Features

Delhi Metro: Setting an example in India [free access]

India’s first modern metro rail project, Delhi metro has set the stage for developing rail based metro systems
across 11 cities in the country. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), which operates a network spanning
over 100 km linking Delhi with Noida and Gurgaon in the National Capital Region, has received international
benchmarks in service and technology. Another 85 km is presently under construction.  DMRC has plans to
develop a network four times this size by 2021.
 
The concept of a metro rail for Delhi first emerged in 1969-70 but DMRC was set up only in 1995 and the first line
of Delhi metro operationalised in 2002. The detailed project report (DPR) and feasibility study for the first phase of
the project was prepared by Delhi-based Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES).
 
Project details and progress
 
The implementation of the Delhi metro project is planned in four phases covering a total of 413.83 km. About 73
per cent of the line length is elevated under Phases I and II.  The entire project is expected to be completed by
2021.
 
Details of the Delhi Metro Network (as on March 31, 2010)
No. of lines Elevated Underground At grade No. of stations
Phase Length (km)
length (km) section (km) length (km)
Phase I 3 65.10 47.43 13.17 4.50 59
Phase II 15 128.06 94.13 29.83 4.10 81
Phase III 11 112.17 NA NA NA NA
Phase IV 8 108.50 NA NA NA NA
Total   413.83        
NA: Not available
Source: Delhi Metro Rail Corporation
 
Physical construction work on the Delhi metro started on October 1, 1998. The first line (Shahdara-Tis Hazari)
opened on December 24, 2002. The entire Phase I of the project was completed in November 2006, on budget
and almost three years ahead of schedule, making Delhi metro one of the fastest metro constructions achieved
worldwide.
 
Works under Phase II, which started in January 2007, are in an advanced stage of completion. So far, five
sections of Phase II covering 42.15 km have been opened for commercial operations. Amongst the lines opened,
DMRC operationalised India’s first standard gauge metro line in April 2010.
 
About 86 km is under construction in Phase II. A key project currently under implementation is the 23 km airport
express link, which will connect the city with the airport and pass through six stops. This project is being jointly
developed by India-based Reliance Infrastructure (RInfra) and Spain-based Construcciones y Auxiliar de
Ferrocarriles (CAF), on a public-private partnership basis. DMRC has modified the development model for this
project. DMRC is responsible for the civil works of the project, which are almost 90 per cent complete as of April
2010. The private joint venture is responsible for financing, designing, developing and operating the high-speed
metro system. Delhi Airport Metro Express (DAME), a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), was set up to develop the
project. The airport line will be developed and run by DAME for 30 years.  The consortium has also invested in the
procurement of rolling stock, signalling and telecommunication equipment and other operational components.
People will have the choice of checking in their baggage at metro stations, which will double up as city airport
terminals for this line. 
 
A key project currently under implementation is the 23 km airport express link, which will connect the city with the
airport and pass through six stops.
 
Phase II is expected to be completed by September 2010, before the Commonwealth Games in Delhi. On
completion, the metro would be spread across 190 km virtually connecting all corners of the National Capital
Region.
 
After the completion of Phase II, work on Phase III will be taken up. The corridor-wise plan is ready and a financial
strategy for the phase has been proposed. Upon approval of the corridors by the state government, the detailed
project reports will be prepared.
 
Some of the key players that have carried out civil works for the metro project include Hindustan Construction
Company, Larsen and Toubro, Ircon International, Alstom Transport, ABB Limited, Skanska International Civil
Engineering, Samsung Corporation, Mitsubishi Corporation, and Sumitomo Corporation.
 
Rolling stock and technology
 
Delhi metro trains run on ballast-less tracks on the elevated viaduct and the underground corridor. This has
resulted in minimum need for maintenance and has reduced the running dimensions on structures. This feature
also offers minimal vibration and greater riding comfort for passengers. World-class tunnel boring machines
imported from Japan, Germany and the US are being used in Phase II.
 
Around 70 trains operate on the three lines of Phase I. The coaches for the first phase were provided by Korea-
based Hyundai Rotem, Japan-based Mitsubishi and India-based Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML). The first
60 coaches were made in Korea and then the technology was transferred to India. Thereafter, 180 coaches were
made in BEML’s plant in Bangalore.
 
For the Phase II network, Delhi Metro has ordered 131 new train-sets with several new features for passenger
convenience and better level of comfort. Of these, 83 are broad gauge and 48 are standard gauge.
 
−         Canada-based Bombardier Transportation is delivering new MOVIA metro cars for lines 1, 2 and 3 of
Phase II of Delhi Metro. An initial order for 340 cars in 2007 was complemented by an option for a further 84 cars,
placed in March 2008. A large proportion of the fleet is being produced at Bombardier’s plant in Savli, Vadodara.
−         In Phase II, Line 6 and Line 10 will have standard gauge coaches, which is India’s first step to integrate
with international metro track technology. DMRC will procure 48 standard gauge trains from a consortium of
Mitsubishi, Hyundai Rotem, Mitsubishi Electronic Corporation, and BEML. Of the 48 trains, only the one that has
already arrived was to be manufactured in Korea, while the rest are being manufactured in BEML’s factory at
Bangalore.
−         For the latest line to be operationalised in April 2010, the Inderlok-Mundka Line, DMRC has procured 17
standard gauge trains from a consortium of Mitsubishi and BEML and will initially put 13 on the service. During
peak hours, the frequency would be 5 minutes.
 
