DMRC goes vertical in Phase-IV of the project

In a major designing shift, the size of the stations coming up under Delhi Metro's Phase IV project, DMRC is contemplating going vertical in creating spaces in existing depots to park trains that will run on the upcoming lines. So far, the Metro has followed a model wherein average size of the stations would be more or less similar, irrespective of the footfall. However, availability of land becoming a ―serious problem and ―exorbitant cost of acquisition are among the factors that prompted the Metro to rethink its design philosophy, managing director, Mangu Singh said, elaborating that the DMRC network has expanded to 389 km — with 285 stations across Delhi-NCR — after the completion of three phases of construction at a cost of around ₹70,400 crore since its launch in 2002. Under Phase IV, three new lines, which will span 61.68 km and cover 46 stations, have been sanctioned so far. However, now the situation has changed drastically in the intervening years, prompting a rethink in terms of design and that the major challenges that will mark Phase IV construction. Acquiring big chunks of land for housing a depot has become a problem. While preparing DPR for Phase IV, DMRC had identified land for depot. The experience of building an elevated deck in the Kalindi Kunj depot also came in handy as the cost of private land is so high that it is better to create space in the already acquired land. With these experiences, DMRC decided that instead of going for new depots, it will augment the existing ones.