tracks and 5 km of underground sections, marking a key milestone in the region’s metro connectivity.