Meanwhile, Bombardier Transportation was awarded the EUR30 million contract to supply its signalling and train
control systems for both lines 5 and 6 of Delhi metro in October 2007. BOMBARDIER CITYFLO 350 includes
automatic train operation that automatically drives the trains from station to station as well as controlling the
opening and closing the doors, leaving the driver free to simply supervise and press the departure button when
leaving a station. The system also has an automatic turn-back feature that enables trains to reverse automatically
at end stations.
 
For the airport express link, trains have been procured from Spain-based City Airport Terminals, which has also
supplied trains to Hong Kong Airport metro and London's Heathrow Express. The coaches have seating for all
passengers and the seating is transverse. The line will operate on automated train operations technology and will
be driverless. Eight six-coach trains will run on this route initially at a frequency of 10 minutes, which will later be
brought down to two minutes. To secure the baggage, half a coach of every six-coach train will be reserved for
baggage.  Every coach will be equipped with close-circuit television cameras for added security and will also have
an event recorder. The trains will travel at a speed of 120 km per hour and cover the entire distance in about 21
minutes, stopping at six stations. The fares for this line will be fixed at INR150 and INR180.
 
The trains are engineered to reach near-zero noise levels and all the components — flooring, insulated walls,
windows — have in-built noise reduction features. The wheels too have added lubrication for less noise and better
riding comfort. The train doors are plug-and-shut type, which shut after sliding out a bit and then move back into
its original position. 
 
To augment security, the recent measures on Delhi metro include procurement of communication equipment
(TETRA radio sets), additional baggage scanners, and additional door frame detectors (DFMDs). Also DMRC has
plans to install 3,000 closed circuit televisions at the stations apart from cameras inside trains under Phase II.
 
Funding and investment
 
The SPV, DMRC, was set up with equal equity participation from the union and the Delhi governments. Phase I of
the project was developed at a total investment of INR105.71 billion. Of this, the Japan International Cooperation
Agency (JICA) extended the maximum amount in six tranches, with the first one in 1997. The loan carried rate of
interest for this project is 1.2 per cent per annum. The loan has a repayment period of 30 years with a moratorium
period of 10 years.
 
The union and the state governments jointly financed 28 per cent of the project cost through equity contributions
in addition to providing a subordinate loan to cover the cost of land acquisition, which has a share of 5 per cent.
The balance 7 per cent funds were internally generated through property development.
 
Funding Plan of Phase I
 
Source: Delhi Metro Rail Corporation
 
Phase II is estimated to cost INR190 billion. Of this, 36 per cent is being financed through equity participation. The
initial plan was to finance 48 per cent of the project cost by way of a loan from JICA. However, JICA reduced its
earlier commitment in January 2010 to only 30 per cent. The 18 per cent will not fall under the union and state
government’s share.
 
The remaining amount is being funded from property development, internal resources, and subordinate debt. The
economic internal rate of return for this phase is estimated at 23.63 per cent and the financial internal rate of
return at 8.18 per cent.
 
The INR28.85 billion airport express line under this phase has been funded on a debt-equity ratio of 70:30. While
RInfra holds 95 per cent equity, the Spanish partner holds the remaining. However, the SPV had raised a debt of
INR25 billion in March 2009 at an interest rate of 13 per cent, against the requirement of INR20 billion.
 
DMRC Financials
 
DMRC recorded a total income of INR7.24 billion in the financial year 2008-09, inclusive of income from
operations, real estate, consultancy, and other income. It registered an increase of 43.51 per cent over the total
income of INR5.04 billion recorded in 2007-08. The company recorded a net profit of INR413.2 million, as against
a net loss of INR482.59 million in 2007-08.
 
The company’s total expenditure stood at INR2.62 billion, an increase of 24.47 per cent over the year 2007-08
when it recorded a total expenditure of INR2.11 billion.
 
Ridership and benefits
 
In the seven years since its inauguration, the metro has carried over one billion passengers. On opening, about
35,000 passengers were using the line daily. With addition of lines, there has been a constant upswing in
ridership. Presently, about 0.85 million passengers use the metro per day.
 
Citizens of Delhi are deriving various indirect benefits from the Delhi metro. A recent study conducted to assess
these indirect benefits has revealed that Delhi metro has prevented 28,800 tonnes of carbon dioxide from being
emitted into the atmosphere every year. For Phase II, DMRC has estimated that about 610 buses will be
removed, resulting in a saving of INR890 million towards capital and operating costs. Further, savings of about
INR3.24 billion will take place due to a reduction of private vehicles, INR3.66 billion due to a reduction in fuel
consumption, and INR1.65 billion due to a reduction in investment in road infrastructure.
 
The Delhi metro is also the first railway project in the world to be registered for carbon credits by the United
Nations. It has been certified to prevent release of over 90,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide by use of regenerative
braking systems in trains. It is estimated that in 2008, release of 39,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide were prevented
and this figure is expected to increase to over 100,000 tonnes per year when Phase II of the metro project is fully
operational.
 
To improve connectivity, DMRC has introduced 120 feeder buses. It has also placed an order to purchase 300
air-conditioned compressed natural gas buses to act as feeder buses. In addition to feeder buses, it has also
started a radio taxi service for Delhi metro commuters in association with a taxi service agency.
 
DMRC has gained recognition with time. Today, it has not only triggered metro projects in other cities but is also
acting as a consultant for majority of the projects coming up in India. Whether these projects will replicate Delhi
metro’s success will only be seen with time.