M A I N   N E W S

Delhi Metro reaches Gurgaon
Sunit Dhawan
Tribune News Service

Gurgaon, June 21
Metro rail service on the Gurgaon-Delhi route started without any formal inauguration ceremony today. The link connecting HUDA City Centre in Gurgaon with Qutub Minar (in Delhi) was thrown open to the public at 8 a.m. today.

Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner Rajender Kataria and HUDA Administrator Nitin Yadav, along with a team of local officials, visited the HUDA City Centre Metro Station in Gurgaon to inspect the facilities being provided at the station and in the Metro.

The officials also travelled in the Metro train. A representative of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), Rajiv Jain, informed them that passengers could reach Qutub Minar from HUDA City Centre in Gurgaon in about 27 minutes (14.47-km stretch).

Jain revealed that there is a parking space of about 6,500 square-yards on the surface, where about 200 cars can be parked. Another 485 cars can be parked in the basement at the HUDA City Centre Metro Station in Gurgaon.

Similarly, there is a parking space of about 4,000 square-metre at the IFFCO Chowk Station, about 2,000 square metres at Sikanderpur station and about 4,000 square metres at Guru Dronacharya metro station.

Kataria maintained that the Haryana government had incurred an amount of Rs 604 crore on the Metro project, in addition to providing land for it. The 12.53-km Qutub Minar-Central Secretariat underground Metro stretch is likely to be ready by mid July, which would connect Gurgaon directly to Connaught Place.

With a view to facilitating the Metro passengers of Gurgaon, the district administration has planned to run feeder buses on six routes. Air-conditioned as well as and non-AC buses will ply on these routes.

Initially, some bus routes have been finalized but the routes and number of buses can be increased, depending on the number of passengers once the Metro starts on its full length, i.e. from HUDA City Centre in Gurgaon to Central Secretariat in Delhi.

Of the 10 stations, six have parking facility. To facilitate the passengers, the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) has also planned to run connecting bus services from Qutub Minar Metro Station to Central Secretariat Metro Station from 6.15 a.m. to 11.45 p.m.

One route of Metro-feeder buses in Gurgaon will be from Sector 4 and 7 chowk to the Metro Station via Sectors 9, 9-A, 10, 10-A, Hero Honda Chowk, Rajiv Chowk, IFFCO Chowk, MG Road, Sectors 55- 56, Kendriya Vihar, Metro Station and back from Medicity, Rajiv Chowk, New Court, Old Railway Road and Sectors 4 and 7.

The second route will be from Sector 5 to the Gurgaon Metro Station via Palam Vihar, Sectors 23 and 22, Dundahera, Udhyog Vihar, IFFCO Chowk, MG Road, Sectors 55 and 56, Kendriya Vihar, Metro Station and back from Medicity, Rajiv Chowk, IFFCO Chowk, Udyog Vihar, Sector 22-23, Palam Vihar and Sector 5.

The third route is from New Colony to Metro Station via Gurgaon Bus stand, Sukhrali, IFFCO Chowk, MG Road, Sector 55, 56,, Kendriya Vihar, Metro Station and back to Kendriya Vihar, sector 55, 56, MG Road, IFFCO Chowk, Sukhrali, Bus Stand, Mata Sheetla Mandir, Sector 4, 7 and New Colony.

The fourth route is from Gurgaon Bus Stand to Meharana Pratap Chowk via Signature Tower, Metro Station and back to Signature Tower, Rajiv Chowk, IMT Gate number 3.

The Fifth Route is from Gurgaon to IMT via Signature Tower, Metro Station and back through Rajiv Chowk, Islampur, Subhash Chowk, Sectors 44, 45, 46, 47 and Metro Station. The sixth route is from IFFCO Chowk Gurgaon to Kendriya Vihar via Siganature Tower, Medicity hospital, sector 29, RD City and back to Golf road, MG Road and IFFCO Chowk.