The Union Cabinet on Wednesday, December 24, approved a major expansion of the Delhi Metro project, clearing Phase 5A at an estimated cost of ₹12,015 crore. The move is aimed at significantly improving urban mobility, easing traffic congestion, and strengthening connectivity across the national capital and adjoining areas. The announcement was made by Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, following the Cabinet meeting.
Under Phase 5A, the Delhi Metro will add 16.076 kilometres of new metro lines and 13 stations to its network. Of these stations, 10 will be underground while three will be elevated. With the completion of this phase, the total length of the Delhi Metro network will cross the 400-kilometre mark, further consolidating its position as one of the largest and most extensive urban rail systems in the world.
“The Union Cabinet has approved Phase 5A of the Delhi Metro, which will comprise 13 stations. A 16-km-long new line will be laid at a cost of ₹12,015 crore. With this, the Delhi Metro network will cross 400 km,” Vaishnaw said.
The expansion will be carried out through three new corridors designed to improve connectivity in central, southern, and airport-linked areas of Delhi. These include:
RK Ashram Marg to Indraprastha: 9.913 km
Aerocity to Indira Gandhi Domestic Airport Terminal 1 (IGD T-1): 2.263 km
Tughlakabad to Kalindi Kunj: 3.9 km
Together, these corridors will add up to 16.076 km and form a crucial part of the Phase 5A project.
The RK Ashram Marg–Indraprastha corridor will be an extension of the existing Botanical Garden–RK Ashram Marg line. This stretch is particularly significant as it will provide direct metro connectivity to the Central Vista area, which is currently undergoing large-scale redevelopment. Once operational, this corridor will improve access between West, North, and Old Delhi with Central Delhi.
The other two corridors—Aerocity to IGD Airport Terminal 1 and Tughlakabad to Kalindi Kunj—will be extensions of the Aerocity–Tughlakabad corridor. These links will substantially enhance connectivity between South Delhi and the domestic airport, benefitting areas such as Tughlakabad, Saket, Kalindi Kunj, Chhattarpur, and surrounding localities.
The nine stations proposed on the RK Ashram Marg–Indraprastha section are:
RK Ashram Marg
Shivaji Stadium
Central Secretariat
Kartavya Bhawan
India Gate
War Memorial–High Court
Baroda House
Bharat Mandapam
Indraprastha
On the Tughlakabad–Kalindi Kunj section, three new stations will come up:
Sarita Vihar Depot
Madanpur Khadar
Kalindi Kunj
Additionally, the existing Aerocity station will be further extended to connect directly with IGD Airport Terminal 1.
Officials said the new metro corridors will not only improve daily commuting but also deliver broader economic and environmental benefits. By expanding the reach of the Delhi Metro to Central Delhi and the domestic airport, Phase 5A is expected to boost commercial activity, tourism, and employment generation.
The project will also help reduce the dependence on private vehicles, easing road congestion and lowering pollution levels caused by motor traffic—an important consideration for a city that frequently struggles with poor air quality.
Once completed, the Phase 5A expansion is expected to make travel across Delhi faster, cleaner, and more efficient, reinforcing the Metro’s role as the backbone of the capital’s public transport system.
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