DEPUTY P.M. LAYS THE FOUNDATION STONE OF DELHI METRO’S BARAKHAMBA – DWARKA LINE

WORK ON BANGALORE, HYDERABAD, AHMEDABAD METRO RAIL TO START BY DECEMBER – ANANTH KUMAR

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Deputy Prime Minister Shri L.K. Advani laid the foundation stone of Delhi Metro’s Barakhamba Road - Dwarka line here today. This 22.8 kms. long line is a part of the phase I of Delhi Metro and is expected to be completed by September 2005. Speaking on the occasion Shri Advani lauded the Metro team led by DMRC Managing Director, Shri E. Sreedharan and also the synergy displayed by the centre and the state government. He said that synergy (Sahayog) existed not only between Japan and India, central government and the Government of NCT Delhi, but also among other stakeholders like politicians, bureaucrats and technicians involved in this project. He expressed the hope that one day Delhi Metro would standout as the best in the world. Shri Advani also emphasized the need for Metro Rail in other million plus cities of the country.

Minister of Urban Development & Poverty Alleviation Shri Ananth Kumar expressed his gratitude to Shri Advani for his timely interventions and guidance as the Chairman of the Group of Minister on Delhi Metro Rail project. He said that centre has not only waived the excise duty to the tune of Rs. 1400 crore on items related to Metro Rail project but is also planning to start the work on Bangalore, Hyderabad, Secunderabad and Ahmedabad - Gandhinagar Metro Rail projects by December this year. He said that once completed, 1^st phase of Delhi Metro will help in carrying 22 lakh passengers daily.

Labour Minister, Shri Sahib Singh Verma, Minister of State for Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation, Shri Pon. Radhakrishnan, Ambassador of Japan, H. E. Shri Akira Hayashi, Lt. Governor of Delhi, Shri Vijay Kapoor, Chief Minister of Delhi, Smt. Sheila Dixit, Chairman, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, Shri Madan Lal Khurana and Shri V.K. Malhotra, M.P. were among the dignitaries present on the occassion.

The master plan of Delhi envisages a network of 9 lines of Delhi Metro having an aggregate length of 245 kms. including the 3 lines of Phase I. Line I connects Shahdara – Trinagar – Rithala, Line 2 connects Vishwa Vidyalaya – Central Secretariat and Line 3 connects Barakhamba – Dwarka. It is proposed to extend Line 3 by 6.5 kms. into Dwarka Subcity at a cost of Rs. 320 crore which would be borne by the Delhi Development Authority.