Metro's Phase III project to bring green benefits to Delhi

NEW DELHI: Greater connectivity is not the only benefit Delhi Metro's Phase III project will offer. According to a study commissioned by DMRC, the new corridors will help decongest some roads, reduce air pollution and save fuel costs as well.

Said a Delhi Metro spokesman, “There will be a significant dip in the emission levels. For instance, the reduction in carbon dioxide emission will be about 4.808 million tonnes by 2025.“

The Phase III network comprises two new corridors--Mukundpur to Shiv Vihar and Janakpuri West to Botanical Garden--besides extension of several existing corridors of the network.

Apart from helping cut the pollution levels, the Phase III of the Delhi Metro is expected to have an impact on the surface transport as well. The study , which was undertaken by RITES, says, “The requirement of buses is estimated to come down to 1,760 in 2025 if the Phase III is introduced according to the schedule. This will save an amount equal to Rs 4,682 million towards capital cost of the bus system.“

That's not all. The Phase III is expected to have an impact on savings in road infrastructure too. According to the RITES study , to accommodate the vehicles, the government will have to acquire 55 hec tares of land for parking and another 106 hectares (530km) to create additional road infrastructure. “The savings due to road infrastructure will be about Rs 10,600 million. In addition, the cost of 161 hectares of land will also be saved on implementation of the DMRC Phase III project,“ the study goes on to say.

The Phase III will also help towards savings on fuel consumption, which is expected to be in millions of rupees per year. These savings are, in fact, one of the primary aspects of the study , said officials.

Delhi Metro had in its previous phases also helped significantly in cutting fuel costs as well as reducing emissions. According to data by the Delhi Metro, in Phase I of its network (2007), the number of vehicles that went off roads daily was 16,895.This went up to 3,90,971 last year, by which time Phase I and II came about.

Meanwhile, the annual reduction in pollutants was 31,520 tonnes in 2007 and 5,77,148 tonnes in 2014. The savings in time per trip was 31 minutes in 2007 and 28 minutes in 2011, when Phase I and II became functional. It was 32 minutes last year.