Title - Trains on Airport Metro line will run for longer, faster

Based on feedback from commuters, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has decided to introduce certain changes on the Airport Metro line, which include increasing the operating time and frequency of trains from August 1.
The announcement, made on Tuesday, came close to two months after the Reliance Infra-led DAMEPL (Delhi Airport Metro Express Private Limited), pulled out of the line and handed over operations to the DMRC on July 1. Immediately after DMRC’s takeover, feedback registers had been placed at stations. DMRC officials said the speed of the trains will also be increased from the current 70 kmph to 80 kmph. Senior officials said trains will now start an hour earlier at 4.30 am from the New Delhi station and 5:15 am at Dwarka Sector-21.
“The last train will, however, continue to depart from New Delhi at 11.30 pm and from Dwarka Sector 21 at 11.15 pm,” the official said. Officials said the change was being brought about to benefit passengers of trains such as Shatabdi Express, which depart from New Delhi railway station early in the morning and return late at night from their respective destinations.
“Now, people at the Airport or nearby areas, who want to take the Shatabdi Express, will be able to avail of the early morning service of the Airport link tog get to New Delhi railway station. Similarly, the passengers who arrive at New Delhi late at night and want to head to the airport will be able to take the last Airport.

link service from New Delhi. The last Shatabdi Express reaches New Delhi latest by 11.05 pm. In case of delay, the Airport Express services will wait for a maximum of 15 extra minutes — up to 11.45 pm,” an official said.
Officials added that DMRC was constantly coordinating with officials of the Northern Railway to make announcements regarding prominent trains.
DMRC has also decided to increase the frequency of trains during peak hours from 15 minutes to 10 minutes and 30 seconds. “Daily trips will increase from 146 to 180. The peak hours in the morning are from 7.30 am to 12 noon, while in the evening they between 3 and 7.30 pm. The peak hours have been decided keeping in view the timings of the arrival and departure of flights at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (Terminal 3). During non-peak hours, the frequency will remain at 15 minutes,” an official said.
The increase in frequency of trains will be the result of decreasing the “headway time”, which is the amount of time between two trains running on a line. “At the moment, it is 15 minutes. There are four trains running on the Airport Metro, with one on standby at the depot,” an official said.