Delhi Metro’s Grey Line inaugurated at Najafgarh-Dhansa Bus Stand Corridor

New Delhi: The Dhansa Bus Stand–Najafgarh section on the Grey Line of Delhi Metro has been formally inaugurated for passenger services by the Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) Hardeep Singh Puri and the Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal via video conferencing on Saturday. Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishore, Transport Minister of NCT of Delhi Kailash Gahlot and Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) from West Delhi constituency Parvesh Sahib Singh were present on the occasion. The passenger services on this section commenced at 5 pm on the same day.

The Dhansa Bus Stand is an underground station and an extension of the presently operational Dwarka-Najafgarh Corridor. This extension of the over 4.2-km Grey Line (Dwarka-Najafgarh corridor) will immensely benefit the residents of the interior areas around Najafgarh.

Special feature

The station has been designed as a four-level underground structure where there will be a platform at the bottom (at an approximate depth of 18 metres), followed by the concourse, and then an entire floor for parking above it with the roof level at the top (ground level).

The Dhansa Bus Stand Metro station is the first-ever underground Metro station of the Delhi Metro network to have an entire underground floor dedicated for the parking of vehicles. The parking facility will be integrated with the main station area where vehicle users will be able to park their cars and two-wheelers and then proceed to the concourse of the station directly using lifts and escalators.

The parking lot is equipped with facilities such as entry and exit ramps, lifts, staircases, escalators etc. The facility has a parking space for about 110 cars and 185 two-wheelers. There would be provision for property development activities at the ground level in the future.

The parking facility will be of great benefit to the local residents as the adjoining areas are extremely congested with very limited space for parking of vehicles. The parking space has ramps on two sides for the entry and exit of vehicles. There are two entry/exit facilities that are connected to the parking lot both with the surface above and the platform below.

Artwork on the station

The areas around Dhansa Bus Stand in the Najafgarh region have deep cultural roots. The area is rich in historical content and contributes significantly in terms of ecological values as well. Jheel between Najafgarh and Dhansa is a marshy ecosystem and is an ecological heaven for a large number of perennial, local wildlife and the seasonal movement of migratory birds, which is a delight for bird watchers in the winters. Photographs on printed glass panels at Dhansa Bus Stand station showcase the rich biodiversity of this area and is themed as "Migratory Birds."

The surrounding villages are renowned for many ancient folklores. The villages host fairs to celebrate their historical significance. Therefore, some hand-painted artworks are inspired by their rich spirit and the celebration of values and are themed as "local socio-cultural scenario."

A hand-painted artwork shows the residents coming together to honour the essence of their values and upcoming lifestyle and is themed as "Fringes of rural-urban progression." It showcases the bridge that is built in order to connect the past and the future.

There are few artworks depicting scenes from fairs, while some are just showing the spirit of celebration or a touch of local designs and motifs. The artworks will be eye-catching for any passenger passing through the station and might generate interest in the place itself.

These are some of the special features carried out under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) India initiative.

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