Delhi Metro decided to replace Kirti Nagar-Dwarka Metrolite Corridor with MetroNeo

New Delhi, India (Urban Transport News): After introducing standard specifications for MetroNeo Urban Rail Transport System by the Government of India, the Board of Directors of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (DMRC) has decided to scrap India's first Metrolite (Kirti Nagar -  Dwarka ECC) corridor and introduce new Metrolite system.

“For the Kirti Nagar-Bamnoli corridor, a decision was taken by DMRC’s board of directors to explore the possibility of implementing the Metro Neo technology and get a DPR prepared for it,” said Anuj Dayal, Executive Director (Corporate Communications), DMRC, TOI reported.

He said that the standard specifications for MetroNeo were issued by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs last week. “Further modifications may be made to the technical specifications of the rolling stock as well as other allied requirements for this corridor. Therefore, the tender for procurement of 29 MetroLite trains has been cancelled. The tender may be floated again based on changes in technical specifications in the future,” Dayal added.

Talking about the reduction of cost Dayal said that while the 19 km Kirti Nagar-Bamnoli Metrolite project was pegged at Rs 2,673 crore, the cost of a MetroNeo corridor would be around Rs 2,000 crore. The standalone corridor would connect Kirti Nagar interchange station, where Blue Line (Dwarka-Noida City Centre) and Green Line (Inder Lok-Brig Hoshiar Singh) of Delhi Metro Rail Network meet with the Airport Express Line, which is also being extended from Dwarka Sector 21 to Dwarka ECC near Bamnoli.

According to the standard specification issued by the ministry, the MetroNeo system would have three-coach sets, with each being 12 metres long and 2.5 metres wide and a floor height of 300-350mm. The coaches which would be made of stainless steel or aluminium, not only be smaller but also lighter than existing Delhi Metro rakes. The average axle load of MetroNeo would be around 10 tonnes instead of the usual 17 tonnes of Metro coaches.

The rubber-tyred MetroNeo coaches would run on road slabs, which could be elevated or at-grade. When running at-grade, MetroNeo would have a dedicated lane separating it from road traffic with the help of a plinth, fencing or kerbs. There would be an Automatic Train Protection system with anti-collision feature and predefined speed limit.