Delhi unlocks Rs 3,386 crore, fast-tracks final Phase IV metro corridors

Delhi Metro

• Delhi allocates Rs 3,386 crore for 47 km Phase IV metro expansion.
• Three corridors to be finished in 4 years to reduce congestion and pollution.
• Metro expansion to double ridership and improve connectivity

Did our AI summary help?

In a decisive push to complete the long-delayed expansion of its metro network, the Delhi government announced on Sunday it has released its entire share of funding totalling Rs 3,386.18 crore for the three remaining corridors of Phase IV.

This financial commitment is expected to catalyse construction on nearly 47 kilometres of new lines aimed at decongesting roads, curbing pollution and transforming connectivity across the capital and into Haryana.

According to a detailed statement from the Chief Minister’s Office, the three corridors, with a combined estimated cost of Rs 14,630.80 crore, are slated for completion within four years. The government underscored that “efficient metro operations will also play a significant role in controlling pollution,” linking the expansion directly to its broader strategy for improving the city’s air quality.

The newly funded routes promise to serve a diverse mix of residential, commercial and institutional areas. The shortest is an 8.385-kilometre entirely elevated extension of the Golden Line from Lajpat Nagar to Saket G-Block, passing through Andrews Ganj, Greater Kailash-I and Chirag Delhi, according to a report by The Indian Express.

A second corridor will extend the Green Line 12.377 kilometres from Inderlok to Indraprastha. Largely underground, it will link central neighbourhoods like Dayabasti, Sarai Rohilla, Jhandewalan and Nabi Karim, while providing crucial links to the New Delhi Railway Station, Delhi Gate and the Delhi Secretariat–IG Stadium complex.

The most expansive project is the 26.463-kilometre northern extension of the Red Line from Rithala in Delhi to Kundli in Haryana. With 21 stations, this line is projected to significantly improve access to the sub-city areas of Rohini, Bawana and Narela, along with industrial and residential pockets on the capital’s northern fringe.

Officials confirmed that the tendering process is currently underway, with preliminary work having already begun on some stretches. The funding framework, as detailed by the CMO, bundles the Lajpat Nagar-Saket and Inderlok-Indraprastha corridors under a combined project cost of Rs 8,399.81 crore.

The Delhi government’s share for this bundle is Rs 1,987.86 crore. For the Rithala-Kundli line, estimated at Rs 6,230.99 crore, the city’s contribution is Rs 1,398.32 crore, with Haryana bearing Rs 545.77 crore for the segment within its boundaries.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta framed the release of funds as a critical step in making Delhi “more modern,” stating that the expansion will aid in easing congestion and reducing pollution. Her comments dovetail with a renewed governmental focus on public transport as an anti-pollution measure, following a high-level meeting last week on a multi-pronged strategy to improve air quality over the next four years.

Earlier, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had reportedly recommended to the Centre that Delhi’s metro network needs to grow its operational length to around 900 kilometres — comparable to Beijing’s — to combat vehicular pollution, a key contributor to the capital’s hazardous PM2.5 levels.

Upon the completion of Phase IV and with an additional 96 kilometres planned under subsequent phases, the Delhi Metro Rail Transit System (MRTS) is poised for a massive transformation. The existing 395-kilometre network, which currently serves an average daily ridership of approximately four million commuters, is expected to see its daily passenger numbers double, marking a new era of urban mobility for the national capital region.