Delhi Metro keeps up with Commonwealth Games rush

Notwithstanding the Commonwealth Games rush, Delhi Metro maintained a record punctuality of 99.88 per cent during the first week of the sporting extravaganza making over 2800 trips daily.

Delhi Metro, which provides connectivity to almost all the 11 stadia that host the Games, is running trains at an average frequency of 2.5 minutes starting October 3, when the Commonwealth Games began in the capital.

Though there were delays due to technical glitches during the past one week, Metro trains registered punctuality of 99.98 per cent during the week beginning October 3 and ending October 9.

This means out of the 19656 trips the 180-odd Metro trains made during the past week, only 24 trips were affected, a DMRC spokesman said.

The DMRC usually registers a punctuality rate of over 99 per cent. The organisation regularly conducts punctuality audits every three months.

During the past one week, Metro trains made 2808 trips everyday traversing 58,000 kms, the spokesman said.

The DMRC had also deployed technical experts from South Korea and Germany to ensure that no technical glitch takes place during the Games.

The engineers are stationed at important stations, particularly on the Badarpur line which provides connectivity to the main Games venue of Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Metro also registered additional ridership during the past one week as majority of the people going to stadia opted for the new age transport system to reach the venues.

People, who had bought CWG tickets, can take a free ride on the Metro.

Delhi Metro gearing up for Commonwealth Games

Delhi Metro is all set to handle additional rush of commuters during the Commonwealth Games. In an effort to decongest the network and ensure efficient service, it will run trains at an average frequency of 2.5 minutes. The DMRC has also flown in expert teams of engineers from Germany and South Korea to attend to any technical snags during the Games.

DMRC Managing Director E Sreedharan said: “The Games is a matter of national pride and we will ensure smooth services. We are fully geared up to meet the requirements during the event and wish to see that every visitor who comes to Delhi and takes a ride on the Metro goes back with pleasant memories.” Launching a new interactive official website, he added: “We expect heavy pressure on Delhi Metro during the Games as it is an important public transport system in the Capital. We will place all 181 trains of the Metro fleet on the tracks during the event.”

With all the 11 prominent Games venues connected by Metro and a huge rush expected during the event, the entire fleet of 181 trains — 133 broad gauge and 48 standard gauge — will be pressed into service with trains running at an average frequency of 2.5 minutes. At present, the frequency is 3.5 to 4 minutes. Central Secretariat to Badarpur corridor will have the highest frequency as it connects the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the venue of the opening and closing ceremonies.

In an effort to promptly attend to technical glitches, experts are being flown in specifically for the Games.

“The problems occur either on Over Head Electrification (OHE), or on trains or due to signalling problems. We will deploy special technicians from Germany and Korea across the network,” Sreedharan said. “That apart all stations will have information desks to help commuters and give information related to Metro services and the Games.”

The DMRC, which is in the process of revamping the signalling and OHE systems for the Games, has also launched a campaign to keep the stations clean. The station premises have been given out to the Organising Committee to conduct promotional activities for the Games at no extra cost, Sreedharan said.

Sreedharan said the last two upcoming lines of Phase II — Central Secretariat to Badarpur and Airport Metro Express Line — will meet its Games deadline and will be thrown open to the public by September 30.

Airline baggage check-in at Metro stations

Once the Airport Express Line of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) becomes operational, passengers heading for the airport will be able to check-in their luggage at the Metro stations.

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has given its approval in this regard. The bureau is yet to agree to a request by the DMRC authorities, to also allow passenger check- in at Metro stations.

According to sources, air passengers boarding at Metro stations will be issued a special tag using which they can trace their luggage at the airport.

Every luggage will be screened twice-once at the Metro station and then at the airport. If anything suspicious is found, the passenger concerned can be traced through the special tag," a BCAS official said.

The decision was taken at a recent meeting attended by senior officials from the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), BCAS, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), DMRC and various airlines.

The BCAS had been objecting to the proposal for a long time. According to sources, the bureau's major concern was ensuring that no one had access to the luggage after the check- in. "The luggage will be carried in a separate container.

After unloading at the airport, it will go through a five-level baggage checking system," an official said.

The Airport Express Line is scheduled to open in September, a month before the Commonwealth Games.

The BCAS had felt that the direct check-in plan, especially during the Games when the security threat is high, doesn't provide foolproof safety to passengers or baggage.

