Lifeline of the National Capital – Delhi Metro – completed 20 years of successful metro operations in the National Capital Region (NRC) in the year 2022.

The year 2022 marked a new beginning after the covid induced lockdowns. In spite of the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Delhi Metro made a quick comeback and accelerated the works in both the projects and operations.

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The year 2022 also marked the beginning of a new era of leadership with Vikas Kumar taking over as third Managing Director of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. On April 1, Vikas Kumar assumed responsibility as the new Managing Director of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. Kumar took over charge from Dr Mangu Singh, who was the Managing Director of DMRC since January 1, 2012.

It was a productive and fruitful year with quick progress in the construction of Phase – IV project and Delhi Metro’s aggressive bidding for consultancy services for Indian and Foreign Metro Projects including those in Israel, Egypt, Mauritius, Bahrain and Bangladesh.

On February 24, in a major historic step involving public-private partnership (PPP) and enhanced indigenisation for the metro rail systems in India, the Delhi Metro awarded the first contract for the lease and maintenance of lifts and escalators for the three priority corridors under its ongoing Phase-IV expansion. This is a first of its kind historic financial model in this sector adopted in India for funding of public infrastructure project based on PPP model wherein M/s Johnson Lifts, Chennai (i.e. vendor) will initially bear the entire cost for design, manufacturing, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the Lifts and Escalators, and will maintain them for a period of 15 years.

On February 25, the Delhi Metro, in its sustained efforts for implementing the indigenously developed National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) in the entire network, entered into a contract with a consortium of M/S Revenue Collection Systems (Thales), France SAS and M/S Paytm Payments Bank Limited for executing the NCMC along with upgrade of complete ecosystem consisting of Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) system which will also enable travel through QR Tickets, Account Based Ticket and Near Field Communications (NFC) Media.

This contract is for the Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) work for the three priority corridors (Janakpuri West – RK Ashram Marg, Majlis Park – Maujpur and Tughalakabad – Aerocity) under Phase-IV and upgradation of existing (operational) Phase-I, II, and III Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) system.

On February 23, in line with the government of India’s ‘Digital India’ initiative, which endeavours to ensure that the government’s services are made available to citizens electronically by improved online infrastructure, the Delhi Metro launched its revamped official website and mobile application, which are among the world’s most feature rich and advanced interactive digital platforms on Metro Railway. A state-of-the-art mobile application of DMRC was also launched on the same day for the greater convenience of passengers.

Among the other main highlights for the year 2022, on November 8, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation introduced its first ever set of two 8-coach trains, which have been converted from the existing fleet of 39 six coach trains, for passenger services on the Red Line (Line-1 i.e. Rithala to Shaheed Sthal New Bus Adda).

With this induction, all the trains on this Line will be stopping near the far end of the platforms to accommodate the 8-coach trains accordingly. This head stopping (trains stopping near the end of the platform) is being implemented for the convenience of the passengers waiting on the platforms for the trains.

On March 4, a dedicated skywalk, constructed by the DMRC in collaboration with Northern Railway, between the Ajmeri Gate side of the New Delhi Railway station and the adjacent New Delhi Metro stations on Yellow Line and Airport Express Line was opened for passengers.

This newly-constructed Skywalk is an extension of the foot over bridge (FOB) inside the Railway station and connects the Ajmeri Gate side of the station with the New Delhi Metro stations of Yellow Line and Airport Line including the multilevel parking side across Bhavbhuti Marg through multiple entry and exit points.

On April 10, in order to further upgrade and strengthen the X-Ray baggage Scanning System (X-BIS System) at the security frisking points of Metro stations, the Delhi Metro started introducing highly advanced and state-of-the-art baggage scanners at its Metro stations in a phased manner.

Among the other main highlights for the year 2022, on November 7, the Delhi Metro signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for the development of an indigenous Communication Based Train Control system (i-CBTC). The DMRC is developing this indigenous Communication Based Train Control system with BEL and C-DAC as part of the ‘Make in India’ initiative of the Government of India under the aegis of Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA).

On February 28, the DMRC and the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), as per which the DMRC will provide technical assistance as well as execute finishing and services works for the construction of a Metro loop corridor to connect the existing Metro network with the new Central Secretariat buildings, which will come up as part of the Central Vista Area Redevelopment project.

On August 31, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NBCC to construct a subway connecting the WTC Nauroji Nagar with the Bhikaji Cama Place Metro station on the Pink Line. The WTC is being developed by NBCC as a commercial project at Nauroji Nagar consisting of 12 towers of G+9 structure having an approximate built-up area of 34 lakhs sq. ft along with a three-level basement parking and other services.

The Delhi Metro celebrated the landmark moment of completing 20 years of successful metro operations in the National Capital Region on December 24. The occasion was marked by the inauguration of a special exhibition on highlights of 20 years of metro operations and the Indo-Japan partnership, as the year 2022 marked the completion of 70 years of diplomatic relations between India and Japan.

The journey of Delhi Metro commenced on December 24, 2002, when then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee flagged off the first ever train on 8.4-kilometer long Shahdara to Tis Hazari corridor of Red Line. Since then, the Delhi Metro network has expanded exponentially.

The expansion of the network has also been among the fastest in the world, as more than 380 kilometres of new lines have been added since 2002. Today, the DMRC operates 391 kilometers of metro network with 286 stations on 12 corridors including Noida–Greater Noida and Rapid Metro, Gurugram across Delhi-NCR.

Today, the Delhi Metro is the largest metro network in India and among the largest metros in the world with some of the most advanced technologies such as driverless metro operations on two corridors. The network is further being expanded in the Phase – IV project, after completion of which, another 65 kilometers of network will be added.

Currently, the construction is in progress on three approved priority corridors of Phase IV. Two of them are the extension of existing Pink (Majlis Park to Maujpur) and Magenta (R K Ashram Marg to Janakpuri West) Lines, while a new Silver Line will come up connecting Tughlakabad to Delhi Aerocity.