New Delhi: The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) today started test runs on the 10.47 kms stretch between the I.P. Extension and Maujpur elevated section of the upcoming 59 kms long Majlis Park – Shiv Vihar corridor (Line 7) of Phase-III, also known as the Pink Line. The Test Runs were flagged off by DMRC Chief Mangu Singh.
According to press release, during these test runs, the interface of the Metro train will be checked to ensure that there is no physical infringement with civil infrastructure during the movement of the train on the track and also testing of various subsystems of coaches shall be done.
The new signaling technology known as Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) will be implemented on this corridor and will undergo rigorous testing in stages. The response of the train at different speeds, braking of the train and the interconnection with the Operations Control Centre (OCC) will also be monitored during the trials. The behavior of the track system and the Over Head Electrification (OHE) will be checked repeatedly.
This section from I.P. Extension to Maujpur consists of 09 elevated stations viz. I.P. Extension, Anand Vihar, Karkardooma, Karkardooma Court, Krishna Nagar, East Azad Nagar, Welcome, Jaffrabad and Maujpur Station.
The trains for this section have already arrived and are stabled at Vinod Nagar Depot. This depot is equipped with 4 inspection bay lines, 2 workshop lines. Total 32 trains can be stabled in this depot. To minimize the occupation of land, this depot is constructed with a double deck system, in which the stabling yard has been created on both decks.
This section has three interchange stations at Anand Vihar, Karkardooma and Welcome. The facility of interchange of Metro trains between line7 & line 3/4 is available at Anand Vihar and at Karkarduma Station and between line 7 & line 1 at Welcome Station. The Maujpur Station is a four (4) track station having provision of connection from Maujpur to Mukundpur, a corridor proposed in Phase-IV of Delhi Metro project.
Special Spans and Sharp Curves
This section between I.P Extension and Maujpur consists of 5 Special Spans including 2 Steel Spans over existing DMRC Red line(Line 1) and Northern Railway track between Welcome & Shahdara.
Cantilever Construction (CLC) Spans of lengths total 255 mtr over Anand Vihar Railway Yard and Main line tracks were constructed over running track with 25 KVA OHE System.
Due to uneven twist and turns in this alignment, Delhi Metro had to construct as many as 10 curves on this stretch that passes through very congested areas like I.P. Extension, Anand Vihar, Welcome, Seelampur, Jaffrabad and Maujpur.
Curves of less than 300 meters of radius are considered “Sharp Curves” in Urban Rail Construction. The work of building sharp curves requires great deal of engineering skills and several factors have to be kept in mind while designing special segments/spans at the concerned turn/juncture. DMRC had to form especially dedicated beds in its casting yard for casting of special segments. The segments were constructed according to the already defined ”radius of curvature” and then put on the viaduct.
Cantilever piers and portals were constructed at appropriate places to provide smooth transition for the curves, wherever required to take care of the shifted alignment due to curvature.
Earlier DMRC had constructed sharpest broad gauge curve on its elevated section in Gurgaon near IFFCO Chowk with at radius of 282.05 meters in Phase II and 242 meters curve on standard gauge between Okhla and Jamia in Phase III.
As part of Delhi Metro’s one of the most challenging corridors of Phase 3, the construction of this section had to be completed by managing heavy traffic at various points on the Patparganj, Anand Vihar, Welcome, Jaffrabad and Maujpur.
The construction in running drain, land acquisition at Patparganj, Anand Vihar, Welcome, Jaffrabad and Maujpur also posed a bottleneck during construction.
Major utility diversions like shifting of water pipelines at Jaffrabad were avoided by re-aligning of station foundations. Electrical installations were shifted for the construction of Anand Vihar ISBT station.