The passenger check-in was proposed at three stations-New Delhi, Shivaji Stadium and Dhaula Kuan. But baggage check-in will be allowed only at the New Delhi and Shivaji Stadium stations. In fact, these two stations will almost be like a mini airport terminal.

"Only the infrastructure is being readied by the DMRC. But the rest of the work-be it signalling, telecom or tracklaying - will be handled by Reliance Energy and Spanish company CAF. Even the fare on this line will be decided by Reliance," a DMRC official said.

In a bid to reduce airlines' woes, DIAL is planning to introduce a Common User Terminal Equipment (CUTE). "This will help passengers get their boarding passes automatically. Airlines need not set up separate counters at Metro stations," a DIAL official said.

The Shivaji Stadium Metro station is more than thrice the size of a usual one.

For reducing chaos between those moving in and out, this station will also be equipped with segregated arrival and departure areas.

Metro stations to provide info regarding CWG

Information about Commonwealth Games will be available at all metro stations soon. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is bringing out a Commonwealth Games Information booklet which will be available at all Metro stations. According to DMRC officials, the booklet will provide all the necessary information to the commuters during the Games.

“The comprehensive booklet will not only carry information about the various corridors and stations, but will also have details about the various tourist attractions of the city along with their metro connectivity. The Games booklet will have detailed information on the city’s hotels, markets, railway stations, other emergency numbers,” said Anuj Dayal, DMRC spokesperson.

The DMRC has also decided to launch a special commuter-friendly service so that foreign tourists who will visit Delhi during the Games do not gather a negative note about the capital city, he added.

“We are going to beef up strength of our Metro Citizens’ Forum from 400 to 1,000 heads before the games. Besides, we have tied up with Bharat Scouts and Guides who are going to provide volunteers to Delhi Metro for the Games. These volunteers will be deputed at Metro stations and trains to cater to the increased traffic volume and also ensure that no one is causing nuisance for the commuters,” said Dayal.

“Law violators and trouble creators will be dealt in strictly. If they do not pay any heed to volunteers’ requests, we will immediately hand them over to the police,” said a senior DMRC officer.

Besides this arrangement, the Central Industrial Security Force has also initiated a special ‘random checks’ drive to ensure security of the Metro passengers. Special squads have been formed to conduct such drives in metros.

Delhi Metro to be part of CoMet

The Delhi Metro will be included in the London-based global railway benchmarking programme CoMET (Community of Metros) following the completion of its second phase by September this year, a senior DMRC official said today.

Speaking at the 16th Foundation Day of the Delhi Metro here this evening, DMRC Director(Finance) R N Joshi said, ''With the completion of the second phase, Delhi Metro will become one of the bigger metro networks in the world and will become a member of the CoMET.''

Only those metro networks bigger than 180 km are eligible for CoMET membership with the current membership being 12.

DMRC Director(Electrical) Satish Kumar, who was also present on the occasion, said DMRC will be the 13th biggest network to become a member of the programme.

''By September 2010, Delhi Metro will make a record of having completed 125 kms, including 33 kms of underground lines, under the total second phase in four and a half years,'' he said.

He also said by January 2011, 890 coaches will be added to the network with 200 trains.

The operating revenue of the Delhi Metro in 2009-10 was Rs 515 crore, up from Rs 390 crore in 2008-09, he informed.

''We are also acquiring 300 more feeder buses which will start operating from this month itself,'' he informed.

IGI Delhi Metro link: Preview

In five months from now, Delhiites can bid adieu to unending jams on the way to the airport and haggling with cabbies.

They will reach the airport from Connaught Place (CP) in specially engineered super luxury Metro coaches, which promise a noise-free ride in a plush ambience, in all of 20 minutes.

The first lot of new trains arrived at Mundra port, Gujarat from Spain on Friday and are on their way to the Capital now. The special coaches have specially been designed for the showcase Airport Express Line, which is scheduled to open in September this year.

The new trains are very different from the existing ones running on the Delhi Metro network. These will have seating for all passengers and the seating is transverse — commuters will face the direction of movement of the train — for added comfort.

The interiors of the trains have been designed keeping commuter comfort in mind. The lighting is diffused, the seats upholstered, and each coach will have LCD screens for entertainment, which will double up as flight information boards for convenience of air travellers.

Even as the trains zip past the city at a speed of about 120 kmph (the designed speed is higher at 135 kmph), one will not feel any discomfort inside the coaches.

The trains are engineered to reach near-zero noise levels and all the components — flooring, insulated walls, windows — have in-built noise reduction features. The wheels too have added lubrication for less noise and better riding comfort. The train doors are plug-and-shut type, which shut after sliding out a bit and then move back into original position.

