New Delhi: Commuters using Dhaula Kuan metro station from the other side of NH-8 will no longer have to climb up and down two separate staircases and walk around 200 metres to reach the station. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has now connected the PWD foot overbridge (FOB) directly to the station’s concourse level, easing access for passengers and addressing a long-standing inconvenience raised by commuters.“DMRC has connected the existing PWD FOB on National Highway-8 situated outside its Dhaula Kuan metro station of Airport Express Line with its concourse level to provide direct and convenient access for passengers approaching from the opposite side of NH-8,” said a DMRC official.The extension was opened for commuters last week. It is around 16.9 metres long, 2.9 metres wide and stands at a height of about 6.4 metres from the road level.Earlier, passengers standing on the other side of the highway were required to climb the stairs of the PWD FOB, cross it, descend, walk around 200 metres, and then take another flight of stairs to reach the concourse level of the station, causing significant inconvenience to daily commuters.“In line with its commitment to making metro travel a delightful and hassle-free experience, DMRC took cognisance of the requirement and connected this FOB… to the concourse level of the station. This eliminates the need for multiple-level changes and the intermediate walk, removing the hardships earlier faced by passengers,” said the official, adding that this initiative strengthens last-mile connectivity.Dhaula Kuan is an interchange station with Airport Express and Pink lines. In 2018, the Pink Line stretch at Dhaula Kuan attained a rail-level height of 23.6 metres, becoming the highest point on the Delhi Metro network at that time. Operational from Aug 6, 2018, this section crosses above Airport Express Line, major arterial roads and multiple flyovers, creating a complex multi-layered transport intersection.Dhaula Kuan retained this distinction for nearly eight years, until Delhi Metro climbed to its new highest point, rising over 28 metres above the ground, near the new Haiderpur Badli Mor station on the Magenta Line extension.
