DMRC to take over Gurugram Rapid Metro operations from Tuesday

New Delhi: The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation will take over the operations and maintenance of the Rapid Metro Link at Gurugram from Tuesday (October 22). With this takeover, the Delhi Metro network has now become 389 km-long with 285 stations. The services of the 11.6 km-long corridor will continue to operate as per the normal time table as earlier.

DMRC said in a tweet, "The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation will take over the operations and maintenance of the Rapid Metro Link at Gurugram from tonight, 22 October 2019. With this takeover, the total Metro network has now become 389 km with 285 stations, including the NOIDA-Greater NOIDA corridor."

The official release on the DMRC website stated that Delhi Metro Rail Corporation is going to take over the operations and maintenance of the Rapid Metro Link, Gurugram developed by Rapid Metro Rail Gurgaon Limited (RMGL) and Rapid Metro Rail Gurgaon South Limited (RMGSL) from tonight i.e. October 22, 2019.

The DMRC management has already deployed adequate staff to maintain station operations, train operations, signalling and telecom, electrical, traction, safety and security etc. so that the passenger services may be maintained in a smooth and trouble-free manner. 

It may be noted that the names of the stations covered by the Rapid Metro system are Sector 55-56, Sector 54 Chowk, Sector 53-54, Sector 42-43, Phase -1, Sikanderpur, Phase-2, Phase-3, Moulsari Avenue, IndusInd Bank Cybercity, Vodafone Velvedere Towers.

The train services on the corridor start at 6 am in the morning from Sector 55-56 station and Sikenderpur station with a frequency of 4.30 minutes during morning peak hours and 5.15 minutes during evening peak hours. The last revenue train service departs at 10 pm from Sector 55-56 station.

It is worth mentioning that the Punjab and Haryana High Court recently ordered that the Rapid Metrorail Gurgaon Limited (RMGL) and Rapid Metrorail Gurgaon South Limited (RMGSL) would continue to operate the Rapid Metro services for maximum up to October 16. However, the court was told that the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) would take over the operations.

For those who are not aware, the RMGL and RMGSL are the two special purpose vehicles (SPVs) which have been operating the Rapid Metro services since 2013 and 2017 respectively. This is because the commercial operations of Rapid Metro began in two phases. The Rapid Metro was constructed by IL&FS Infrastructure in two phases. In the first phase, the company built 5.1 km elevated track, connecting National Highway No 8 at Shankar Chowk with Sikandarpur DMRC station, covering six stations. The second phase of the system was opened to the public in March 2017.