Those headed to the airport from town will have the choice of checking in their baggage at Metro stations which will double up as City Airport Terminals (CATs) for this line.

To secure the baggage, half a coach of every six-coach train will be reserved for baggage.

For commuters taking the Airport Express Link to reach the city, luggage racks have been provided in every coach where people can stack their baggage.

"The trains have been procured from City Airport Terminals, Spain, which is one of the leading manufacturers of high-speed Metros in the world. It has also supplied to Hong Kong Airport metro and London's Heathrow Express. The trains are being brought to Delhi by road and will be tested at the Dwarka depot," said KP Maheshwari, Director, Delhi Airport Metro Express (DAME) Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of Reliance Infrastructure Limited, which will operate the Airport Line.

The line will operate on Automated Train Operation (ATO) technology which enables trains to accelerate, brake, adjust speed and stop at stations automatically, in accordance with a pre-set schedule.

The trains can operate without a driver. Every coach will be equipped with CCTV cameras for added security and will also have an event recorder, a kind of a black box, which records every movement of the train.

This device, which can withstand high levels of temperature and impact, will help investigations in case of an accident.

The 23-km Airport Express Line is the first Delhi Metro line to come up on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. As per the agreement between Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and Reliance Infrastructure Limited, the concessionaire of the project, DMRC will create all the civil structures — the viaduct, tunnels and station buildings, and hand it over to the latter.

The airport line will be developed and run by DAME Pvt Ltd for 30 years.

The good news is that the line will be operational before the Commonwealth Games. "The Airport Line will be better than anything that the city has seen till now. We are going to use the best technologies available around the world and are completing work on a warfooting to open the line by September this year," said Lalit Jalan, CEO and Wholetime Director, Reliance Infrastructure.

The construction of the civil structures is reportedly 90% complete and processes like signalling, electrification, track-laying is under way.

The line will provide a fast-link between New Delhi Railway Station and Dwarka via IGI, with a total of six stops on the way.

The fare will be kept at a maximum of Rs 150 to IGI and Rs 180 to Dwarka from New Delhi.

Delhi govt asks DDA to foot bill for Metro-III

A cash-strapped Delhi government has asked the DDA to foot its share of bills for the Metro railway's third phase of extension.

The state finance minister, A. K. Walia said, the government cannot pay the money because its coffers have dried up.

State finance ministry officials have requested the Union urban development ministry, which is an equal partner with the state in the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), to fund the Metro's third phase of extension.

Metro officials say planning for the expansion, in which they aim to add another 120 km to the existing rail network, is underway.

The state government is worried that its bad financial shape could jeopardise the plans and have shot off a letter to the urban development ministry, requesting it to fully fund the third phase.

The state is supposed to pay nearly Rs 2,677.50 crore over the next few years for this phase, with Rs 558 crore due this fiscal, according to Walia.

It now wants the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), which the urban development ministry controls, to pay its share of the cost.

"We have written to the ministry explaining our financial crunch. We don't have the money required for the job," Walia said. "The DDA is the city's biggest land- owning agency," said Walia. " And each

government usually earns the maximum revenue through land. The DDA should give back to Delhi a share of what it earns out of the city."The DDA has not replied to Walia's letter.

The state is yet to pay nearly Rs 1,417 crore as its share of the expenses towards the construction of nearly 125 km of rail network that was added in Phase Two, a senior finance ministry official said. "All construction going on right now is part of the second phase, which should be complete by September." Expenses on preparing for the Commonwealth Games have punched a hole in the government's pocket, another finance department official said. "That's why we had to levy taxes worth nearly Rs. 800 crore on taxpayers in this year's budget. We are broke, our revenues have dried up," he added.

In the third phase, the DMRC plans a link parallel to the Ring Road from Ghazipur in east Delhi to Dhaula Kuan, and another link from Noida Sector 18 to the National Highway 8, running parallel to the Outer Ring Road.

To be completed by 2015, the network is expected to cost over Rs 30,000 crore.

Delhi Metro line 5 has BOMBARDIER train op system

In a ceremony attended by local officials and dignitaries, Delhi Metro Line 5 opened today featuring the latest mass transit technology, CITYFLO 350 from Bombardier.

The opening section of Line 5, which runs from Mundka to Inderlok features 14 stations on 15,2 kilometres of fully elevated track and one depot at Mundka, which is controlled by the new generation (Release 4) BOMBARDIER EBI Lock 950 computer-based interlocking systems.

