Delhi Metro to Treble in Size in Three Years

Delhi Metro, which began its first rail service construction phase of 65 km in October 1998, hopes that the October 2010 Commonwealth Games, which the city is hosting, will open with a completed three-line subway network of 186 km. The author discusses the Delhi, India subway system's challenging initiative to triple its network size in time for the games. Delhi's rapidly growing population (expected to more than double from 9.37 million in 1991 to 20.9 million in 2015) makes an expanded subway necessary. Financing and government interaction are discussed, as well as how Delhi Metro is obtaining advice from three to nine month visits from subway maintenance experts from Singapore, Tokyo, and Hong Kong. Boxes detail Delhi Metro's planned 19.5 km rail link connecting the city center with the airport, as well as subway projects throughout India.