Magenta Line stations to transform life, commute

WHEELS OF CHANGE Munirka, Vasant Vihar and RK Puram will get connected to Delhi Metro as Janakpuri West to Kalkaji Mandir section opens on Monday

NEWDELHI: The remaining 25.6km of the Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line (Janakpuri West-kalkaji Mandir) is set to open on Monday, making commute hassle-free for residents around Noida, south and west Delhi.

Hindustan Times visited three of the stations on the upcoming line — Munirka, Vasant Vihar and RK Puram — to see how the Metro’s reach will benefit these areas and how people around these neighbourhood have been commuting till now. It will be the first time that the Metro will touch these residential complexes, which have been heavily dependent either on private cars or on public buses for commute.

MUNIRKA

In the crowded market of Munirka, residents and shoppers depend heavily on public bus services such as 764, 604 and 620. There is a mix of working class residential areas behind the market, and more affluent neighbourhoods along the Outer Ring Road and in Munirka Enclave.

There are three bus stops just a few metres away from each other all on the Outer Ring Road and the bus service is barely enough.

The Metro will come as a boon for shoppers, and also cater to students who come here to attend coaching classes available for competitive as well as school exams. “My classes start at 7am and I have to start at 6am from my house in Rohini. The Metro will be a faster option,” said Praveen Kumar, an IAS aspirant.

One of the exit gates is right at the market so people will not have to cross the Outer Ring Road. The line will also be a relief to JNU students as the Munirka Metro station is less than a kilometre away.

VASANT VIHAR

Despite dependency on private cars in the posh neighbourhood of Vasant Vihar, the Metro will be a boon for shoppers and movie goers at Priya Complex. Lack of connectivity and shortage of The area comprises crowded Munirka market and densely populated residential complexes. Along the Outer Ring

Road and in Munirka Enclave are DDA residential areas. Key landmarks include JNU and Regional Transport Office.

Students in JNU and those coming to coaching centres in Munirka market Residents around Munirka DDA colony, Munirka Enclave

Munirka market shoppers People coming to the RTO parking space has caused this once popular hangout to be inaccessible to people. “If I can find easy parking space in other malls, why will I come here. Maybe, once the Metro line opens, this will become more crowded,” said Malini Sahai, a resident of Vasant Vihar block-d.

Over a dozen schools in the area will also benefit from the line. Residents of government quarters in the area will be able to take the line that will allow The area comprises government residential complexes, Sangam cinema and office complexes at Bhikaji Cama Place. Government employees

Players at the RK Khanna Tennis stadium

Movie goers at Sangam movie complex them to change at Hauz Khas to reach central Delhi where all the offices are located.

RK PURAM

Metro will facilitate easier movement of residents to offices in central and south Delhi from the government neighbourhood of RK Puram. The coming of the Metro is also likely to increase footfall at Sangam cinema complex. Visitors will be able to reach the theatre using the Metro, instead of taking private cars that remain parked on the side of the road creating traffic bottlenecks.

Residents are also hoping that the coming of the Metro will ease traffic around the roads such as Rao Tula Ram Marg.

“The commute here takes hours because the traffic moves at snail’s pace. Hopefully with the Metro we get a faster and more convenient alternative to the jams,” said Sunita Prakash, a resident of Sector 9.