Bombardier Transportation was awarded the 30 million euro contract to supply its signalling and train control system for both lines 5 and 6 of Delhi Metro in October 2007. These routes combined cover 38,6 kilometres and represent more than 30% of the Delhi Metro phase II expansion, which extends the existing network to cover all major destinations in the East-West and North-South corridors of this important city and will transport around 4 million passengers every day.

For passengers using Delhi Metro, the new system will offer excellent safety levels, as well as short and constant headways and a smooth ride. It will also enable predictable and cost-effective operations due to reduced wear and tear on the vehicles.

BOMBARDIER CITYFLO 350 includes automatic train operation that automatically drives the trains from station to station as well as controlling the opening and closing the doors, leaving the driver free to simply supervise and press the departure button when leaving a station. The system also has an automatic turn-back feature that enables trains to reverse automatically at end stations.

The route from Mundka to Inderlok represents the first phase in the comprehensive development of Lines 5 and 6, which is due to be completed prior to the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October 2010. The opening of a further 3, 3 km branch line of Line 5, from Ashok Park Main to Kirti Nagar, featuring two additional stations, is currently scheduled for later this year. Line 6 (20,2 km from Central Secretariat to Badarpur) including 16 stations, with 4 underground and 12 on elevated viaduct and one depot at Sarita Vihar is also due to open at this time.

In terms of rolling stock, Bombardier Transportation is also delivering new MOVIA metro cars for Lines 1, 2 and 3 of Delhi Metro. An initial order for 340 cars in 2007 was complemented by an option for a further 84 cars, placed in March 2008. A large proportion of the fleet is being produced at Bombardier’s new purpose-built site in Savli, Vadodara.

Anders Lindberg, President, Bombardier Transportation Rail Control Solutions, said: “This is a landmark project for Bombardier in India and we are pleased to have been able to bring our state of the art mass transit signalling and safety systems to this remarkable, expanding city, helping to reduce passengers’ journey times on the Metro and thereby also helping to alleviate pollution caused by more than 1 million cars used in New Delhi every day.”

Rajeev Jyoti, President & Managing Director, Bombardier Transportation India added: “Bombardier is continuing its excellent support to the railway systems in India. Building upon its long-standing relationship in India stretching over 35 years, Bombardier is bringing the most modern railway signalling technology to Delhi Metro, in both signalling and rolling stock, as well as investing in the local manufacturing capability.”

CITYFLO 350 is a system with onboard automatic train protection (ATP) and automatic train operation (ATO), with both ATP information and ATO status displayed in the driver’s cab. The track to train communication is achieved via audio frequency track circuits and the system is designed primarily for metro applications where only limited action is required from the train driver. CITYFLO 350 systems are already in operation throughout the world in such countries as Spain, Rumania, Iran, Turkey and Korea.

Bombardier Transportation’s Rail Control portfolio covers the whole range of BOMBARDIER CITYFLO mass transit solutions, from manual to fully automatic systems as well as communication-based systems. It also provides BOMBARDIER INTERFLO mainline solutions, from conventional systems to ERTMS level 2 systems. Bombardier solutions encompass a complete palette of wayside and onboard products.

Delhi Metro's Inderlok-Mundka line inaugurated

Delhi Metro's fifth line, the Inderlok-Mundka corridor, was inaugurated by Union Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit here today.

The line had earlier received the statutory safety clearances from the Commissioner for Metro Railway Safety, Mr R K Kardam, who had inspected it for two days on March 29 and 30.

The 15.15 km line is India's first standard gauge (4 ft 8.5 inches) Metro line and it will be opened to the public from 0600 hours tomorrow.

The line has 14 elevated stations: Inderlok, Ashok Park Main, Punjabi Bagh East, Shivaji Park, Madipur, Paschim Vihar East, Paschim Vihar West, Peera Garhi, Udyog Nagar, Surajmal Stadium, Nangloi, Nangloi Railway station, Rajdhani Park and Mundka.

Over one lakh commuters are expected to use the line everyday, a spokesman for the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said.

Work on the first phase of the Delhi Metro project began on October 1, 1998. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh dedicated Phase I to the nation on December 30, 2005, two years and nine months ahead of schedule. Subsequently, two extensions (Indraprastha-Barakhamba Road and Dwarka sub-city) were also added.

