Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the first stretch of the Magenta Line of Delhi Metro on Monday, 25 December 2017. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BJP leader Yogi Adityanath and the Governor of the state (UP) Ram Naik were also among the important guests present at the inaugural ceremony. The PM and others also took a ride on the newly launched metro line. PM Modi then addressed the public at a ceremony in Amity University where he made an appeal to the people of Delhi to use the metro and other means of public transport and make a collective effort to reduce air pollution in the city.
About Magenta Metro
The Magenta Line of the Delhi Metro is set to connect the entire stretch from Janakpuri (West) to Botanical Garden, covering a total distance of 36.9 kilometres and covering 25 stations. Currently, only 12.64 kilometres (from Botanical Garden to Kalkaji Mandir) of the stretch has been inaugurated but work on the line extending till Janakpuri is expected to be completed by March 2018. Of the 25 stations, the ones between Botanical Gardens and Okhla NSIC and the stations at Sadar Bazaar Cant and Shankar Vihar will be elevated while the rest will all be underground. Currently, some 10 trains will be operational in this line and two standby trains are being kept at the terminal stations. These trains are more energy efficient and save about 20 percent energy over regular metro trains.Features of the Magenta Metro Trains
The Magenta Line Metro has a number of innovative features and additions which will make the commute a very pleasant one.- The platform screen doors in each of the station are fully automated. This means that the doors will only open when trains arrive at the platform.
- The metro stations have been done up in vibrant themes featuring Delhi’s iconic landmarks, yoga, and natural beauty. The coaches have been fitted with LED displays.
- The seats are colourful and are equipped with lumbar support backrests. Standing commuters have also been provided backrests and the seating capacity of the coaches can be marginally increased with the help of the equipment provided under the seats.
- The coaches will also be provided with charging points and additional USB ports to connect the phone’s charging cables without the need for a power adapter.
- Driverless trains are introduced shortly in the Magenta Line of the Delhi Metro. Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC), an innovative signalling technology will be put to use in these trains. This allows the movement of trains within a frequency of 90 to 100 seconds. It is for the first time that the Delhi Metro shall be introducing driverless trains in its network.
