Airport Metro might resume in 2 months: Kamal Nath

Says line will be opened after the Metro Rail Safety inspection is over

Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath on Saturday said the Delhi Metro Airport Line might start functioning again by the end of this month or early next year.

Addressing the valedictory session of the 5th Urban Mobility Conference 2012, the minister said an inspection by the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) is expected by then.

Officials had set a Diwali deadline to restart operations on the high-speed corridor after services were stopped on July 8 to rectify defects such as damaged track fastening clips, bearings and seepage in the underground tunnel.

"Resumption of service in the defect-hit Airport Line has been delayed further because the CMRS, who will inspect multiple repairs, is on leave,'' a source said.

Nath said they wouldn't wait for Delhi Metro's Phase-III work to be completed, to start work on Phase-IV.

The Centre wants construction work on some sections of Phase-IV to begin once the project report is completed.

"We will start work on some sections through which we can connect Phase I, II and III. When Phase-IV is complete, Delhi will have 440 km of Metro network, bigger than the London underground," Kamal Nath said.

The minister also batted for monorail, saying it will function as a good feeder system in areas which are inaccessible to the Metro.

"Metro and monorail projects will be given priority by the Centre. We will be coming up with common rules for both,'' he said.

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