Phase I of the Delhi Metro network consists of 65.1 km. This comprises Line-1: Shahdara – Rithala (22 km); Line-2: Vishwa Vidyalaya – Central Secretariat (11 km) and Line-3: Indraprastha – Dwarka Sec.9 (32.1 km).

Work on Phase II of the Delhi Metro project began in 2006. The second phase, to be completed before the Commonwealth Games are held in New Delhi in October 2010, will add about 125 km to the network and bring the satellite townships of Gurgaon, Noida and Ghaziabad into the Metro map. DMRC has already opened 46 kms of the sections of Phase-II covering Noida as well.

With the commissioning of the Inderlok-Mundka line, the Metro network has increased to over 111 kms and 97 stations.

According to the spokesman, the facilities available at the stations on the new line opened today include smarter automatic fare colelction (AFC) gates, which will allow faster passage for commuters and improve passenger management. These gates will also have a provision for return of tokens from the AFC gates.

The new system will come in handy for passengers who have been provided with invalid tokens as invalid tokens will be returned through a token return cup whereas valid tokens will remain captured and access provided to the passenger.

In case of an invalid token, the passenger can retrieve it and hand it to the operator for appropriate action at the customer care centre. The current lot of automatic fare collection (AFC) gates does not have this provision.

A total of 91 AFC Gates will be provided on this line comprising of 33 Entry, 44 Exit and 14 Disabled Friendly AFC Gates.

As many as 84 lifts and escalators (42 each) are installed to provide easy access to senior citizens, physically handicapped people and others to reach from ground to concourse level and further from concourse level to platform level.

The Ticket Office Machines (TOM) for this line will have touch screens. Touch screen interface provides ease of operation for the TOM operator, thus improving passenger handling. A reader is installed inside the TOM, which will reduce the manual operation in case of a token problem. This will help in reduction of waiting time at the ticket window. A total of 39 such TOMs will be available on the stations of this line.

There will be two customer care centres at each of the stations on the line. Toilets have been provided at all the stations in the unpaid area. Parking is available at 10 of the 14 stations on this line, the spokesman added.

Initially, ten trains will run on this line with a peak hour frequency of 6 minutes, which will be subsequently increased, if need be, keeping in mind the ridership pattern. One extra train will be kept as standby for emergency use. The time taken to travel from one end to the other end of line will be 29 minutes.

Delhi metro to rope in volunteers

Two days after a man and a woman lost their legs after falling on the tracks at a crowded metro station, Delhi Metro officials said they will rope in more volunteers to tackle high volume of commuters.

'Given that we estimate the commuter footfall to reach 2 million by October when the Metro operations will increase to 190 km, we are certainly trying to plan out another programme to increase the number of volunteers for crowd control. We have not decided on a number,' Delhi Metro spokesperson Anuj Dayal told IANS Sunday.

The Metro ferries around 950,000 commuters daily on its nearly 96-km network. By October, ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, it will access nearly all areas of the national capital as well as suburbs like Gurgaon covering 190 km.

During peak travel hours, that last till 8.30 p.m., around 16 customer service executives man crowded platforms to direct crowds. Later this number reduces to four.

On Friday evening, at around 9.30 p.m., two persons were crushed in an accident at the crowded Rajiv Chowk station. The two, identified as Mehazabeen, 22, and Birju, 25, lost their legs in the incident. Delhi Police have registered a case of negligence against unknown persons and are reviewing closed circuit television footage to assess the cause of accident.

Birju allegedly ran towards an approaching train on the platform and took Mehazabeen down onto the tracks. Jostling and aggressive pushing is a common sight on the Metro network and officials face an uphill task tackling the issue.

'The commuters tend to get very difficult. We can only request them to behave and stand in queue. But sometimes they do not listen,' a Metro customer care official said on condition of anonymity.

Delhi Metro wins award in London

The Delhi Metro has been conferred with the 'Most Improved Metro' award at the World Metro Awards held in London. Delhi Metro's managing director E. Sreedharan also received a special mention for his outstanding contribution.

'The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) won the 'Most Improved Metro' award at the 3rd World Metro Awards ceremony in London,' Delhi Metro spokesperson Anuj Dayal said Friday.

'Our managing director E. Sreedharan was also given a special mention for his 'outstanding contribution to the urban transport industry' during the ceremony March 23,' he added.

The Delhi Metro ferries around 950,000 commuters daily on its network of nearly 96 km. By October, ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, it will access nearly all areas of the national capital as well as suburbs like Gurgaon. Its network will also increase to 190 km.

