Delhi Metro Begins Construction on Central Vista Underground Corridor
On Wednesday, Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal inaugurated the construction of Delhi Metro's new 9.913-km underground Central Vista corridor at the Central Secretariat Metro station. The project is part of a broader expansion plan that will eventually boost transit connectivity to southern Delhi neighborhoods, including Saket, marking the official start of work on a key extension of the Magenta Line.
The new underground corridor will run from RK Ashram Marg to Indraprastha. It is designed to feature eight stations: Shivaji Stadium, Yuge Yugeen Bharat, Central Secretariat, Kartavya Bhawan, India Gate, War Memorial-High Court, Baroda House, and Bharat Mandapam.
Once completed, the Central Secretariat Metro station will transform into a triple interchange. This hub will connect the new Magenta Line stretch with the existing Yellow and Violet lines. According to estimates by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), the corridor is expected to benefit approximately 60,000 office-goers and two lakh daily visitors, significantly improving transit between West, North, and Old Delhi and the Central Delhi administrative district.
The project is part of DMRC's larger 16-km Phase V(A) expansion, which has a target completion date of 2028. DMRC Managing Director Vikas Kumar previously noted that the timeline is challenging, with Phase V(A) targeted for completion within three years.
The overall Phase V(A) expansion, approved by the Union Cabinet in December last year, also features other key connectivity projects. In the west, a 2.2-km stretch will connect Aerocity to IGI Airport’s Terminal 1, boosting transit options for southern parts of the national capital like Saket, Tughlakabad, and Kalindi Kunj. In the east, a 3.9-km corridor will link Tughlaqabad to Kalindi Kunj, featuring stations at Sarita Vihar Depot and Madanpur Khadar.
The total estimated cost of building these new corridors, which extend the Yellow and Magenta Lines, exceeds Rs 12,000 crore. To address long-term traffic congestion, DMRC has also floated a tender to appoint a consultant for a feasibility study on constructing tunnels and underpasses in the Central Vista area, projecting transport requirements up to 2060.
