Ghaziabad to get Metro tomorrow

NEW DELHI: Delhi Metro will enter Ghaziabad for the first time tomorrow when commercial operations on the Anand Vihar-Vaishali section will begin, bringing smiles to thousands of people in the satellite city and other areas.

Decks for opening of the line were cleared today when Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) R K Kardam gave his mandatory safety approval.

"The certificate has been received and the corridor will begin commercial operations tomorrow morning," a DMRC spokesman said.

The 3-km stretch will be launched without any formal function as commercial services will begin at 7 AM on Thursday. Earlier, it was speculated that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati would inaugurate the line.

The corridor, which has two elevated stations, will be integrated with the existing Dwarka Sec 21-Anand Vihar ISBT line benefiting thousands of people in Ghaziabad and other neighbouring areas who travel to the national capital daily.

Passenger services will start simultaneously from Anand Vihar (for going towards Vaishali) and Vaishali (for going towards Dwarka) Metro stations at 7:00 AM on Thursady.

However, from Friday normal train services will commence at 06:00 AM from Vaishali Metro station.

With this, Ghaziabad will be the third satellite city in the NCR to get connected with Metro after Noida and Gurgaon. Currently, residents of Ghaziabad have to come to Anand Vihar ISBT to board a Metro train.