The World Metro Awards recognise and reward leaders, innovators and pioneers in the global Metro rail industry. Over 250 delegates from 70 Metro companies across 40 countries participated in the event.

The London Metro bagged the award for 'Best Metro in Europe', while the Singapore Metro was adjudged the 'Best Metro in Asia Pacific'.

CBRN detection gadgets at Delhi Metro stations

Special radiation detection gadgets and trained personnel will be deployed at the Delhi Metro stations to combat chemical, biological and nuclear attacks on the mass transport system in view of the upcoming Commonwealth Games.

While plans have been drawn to "avoid and contain" Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) radiations at the station complexes, a rescue and relief procedure will also be put in place.

Under the plan, chalked out after a security audit by central security agencies, a team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel will be spread at various underground Metro stations.

According to sources, the NDRF team to be pressed during the mega games at the stations will be drawn from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) counter-disaster unit stationed at Greater Noida.

The personnel will undertake detection, evacuation, de-contamination, medical aid and relief work once any harmful radiation erupts at the stations.

"A good number of underground stations will be operational during Commonwealth Games. Keeping in mind possible CBRN attacks, different units of the NDRF will be deployed and gadgets to absorb harmful gases and poisonous viruses would be installed at the stations," sources said.

The operational Metro stations during the mega games will go up to 141 from the present 82.

Keeping in view the expansion of Metro operations to states like Uttar Pradesh (Noida), Haryana (Gurgaon) and the huge passenger rush during the games, the CISF (which guards the Delhi Metro) will also induct almost 16,000 security personnel.

The NDRF personnel will also impart training to the Metro staff in combating a CBRN attack, manmade and natural disasters, sources said.

New suits necessary to be worn by a anti-radiation combatant are also being procured, they said.

The Rs 330 crore fund alloted to the Home Ministry will be utilised to procure close circuit television cameras, different types of metal detectors, equipment for bomb disposal squads, devices to deal with chemical and biological attacks, armoured vehicles and various types of weapons.

Mock drill planned at Metro stations

Delhi will conduct mock drills at 4 metro stations to check the preparedness of Delhi Metro staff and security agencies in the event of terror attacks.

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The drills, to be supervised by officials from the Delhi Disaster Management Authority, will take place at the Rajouri Garden, Mandi House, Netaji Subhash Place and Dilshad Garden stations at 1130 hrs on Friday.

The exercise would disrupt Metro services for 15-20 minutes.

Different scenarios like serial bomb blasts and explosions triggered by a human bomb will be simulated and response action and time will be monitored. The aim is to check the preparedness of Delhi Metro staff and security agencies. It will also test the coordination between the Metro staff, police and fire brigade.

Since 2005, more than 15 mock drills have been conducted at Metro stations, in which scenarios such as terror attacks, evacuation of trains and stations, derailment and fire were created.

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Delhi Metro ferries around a million commuters daily on its network of 96 km. Ahead of the Commonwealth Games in October, it will span to nearly all corners of Delhi as well as suburbs like Gurgaon, covering 190 km.

CCTV cameras for Delhi metro parking areas

Parking lots next to Delhi metro stations will be brought under Close Circuit Tele Vision (CCTV) surveillance besides "hidden and obscure" areas inside the building, after a recent security audit of the modern transport system outlined certain vulnerable areas.

The audit, conducted by a joint team of central security agencies, has found that parking lots next to big and vital station complexes like Connaught Place, Patel Chowk, Karol Bagh among others should be brought under the watch of the CCTV cameras equipped with TPZ (Tilt, Pan, Zoom) facility.

While the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) a secures the metro stations from inside, the Delhi police guards their premises.

Certain locations inside the stations like areas behind bend of a wall, areas in front of lifts will also be covered by the CCTV cameras, sources said.

They said almost 500-600 CCTV cameras might be needed to secure the areas identified at 82 operational stations, but the actual numbers are still to be worked out.

In case an unauthorised activity is detected by the cameras, the Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) stationed outside the stations could be informed to meet any exigency. Till now, there is no such system and the Delhi Police patrol is the norm, sources said. The CCTV cameras are monitored by both the CISF and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) staff at different control rooms.

Certain areas in stations which were beyond an obstruction like a wall or pillar and places declared "inaccessible" by the metro authorities will be brought under CCTV surveillance, they said.

The audit has also asked the CCTV control rooms to enhance their capacity to source in more video data and store them for longer periods.

