Metro airport link set to get safety go ahead

The much- delayed airport link of the Delhi Metro may finally be inaugurated mid- December as the line is “ almost ready”, officials said. Senior Metro officers said they would write a letter to commissioner for Metro rail safety (CMRS) R. K. Kardam next week, asking him to inspect the line. The CMRS had previously inspected the line just before the Commonwealth Games commenced.

However, he had refused to give his sanction at the time, saying the safety measures were not up to the standard. But the Delhi Airport Metro Express Pvt. Ltd. (DAMEPL), the firm that is building the line, is confident of getting the safety sanction this time around.

“ Work has been completed in all respect. Once all the necessary clearances are obtained, the line will be opened for commuters immediately,” a DAMEPL spokesperson said.

Besides the safety goahead, officials will also need to obtain the firesafety licence. Sources said the fire department has already issued licences to three stations on the Airport Express line and also to the depot where the trains would be stationed.

There will be six stations on the route — New Delhi railway station, Shivaji Stadium, Dhaula Kuan, NH- 8, Indira Gandhi International Airport and Dwarka Sector- 21. However, for now, only four stations will be opened to the public.

“ The Dhaula Kuan and NH- 8 stations would be opened later. They would be ready in a couple of weeks,” a senior official said.

However, the much hyped check- in facility at the station may take some time to start. Sources said airlines were not showing much interest in the idea. Two reasons are being given for this. One is the extra staff that the airlines may have to deploy at these counters. The second is the disagreement over tariffs that the airlines would have to pay for setting up check- in counters at the station.

“ We have put in place the infrastructure for providing passengers with direct baggage check- in facility and issuing boarding passes at Metro stations. The moment the airlines are ready to start their services, this facility will be made available to passengers,” the DAMEPL spokesperson said.