The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has issued a tender for the underground corridor between Kartavya Bhawan and Indraprastha, bringing the 9.913-kilometre Central Vista section closer to construction. The tunnel and four stations are expected to be taken up by March after the tender is awarded, according to a report by Live Hindustan.
The Kartavya Bhawan–Indraprastha section will include two underground tunnels for up and down metro services and four underground stations: India Gate, War Memorial–High Court, Baroda House and Bharat Mandapam. Once completed, the corridor is expected to provide direct metro access to major Central Vista destinations that currently require an additional road journey from existing stations.
The wider Central Vista corridor forms part of Phase 5-A of the Delhi Metro network and runs for approximately 9.913 kilometres between R K Ashram and Indraprastha. The complete corridor will have eight stations. The first section, between R K Ashram and Kartavya Bhawan, is already under construction and will include stations at Shivaji Stadium, Central Secretariat and Kartavya Bhawan.
The Union government approved the corridor in December, with the overall project estimated to cost Rs 9,570.4 crore. The latest tender covers the remaining portion between Kartavya Bhawan and Indraprastha. The tender allocation process is expected to be completed over the next few months, after which construction of the tunnels and stations can begin.
The construction period for the Kartavya Bhawan–Indraprastha section is expected to be about three and a half years from the start of work. The project will therefore require coordinated construction in one of the capital’s most institutionally significant areas, where Central Vista buildings, public destinations and major roads operate alongside high visitor and commuter movement.
At present, people travelling to India Gate and the War Memorial by metro generally alight at Central Secretariat on the Yellow or Violet lines and use another mode of transport for the remaining journey. The new stations are intended to reduce that interchange burden by bringing the metro network closer to these destinations.
The Central Vista corridor is also planned as an extension of the Magenta Line. The Phase 4 expansion includes the Janakpuri West–R K Ashram and Inderlok–Indraprastha corridors. After the completion of the Phase 4 and Phase 5-A projects mentioned in the report, the Magenta Line is expected to reach a total length of 87.73 kilometres and serve 64 stations.
The next immediate milestone is the completion of the tender award process for the Kartavya Bhawan–Indraprastha package. Construction of the underground tunnels and four stations is expected to begin in March, subject to the tender process being completed as planned.
