Delhi Metro will begin trial runs on the first section of Phase III from Central Secretariat to Mandi House from December 30 and the line would open for commuters by March-end next year, 6 months ahead of schedule.
"The construction work for the three-kilometre long underground stretch, which is part of the Central Secretariat -Kashmere Gate Metro Line, is almost complete and is expected to be opened for commuter by end of March 2014 after trials," DMRC Executive Director (Corporate Communications) Anuj Dayal said.
The trial runs are expected to continue for a couple of months, he said.
This stretch will be opened six months ahead of the original planned date of October, 2014, so as to help decongest the busy Rajiv Chowk Metro Station.
This section will provide interchange facility at two stations--Central Secretariat and Mandi House.
Commuters taking the Badarpur-Central Secretariat Line bound for NOIDA and Vaishali will be able to change trains at Mandi House without changing trains at Central Secretariat and Rajiv Chowk.
In a bid to benefit the commuters and ease pressure on Rajiv Chowk station, DMRC Managing Director Mangu Singh ordered commissioning of this section before the scheduled date.
