Metro's new line meets deadline but stations miss date

Even after 14 days of the opening of the Central Secretariat to Sarita Vihar section of Delhi Metro the stations on the line are still not ready. Lifts and escalators are not functioning at most of the elevated stations, electrical wires and fittings are hanging loose, the foot-overbridges are not functional, the floors are being tiled and scrubbed and the accesses to stations are not free from hurdles.
The remaining 5km stretch from Sarita Vihar to Badarpur is going to open only by the end of the month, even as Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) had said the line would be completely ready in 10 days when it was opened on October 3.
Commuters using the stretch are relieved that the line has finally opened making travel faster and simpler for many. But they all complained that the stations are tough to access. ‘‘The Metro station for Apollo Hospital is located across the highway and the foot-overbridge connecting it is still not ready. Traffic on the highway moves non-stop and I’ve had to risk my life to get to the other side. The stations need to be readied fast,’’ said Dayanand Sharma, whose daughter is admitted in Apollo Hospital.
Others said that it was tough to walk through the stations with work like welding and polishing of floors going on. ‘‘At the Lajpat Nagar station, the passage connecting the two gates on the Central Market side is difficult to use since some welding machines, electrical wires etc, are scattered all over. Such work should be taken up at night,’’ said Suparna Khanna, a resident of Lajpat Nagar-III.
Even lifts and escalators have not been connected at many of the stations. ‘‘For senior citizens like me, climbing stairs is not always easy. The lifts are still not functional. I hope it happens fast now,’’ said P K Das, a resident of Sarita Vihar.
DMRC officials maintained that finishing work on the stations was going on but due to the crowds using the line and restrictions because of the Commonwealth Games the pace of work has been slow. ‘‘Due to the Games, there are restrictions on bringing in labour, material and on truck movement. Work on the stations is continuously going on and will be finished by the end of the month,’’ said sources.
The rest of the line, from Sarita Vihar to Badarpur, was supposed to be opened within 10 days of the opening of the other section. But the deadline now has been revised to the end of the month. Sources revealed that work on electricals and signalling is still pending.
‘‘Work on the section connecting the operational and non-operational parts is only being carried out during night hours or during blocks (when the power is switched off on the tracks) since the line is already energized. When one part of a line opens, it takes more time to open the remaining sections as all the works need to be taken up again,’’ said an official.