While installing CCTVs at more locations will not only plug security loopholes, but also help Metro authorities curb thefts in their vicinity. The number of stations are expected to increase to 141 by October, when the Commonwealth Games will begin, they said.

Keeping in view the expansion of metro operations to states like Uttar Pradesh (Noida) and Haryana (Gurgaon), the CISF will also induct almost 16,000 security personnel.

Delhi metro's new Bombardier coaches already have CCTVs installed in them.

DMRC invites tenders for advertisement at stations

With the Commonwealth Games round the corner, the OOH industry in Delhi is witnessing an uptrend.

With a view to raise additional resources, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has proposed to call bids for display of advertisements on the bare sites and media vehicles fabricated to be installed at 14 stations in the Inderlok - Mundka section of the mass rapid transit system (MRTS) phase-II.

The 14 stations include Inderlok, Ashok Park, Punjabi Bagh, Shivaji Park, Madi Pur, Paschim Vihar (east and west), Peeragarhi, Udyog Nagar, Surajmal Stadium, Nangloi, Nangloi railway station, Rajdhani Park and Mundka.

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The total area for advertisement panels at the 14 stations is 2,800 sq m, as each site has a 200 sq m area. The overall license period will be five years.

In the proposed tender, agencies will have to indicate the locations for advertising panels, design of media vehicles including their structural plans, electrical and cable routing plans and the advertising panels/type of advertisements for these locations. Agencies need to submit all the plans of proposed panels, including its fixing arrangements for DMRC's approval, within 30 days from date of issue of the Letter of Acceptance.

Additionally, the licensee will have to maintain the panels in good condition, failing which DMRC reserves the right to seek exemplary damages and indemnification. Also, the advertising media should be made from fire-retardant, low-smoke, zero-halogen material.

The cost of the tender form is Rs 5,250 and DMRC also expects an earnest money deposit (EMD) of Rs 5 lakh from those participating in the bid. The last date to submit tenders is March 31.

So far, the proposal has received mixed response. Major media owners are still contemplating on whether to bid for the tender; while others have decided not to participate, citing that the locations are not "strategic".

Jaipur-based out-of-home agency, NS Publicity's chief executive officer, KD Maheshwari confirmed the agency's participation in the bid. The agency also recently won the advertising rights for DMRC's civil structure for eight years, on the route from RK Ashram to Dwarka.

Delhi Metro making special arrangements for CWG

Delhi Metro Sunday said it was making special arrangements to facilitate passengers’ movement at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium station during the Commonwealth Games beginning Oct 3.

“We are making special arrangements at the Stadium Metro station from opening of the Games Oct 3 to closing ceremony Oct 14. The station will have five entry and exit structures so that public can access the station easily and extra staircases of much wider width are being provided so that more people can be accommodated easily,” Delhi Metro spokesman Anuj Dayal said.

“The staircase width, which is normally 2.4 metres in other stations, will be as much as 4.25 metres at the the Stadium Metro station to accommodate the extra rush. There will also be four escalators connecting the concourse with the platform,” he added.

According to Dayal, the station at the stadium can deal with a crowd of 4,000 passengers per minute in peak time and has been designed to accommodate a total traffic flow of 80,000 persons per hour in the platform area of 1,800 sq. metres.

There will be 20 automatic fare collection (AFC) gates instead of eight AFC gates normally provided at most stations.

“The operations department of the DMRC is preparing a special plan and procedure for clearance of commuters who will be coming for the opening and closing ceremony by Metro trains, with high frequency of Metro trains to ensure very fast clearance at the platform to avoid crowding,” he said.

“Volunteers and Sahayaks (helpers) will be posted to assist passengers at all the important points of the station such as the AFC gates, escalators, platforms and entry and exit points where first-time Metro users may face difficulty,” Dayal added.

A special control room will be established at the Stadium Metro station from where public announcements will be controlled and LED signs will be displayed for guidance of passengers.

Railings will be installed and there will be extra lighting for good visibility.

The Delhi Metro will provide easy Metro connectivity to 10 out of 11 venues of the Commonwealth Games 2010. These are the Games Village, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi University, Thyagaraj Complex, Siri Fort Sports Complex, National Stadium, Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, Talkotora Indoor Stadium, Yamuna Sports Complex and R.K. Tennis Complex.

CWG ticket holders to ride free on Metro and DTC

The Commonwealth Games organising committee Friday said all spectators who have tickets for any event will be able to travel free in public transport on the day of the competition.

