South Delhi has finally got its first Metro link on Friday. With the new Delhi Metro line from Central Secretariat to Qutub Minar opening for commuters from 3pm, colonies like Green Park, Hauz Khas, Malviya Nagar, South Extension and Saket now have a place on the city’s Metro map, making commuting faster and more convenient for residents. The new section will also make Line 2 the longest in the city as it traverses from the north-western tip of the city — at Jehangirpuri — through its southern tip to enter Gurgaon.

The other sections of Line 2 — Jehangirpuri to Central Secretariat and Qutub Minar to Huda City Centre — were already operational. ‘‘The Central Secretariat to Qutub section will be inaugurated by Union urban development minister Jaipal Reddy and Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit at 1pm and commuters will be able to take the trains from 3pm on Friday,’’ said a Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) spokesperson.

The stand-alone Gurgaon line, which was barely being used by commuters till now, will also be linked to the heart of the city with the opening of this section. Commuters boarding the Metro from Huda City Centre will be able to reach Rajeev Chowk for a fare of just Rs 25, or get to Karol Bagh or New Delhi railway station in Rs 22-25. A trip to Kashmere Gate will cost Rs 28 while travelling the length of the city to get to Noida City Centre will cost just Rs 29.

The 45-km line 2 from Jehangirpuri to Huda City Centre comprises 34 stations, of which 20 are underground. The line is expected to ferry over 6 lakh passengers daily for which DMRC plans to run 36-40 trains during peak and off-peak hours to cater to the passenger load.

The underground Central Secretariat-Qutub section has 11 stations — located at Udyog Bhawan, Race Course, Jor Bagh, INA, AIIMS, Green Park, Hauz Khas, Malviya Nagar, Saket and Qutub Minar. DMRC plans to run 40 trains on the line at a frequency of three minutes. In all, there will be 34 Metro stations on the line of which 20 are underground and 14 elevated. A total 3.6 lakh commuters are expected to use the section by 2011.

The new station at INA has special display galleries showcasing handicrafts and handloom from different parts of the country. Called Crafts of India, the galleries are aimed at popularizing Indian art and craft and have on display 58 paintings, handloom artifacts and murals. All the displays have been mounted on copper sheet frames.

The opening of the line was slightly delayed after DMRC had submitted the necessary documents to CMRS, but had to later give more documents before a date could be set for the inspection.

Delhi Metro - Central Secretariat to Huda City Center Line