Title - At Karkardooma, Metro's tall feat

Standing at 22m from the ground level, the interchange Metro station coming up at Karkardooma will be the tallest station in the Delhi Metro network . Part of the Mukundpur-Shiv Vihar corridor in Phase III of Delhi Metro, the new station — to be built at an angle to the existing station — will be as high as an eight-storey building. "The difference in height between the two stations will be 7m," said a Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) spokesperson.The reason for going so high is the location of the existing station , say DMRC officials."The present station is part of the Yamuna Bank-Vaishali line, which goes from Preet Vihar to Karkardooma and then on to Anand Vihar. The new corridor, which will run from Trilokpuri and then pass Anand Vihar, will cross the Yamuna Bank-Vaishali corridor at a 90 degree angle," said the DMRC official.The height difference between the rail tracks of the two stations will be 10.55m. The existing station's height is 14.5m. While the Yamuna Bank-Vaishali corridor is built on broadgauge , the Mukundpur line will be built on standard-gauge . Till now, the Akshardham station is the highest station on Delhi Metro's network.However, height is not the only unique feature of the new station, say Delhi Metro officials. "A curved foot overbridge will connect the two stations . The FOB, which will be 101m in length and 8m wide, will serve as a walkway for commuters and connect the concourse and the platform of the operational station with the concourse of the new station," said the DMRC official. It will stand at a height of 15.6m from the ground level.

The new station will be built over five levels, with a separate area earmarked for property development by DMRC.

The station area is more than 12,000 sqm with an additional area of 12,000 sqm for property development.

Targeting the neighbourhoods of Karkardooma, Krishna Nagar, Gagan Vihar, Hargobind Enclave, Saini Enclave and Jagriti Enclave, the interchange station is expected to have a ridership of 17,709 commuters. The existing station has a ridership of 10,000 people.

Officials in DMRC added that the tender for the station is yet to be awarded. It's scheduled to become operational by 2016.