"There are plans to integrate the Delhi Metro and the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) services so that all spectators can commute effortlessly and conveniently between different locations in and around Delhi. The ticketed spectators will be entitled for free public transport, on DTC buses and Delhi metro, valid for the day of the competition," a statement from the committee said.

The 2010 Commonwealth Games will take place in the capital Oct 3-14. According to the organising committee, there are also proposals to introduce a special fleet of buses for the games, regular shuttle service to and from various metro stations near the games' venue and free travel passes for volunteers.

"To ferry spectators to and from different games' venues, DTC will be providing a special bus fleet consisting of more than 600 compressed natural gas (CNG) fuelled buses. The organising committee and the DTC has also identified various points from where the buses will pick and drop passengers and for this Delhi will be divided into five zones," the statement said.

According to the release, around 100,000 foreign tourists are expected to come to the city for the games in addition to Indian tourists.

Delhi Metro airport link may get delayed

The Airport Express project being jointly developed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and Reliance Infra, it seems, is running behind schedule and may not finish in time for Commonwealth Games 2010

The special metro train that promises to zip you from the heart of Delhi to the airport in just 22 minutes, a journey that normally takes more than an hour is expected to miss the Commonwealth Games 2010 deadlines.

Players and visitors coming for this year's Commonwealth Games in October may miss the ride on this metro as DMRC may miss its completion deadline of September 2010. The Metro is being constructed under a unique model

The DMRC will first complete all the civil works including stations, tunnel and viaduct and then hand it over to Reliance Infra, who will run it for a period of 30 years.

Reliance Infra is also responsible for laying tracks and operational equipment and completing the station, which will be modeled on airport terminals

But the big worry for the government is that DMRC has not handed over the civil structure to Reliance Infra yet for fitting out. Even stations haven’t been given out yet for fitment and it’s this 3 to 4 month delay, which can cost the project dearly.

There has been a flurry of communication between Reliance Infra and DMRC, where the company has raised apprehension that at the current pace of work it may not be able to make the system operational before the Commonwealth Games.

Anand Vihar gets Metro

The Delhi Metro’s Anand Vihar line, close to Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, was inaugrated by the state Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and the country’s Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy on Wednesday.

The 6.25-km line between Anand Vihar and Yamuna Bank station in East Delhi will be open to the public from Thursday. This is the fourth line of the Metro network and has five stations—Laxmi Nagar, Nirman Vihar, Preet Vihar, Karkardooma and Anand Vihar. The last two will have parking facilities.

Two more stations—Kaushambi and Vaishali—in Uttar Pradesh will be added by September this year, before the 2010 Commonwealth Games start. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has also constructed two foot over-bridges—one each at Laxmi Nagar and Nirman Vihar stations—to provide commuters safe access to the stations.

It has also proposed property development at the Karkarduma and Anand Vihar stations.

“We are expecting a ridership of 60,000 on this line and it will be very beneficial for east Delhi residents,” DMRC Chief E Sreedharan said.

It will now be a seamless travel from Anand Vihar to Dwarka as the Anand Vihar-Yamuna Bank line would join the Yamuna Bank-Dwarka line. Talking about new Metro trains required to tackle congestion, Sreedharan said, “We have ordered 83 new trains, of which 16 have already arrived. The new trains will be of both four and six coaches. Initially, trains with four coaches would arrive.”

Metro authorities said they will allot three to four trains to the route. Delhi Metro, which began services on a small scale in December 2002, now ferries nearly 900,000 commuters a day. With the new line, the Delhi Metro now runs in a network of 96 km and has 83 stations.

CISF starts dog breeding center in Delhi

In view of the rising demand for sniffer dogs at airports and Delhi Metro and for the Commonwealth Games, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Tuesday launched its own dog breeding and training centre.

CISF Director General N.R. Das inaugurated the breeding and training ground in Ghaziabad close to Delhi.

"The initiative has been taken to cater to the increased demands of sniffer dogs at bomb disposal squads at various airports all across the country, Delhi Metro and for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games in Delhi," said CISF spokesman Rohit Katiyar.

"Initially training will be given to 18 dogs by our men with the help of experts from the sister paramilitary organizations. We have procured best pedigreed pups of Labrador and Cocker Spaniel breeds and they would be trained for eight months before being deployed," he added.

The CISF has become the second paramilitary force after Border Security Force (BSF) to have a training centre for dogs. The force is deployed at all airports, Delhi Metro stations and establishments, and public undertaking units in the country.