en.Wedoany.com Reported - The construction of the Central Secretariat metro station, a new section of the Central Vista corridor connecting RK Ashram Marg and Indraprastha, has officially commenced as part of the Magenta Line extension. This expansion project will transform the Central Secretariat station into a triple interchange hub with the Yellow Line and Violet Line. The Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs presided over the groundbreaking ceremony, following which expansion work near Gate No. 3 of the existing complex began. The minister stated that the facility holds significant importance for the capital and its administrative areas, with hundreds of thousands of passengers set to benefit from improved connectivity.

This approximately 10-kilometer corridor will include nine underground stations: Shivaji Stadium, Yuge Yugeen Bharat, Central Secretariat, Kartavya Bhawan, India Gate, War Memorial–High Court, Baroda House, Bharat Mandapam, and Indraprastha. Officials from the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) noted that the line will serve government employees and commuters traveling to Lutyens' Zone and surrounding administrative areas, improving access to major office complexes and attractions in central Delhi.

This section is one of three corridors approved under Phase V(A), with a total project length of 16.07 kilometers and an estimated investment of approximately 120 billion rupees. The central government approved the project last December, with assessments indicating that around 60,000 office workers and 200,000 visitors will benefit daily. Funding sources include the central government, the Delhi government, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). DMRC has initiated tenders for the detailed design and planning of four proposed underground stations along the corridor.

Upon completion, the Magenta Line corridor will span 88.4 kilometers, making it the longest line in the DMRC network, extending from Botanical Garden to Inderlok, and will operate with full driverless automation. This line will connect stations in Noida, South Delhi, and Central Delhi, featuring 21 interchange stations, surpassing the Pink Line, which has 46 stations and spans over 71.5 kilometers. DMRC currently operates approximately 395 kilometers of track with 289 stations, serving an average daily ridership of 6.5 million passengers.