From its humble beginnings in December 2002 with a corridor of just 8.2 km spread across six stations on the Red Line, Delhi Metro has grown into a network of over 390 km in 2022, completing an eventful journey of 20 years of operation. Is.
From its humble beginnings in December 2002 with a corridor of just 8.2 km spread across six stations on the Red Line, Delhi Metro has grown into a network of over 390 km in 2022, completing an eventful journey of 20 years of operation .
A special commemorative ceremony was held at the Welcome Metro station which was attended by Japanese Ambassador to India Hiroshi Suzuki and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Managing Director Vikas Kumar, among others.
Speaking fluent Hindi, Suzuki, who took a metro ride with Kumar to reach the Welcome station, congratulated the DMRC on the occasion and said the level of development of the Delhi Metro has surpassed that of the Tokyo Metro in the last 20 years. .
"Delhi Metro has contributed to deepening the friendship between India and Japan," Suzuki said.
This year, India and Japan are also celebrating 70 years of establishment of diplomatic relations.
The Japanese envoy said the Delhi Metro has achieved "phenomenal success" in its journey of 20 years and has "changed Delhi forever".
Suzuki, in his address, emphasized on the diplomatic and cultural ties between the two countries and cited the Delhi Metro as an example.
A special permanent exhibition commemorating 20 years of Delhi Metro's operations was later opened at the Welcome station by the Japanese envoy.
Rare archival photographs and old news clips of the Delhi Metro have been displayed in the exhibition. It also showcases the partnership between Delhi Metro and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and other Japanese organizations that have supported Delhi Metro in its journey so far.
Saito Mitsunori, Chief Representative, JICA India Office was also present on the occasion and addressed the gathering.
DMRC chief Kumar said, "Over the past two decades, we have not only emerged as the mass transport backbone of the entire National Capital Region of India, but we have also been able to set new benchmarks in operational and manufacturing efficiency, proving Has happened." world that India is also capable of executing and operating public service infrastructure projects of such a large magnitude."
However, this success story would never have been a reality if friends from Japan had not extended their hand of cooperation and support, he said.
Kumar said, "We have always received timely financial support from JICA, which has helped in rapid expansion of the Metro network in Delhi-NCR. Several other Japanese agencies have also provided technical and logistic support to our project."
DMRC today operates several corridors in the national capital and neighboring cities.
The Delhi Metro began its commercial operations on 25 December 2002, a day after its inauguration by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, stretching 8.2 kilometers from Shahdara to Tis Hazari, with only six stations.
To mark the completion of two decades of its operations, the Delhi Metro also ran a special train which was flagged off by Vajpayee on 24 December 2002.
"It is an exciting milestone for the DMRC as a special six-coach train operated today between Kashmere Gate station and Welcome station on the Red Line," a senior official said.
Officials had earlier told PTI that a day after the inauguration of the first corridor in 2002, the rush was so huge that the authorities had to issue paper tickets to handle the flow of passengers.
According to officials, on an average, DMRC trains cover a distance of 400-600 km and run in 16-18 hours.
The current network of DMRC is about 392 km with 286 stations (including Noida Greater Noida Metro Corridor and Rapid Metro, Gurugram).
Rare images and old newspaper clippings of the first piling work carried out in the national capital for the construction of the Delhi Metro are among the archival documents that have been displayed as part of a permanent exhibition at Kashmere Gate station. The exhibition was opened by DMRC last December.
Officials said that on the occasion of DMRC entering its 20th year of operations, an exhibition titled 'Tracing Delhi Metro's Journey' was launched.
The Red Line has now extended on both sides - Rithala in Delhi and the new bus stand (Shaheed Sthal) in Ghaziabad.
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