Construction work on Badarpur-Faridabad Metro link begins

New Delhi, March 28 (IANS) The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Wednesday began construction work for a nearly 14-km link to connect the satellite town Faridabad in Haryana with the national capital.

The foundation laying for the pillars of the 13.875 km stretch began Wednesday at Faridabad in the presence of Delhi Metro managing director Mangu Singh and officials of the Haryana government.

"Over 500 pillars will be erected to make the viaduct for this Metro corridor. The average height of the pillars on this corridor will be approximately nine metres," a Metro statement said.

The Badarpur-Faridabad link is an extension of the existing Metro line 6 (Violet Line), which currently runs from Central Secretariat to Badarpur. The line will be extended to Faridabad, an industrial and residential town in Haryana, neighbouring Delhi.

"On this corridor, Delhi Metro will be using specially designed pre-cast U-shaped girders to complete the viaduct in a short time of 20 months. This is for the first time in Delhi Metro's history where a single span of approximately 27 metres in length and weighing about 160 tonnes will be used," a DMRC spokesman said.

According to the Detailed Project Report (DPR), the daily ridership of the Metro corridor is expected to be 2.14 lakh, after commissioning of the corridor for the public.

"The fully elevated corridor will be completed by 2014 and it will have nine Metro stations, connecting Badarpur and YMCA Chowk in Faridabad," the statement said.

The stations are Sarai Khwaja, NHPC Chowk, Mewla Maharajpur, Sector 27-A, Badhkhal Modh, Old Faridabad, Ajraunda, Faridabad New Town and YMCA Chowk.