Badarpur-Faridabad Metro to start tomorrow

NEW DELHI: The Badarpur-Faridabad Metro corridor will be open to the public at 4pm on Sunday. The connectivity between Delhi and the industrial satellite city of Faridabad in Haryana will see a huge turn around with a train reaching Escorts Mujesar every six minutes. The line which is an extension of the Violet line - ITO to Badarpur - will connect Sarai, NHPC Chowk, Mewala Maharajpur, Sector 28, Badkal Mor, Old Faridabad, Neelam Chowk Ajronda, Bata Chowk and Escorts Mujesar.

Once the work on the entire violet line is complete, it will have five interchange stations - Kashmere Gate, Mandi House, Central Secretariat, Lajpat Nagar and Kalkaji Mandir. The depot for this section constructed near sector 20 A in Faridabad will be solar powered along with the nine stations. With a total capacity of 1.9 MW, it will partially fulfill the energy requirements of the corridor.

Currently, eight stations of the corridor are producing 1.7 MW and the other will soon be operational. DMRC has signed a power purchase agreement with Sun Edison for 25 years wherein the capital cost has been invested by the latter and DMRC shall only pay energy charges for the actual energy generated.

Anuj Dayal, spokesman for the Delhi Metro, said, "We will be paying Rs 6 per unit for three years and thereafter Rs 6.35 for 22 years. The ministry of new and renewable energy is giving us 15% subsidy."

The power generated from the solar panels will be used for lighting the stations which are going to use only LED lights. Rainwater harvesting and sewage treatment facilities have also been developed. DMRC has applied to the Indian Green Building Council for a "green building" certification of its electrical receiving sub station constructed at Sector 46, Faridabad. Water from the sewage treatment plant will be reused for horticulture and sanitary purposes.

Water meters have been installed to monitor the consumption. CO2 censors have also been installed at the control room to ensure good quality air. Low CFC refrigerant and inverter compressor type VRV air conditioning system that is eco friendly and consumes less energy has been installed inside the premises.