Thaindian News

New Delhi, Oct 2 (IANS) All shops and commercial establishments in Delhi will remain closed as Commonwealth Games are inaugurated at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium Sunday - a day when the Delhi Metro will launch a new line linking the venue to its network.

The metro will add 15 kms to its long network of 138 kms by launching its Central Secretariat-Sarita Vihar link at 8 a.m. Sunday, offering the public a link to the stadium hours ahead of the Games’ inauguration function starting at 7 p.m.

The venue for the opening ceremony of the Games will fall on the Central Secretariat-Badarpur line. The line, at present, will offer connectivity only up to Sarita Vihar.

In a notification, the Delhi government Friday said that shops and commercial establishments will remain closed on the opening day of the Games.

Already schools in Delhi and the neighbouring towns have been closed from Oct 1-17 for extended autumn vacations, coinciding with the Commonwealth Games here.

Meanwhile, a Delhi Metro official said the Central Secretariat-Sarita Vihar link will be extended up to Badarpur in the next 10 days.

The metro hurried up to provide the services on the route in view of the Games and cut short the route, temporarily, up to Sarita Vihar.

According to the official, the last train from Nehru stadium’s metro station for passengers going towards Central Secretariat will be available at 11.24 p.m. The last train from the stadium towards Sarita Vihar will depart at 11.27 p.m.

The metro runs a fleet of 129 trains on a network of 138 km that has 117 stations. The average daily ridership on weekdays after the opening of the Jahangirpuri-Huda City Centre (Gurgaon) has crossed the 15 lakh figure.

The metro will have a network of over 185 km and about 135 stations and will carry about 20 lakh commuters every day once its Badarpur line is fully operational, along with the link between Delhi airport and New Delhi railway station.