New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved three new corridors as part of Delhi Metro’s Phase V(A) expansion, giving a major boost to urban mobility in the national capital and strengthening last-mile connectivity to the Central Vista and the domestic airport.
The approved corridors include R.K. Ashram Marg to Indraprastha (9.913 km), Aerocity to IGD Airport Terminal-1 (2.263 km) and Tughlakabad to Kalindi Kunj (3.9 km), together adding 16.076 km to the Delhi Metro network. The total project cost of ₹12,014.91 crore will be funded jointly by the Centre, the Delhi government and international funding agencies.
The R.K. Ashram Marg–Indraprastha stretch, an extension of the Botanical Garden–R.K. Ashram Marg corridor, will provide direct Metro connectivity to the redeveloped Central Vista area. The government estimates that around 60,000 office-goers and nearly two lakh visitors will benefit daily from improved access to Kartavya Bhawans and key institutions.
The Aerocity–IGD T-1 and Tughlakabad–Kalindi Kunj extensions will improve connectivity between south Delhi and the domestic airport via areas such as Saket and Chhattarpur. The three corridors will have 13 stations, of which 10 will be underground and three elevated, and will form extensions of the Magenta Line and the proposed Golden Line.
The expansion is expected to reduce road congestion and fossil fuel use, supporting cleaner urban transport and ease of living in the capital. The new links are also seen as a catalyst for economic activity in Central and south Delhi.
Construction of Phase-IV of the Delhi Metro, comprising 111 km and 83 stations, is already underway, with over 80% of civil works on priority corridors completed. Phase-IV is expected to be rolled out in stages by December 2026.
Currently, the Delhi Metro operates a 395-km network with 289 stations across Delhi-NCR, carrying an average of 65 lakh passenger journeys a day. The latest Cabinet approval further consolidates Delhi Metro’s position as the largest and among the most heavily used urban rail systems in the country.