More six-coach trains in Delhi Metro to ease overcrowding

New Delhi: In a bid to combat overcrowding in Metro trains, authorities plan to use only six-coach trains on two routes, the Lok Sabha was informed Wednesday. The Line 3 (Dwarka-Noida City Centre) and Line 4 (from Yamuna Bank to Vaishali) will have only six-coach trains.

Union Minister of State for Urban Development Deepa Dasmunsi said: "On an average, 44 six-coach and 17 four-coach trains are running on Dwarka-Noida City Centre and Yamuna Bank to Vaishali (line). Delhi Metro has plans to have all trains of six-car type." The minister said on Line 2 (Jahangirpuri-HUDA City Centre) all trains are of six cars but some eight-coach trains are also plying on the route. According to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, Line 1 (Dilshad Garden to Rithala) and Line 6 (Central Secretariat to Badarpur) have lower ridership than the other Metro lines and as such they have only four-coach trains. "On the other routes, the traffic demand does not warrant use of longer trains and hence there is no plan to increase number of coaches on the lines for the present," the minister added. Answering another question on how frequently Delhi Metro is shut down, Dasmunshi said: "Delhi Metro is not being shut down frequently. Some Metro stations were closed... in December (2012), as per security advice from Delhi Police." Some Metro stations were closed as precautionary measure after the Dec 16 gang-rape here, when protests erupted near India Gate. Delhi Metro ferries nearly two million passengers on week days and makes over 2,800 trips daily. IANS