1st Segment Launched for Delhi Metro’s Noida Sector-62 Extn Project
Last week, the CICO-YFC JV started launching precast segments to build the Delhi Metro Blue Line’s 6.82 km extension towards Noida’s Sector 62! This milestone was accomplished exactly 10 months after they won the contract to build package CC-94 of the Delhi Metro’s 160 km Phase 3 project between the Wave Noida City Centre and Noida Electronics City stations.
This section includes 6 new stations at Sector 34, Sector 52 (interchange with the under construction Noida – Gr.Noida line), Sector 61, Sector 59, Sector 62 and Noida Electronics City.
Alignment of the Blue Line between Noida City Centre & Electronics City stations – view Delhi Metro map & information
1st segment along with the existing viaduct built in 2009 – Photo Copyright: Naveen Pandey
Piers awaiting pier caps – Photo Copyright: Anil Kumar
Photo Copyright: Naveen Pandey
Platform slab of the Sector 34 station – Photo Copyright: Naveen Pandey
Each segment weighs 40 tons and usually 10 segments are required to build one span between two adjacent piers. For this section, the CICO-YFC JV will launch roughly 2000 segments to build the viaduct.
Here’s a brilliant 1 minute video which I’ve shared on Twitter in the past on how the launching gantry works its magic with precast segments one by one to build modern segmental viaducts/bridges:
This section was a late addition to the Phase 3 plans and I expect it to be operational only by the end of 2018. Once that is done, the Blue Line which is currently 58.67 km long and being expanded by another 4.3 km to reach Najafgarh on the other end will become a mammoth 71.58 km long.
For more updates, check out the Delhi section of The Metro Rail Guy!
– TMRG
Will trilokpuri issue will be solved before December 2016. Is there is also a gap at ip extension.
Hi, I’m not in a position to guess when a resolution/compromise will be achieved.
Considering that Blue line is already under severe strain with overloading with many snags & poor maintenance, is it really a good idea to keep extending it’s length & increase load? Why didn’t DMRC consider extending one of the ring lines to Noida instead?
Whilst the ring line interchanges might relieve some pressure on this line, it is doubtful if loads would reduce substantially as the line cuts through Delhi’s various commercial districts. What might be the solution to reduce load on this line & ensure that trains do not keep getting overloaded?
Hi, the catchment area of this line’s extension is best served by extending the Blue Line. The overall length should not be made into an issue even though a snag can have adverse ripple effects. It’s best if they focus on maintenance and protection from the elements than build a different line and force people to interchange when not necessary.
I think you’re underestimating the effect of the Pink and Magenta lines. As and when they open, multiple new ways/patterns of commuting will emerge and are expected to substantially reduce the load on the Blue & Yellow lines (and especially Connaught Place station). Trains are already running at max frequency during peak hours, so extending the trains’ length is the only other option. For this the DMRC in 2015 placed an order for 162 Bombardier coaches (RS 11 project). Through that all 6 coach trains on the line will be converted to 8 coach trains.
The point is that extensions & interchanges are not thought about professionally in advance & as a result, the blue line (which is supposed to be a trunk line) is ending up doing suburban business also by being needlessly long & also splitting up into two at both ends, similar to green line that also has a spurs at one end. Couldn’t such mistakes have been avoided if they had done proper planning at design stage, keeping future possibilities in mind?
Some alternates:
1) Why couldn’t the ring Magenta line have been extended up to Noida Electronic city instead of the Blue line? The Magenta line would then have formed a more complete “ring” & provide possibility for extension up to red line (& beyond) in future, but eastern part of the ring is now being completed by blue line with a needless extension, making the line excessively long.
These are done & dusted now, but nevertheless, they are serious errors…..
2) Why couldn’t the blue line have ended at Najafgarh where DMRC has a depot instead of turning south to Dwarka? The outer ring (magenta) line or the airport line could have been extended through Dwarka, but instead we have the outer ring line positioned within airport area whilst the blue line forms yet another arc outside the outer ring line on the west !
3) Why couldn’t the green line have passed Indrelok first before turning towards Kirti nagar? This would have avoided the split & helped provide more capacity when required in future.
Nothing wrong in lines being long, splitting up or doing suburban business as long as the lines are straightforward and not forming long U shapes. But I do agree the interchange planning has not been well thought out in advance. Prime example is the Airport Exp Line which passes through CP but doesn’t directly connect with the CP station. In Phase 3, the interchange to the Pink Line is again not direct, but via a 1 km FOB.
1) That would have been ideal and in fact something I’ve discussed with a DM official in the past. Issue here is that a minor demolition, re-purposing & closure of the Blue Line after Botanical Garden to achieve this would become a big, big PR issue. You would know how easily the activist coterie & media can spin it into a “funds wasted” drama.
2) Back in 2000, no one had ever envisioned of the Magenta Line. The Blue Line was extended to Dwarka to develop that part of the city. There was a genuine need and the Blue Line was best suited at *that* time. No one has ever complained about it and I think it’s done a fab job. The Magenta line’s alignment is fine & will continue running on the ORR in perhaps Phase 5. No issues here.
3) The Ashok Park-Inderlok interchange area is the messiest part of the system. Makes me cringe everytime I look at it. What you described would have been nice, but not possible with space, funding & timing (CWG) constraints.
TMRG, thanks yr perspective.
A trunk line ideally has to have far more capacity than a line in the suburbs. The blue line may be required to run with 8 coaches at highest frequency in downtown, but are 8 coaches really necessary for far flung suburbs (& broad gauge, that too)? Will this not result in inefficiencies & operational wastage & is the reason why they are resorting to splitting lines outside?
The suburbs need optimum frequency but with fewer coaches with trains remaining independent of trunk lines. This can’t be done now as blue line trains need very high capacity within the city.
Also, as you mentioned a breakdown midway will effect the entire chain. In worst case scenario, it might even render the city inaccessible from suburbs by metro.
CWG constraints seems to have been an excuse for messing up green line as well in downtown, along with so many other scams. At least Beijing managed to build its airport without messing anything though the same can’t be said about their metro systems.
So, can it not be said that Delhi’s metro system will not be operating with best efficiencies as it is dependent on overall average loads & not sectional loads?
And the airport line has been nothing short of a financial disaster. This line should have been an ordinary metro line that runs past airport & connects Dwarka (instead of the blue line). It could have been extended to meet Blue line at Najafgarh, instead of Dwarka.
The hi-speed line seems to have been planned during the euphoria of having accomplished construction of ph-1 & 2 within 15 years with heavy political backing & funding.
Referrals with other hi-speed airport lines abroad (most of which are in dire straits) do not seem to have been carried out during assessment of viability. Integration with metro, important contract terms etc also seem to have been passed over in the excitement, not getting the best for commuters & with huge wastage at tax payers cost.
Most such large scale metro-rails do have mistakes, especially when built in such a hurry in what seems to have been to score brownie points (many such examples are there in China as well), but I think the errors by DMRC are far too many in the rush to complete phase after phase without proper assessment.
Worst part is that they do not seem to be learning. A reassessment seems necessary, however time-consuming, expensive or wasteful instead of the frenzy to keep adding kilometres !!!
Anyway, I think this construction method will take much more time than that of NOIDA-GREATER NOIDA line.