The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Wednesday started construction work at the Central Secretariat Metro Station as part of the much-anticipated Central Vista Corridor. The groundbreaking ceremony was graced by the Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs and Power, Manohar Lal, along with the Secretary of the Ministry and senior officials from both the Ministry and DMRC. This marks an important step forward in improving metro connectivity right in the heart of New Delhi’s administrative and heritage zone.
The new station is being developed under Phase V(A) of the Delhi Metro project and forms part of a 9.913-kilometre fully underground corridor that will extend the existing Magenta Line from RK Ashram Marg to Indraprastha. The corridor will include nine underground stations: Shivaji Stadium, Yuge Yugeen Bharat, Central Secretariat, Kartavya Bhawan, India Gate, War Memorial–High Court, Baroda House, Bharat Mandapam and Indraprastha. Once completed, Central Secretariat will become a triple interchange station, allowing seamless connectivity between the new Magenta Line and the already operational Yellow and Violet Lines.
This development comes at a time when the Central Vista area is undergoing a major transformation under the Central Vista Redevelopment Project. The corridor will provide direct and efficient metro access to key government offices, judicial institutions, national memorials including India Gate and the War Memorial, as well as important convention facilities such as Bharat Mandapam. It is expected to greatly benefit government employees working in the Lutyens’ Zone as well as the large number of visitors who come to this historic part of the capital every day. Reports indicate that around 60,000 office-goers and nearly two lakh visitors could benefit daily from the improved connectivity.
As several ministries have already shifted to completed secretariat buildings, the Kartavya Bhawan-I and III, officials currently walk from 1 to 3 km to reach metro stations such as Central Secretariat, Patel Chowk, Mandi House and ITO. After the line is completed, they will just need to walk down the stairs to reach the underground station.
The project is part of the broader expansion of the Delhi Metro network approved by the Union Cabinet last year under Phase V(A). By offering underground connectivity through this sensitive and iconic stretch of the city, the corridor will help reduce dependence on private vehicles, ease traffic congestion on surface roads and support the government’s vision of sustainable urban mobility. It will also enhance overall network efficiency by linking important hubs and making travel more convenient for daily commuters across Delhi.
Phase V(A) of the Delhi Metro project also includes the extension of the Golden Line on both sides. In the west, a 2.2-km stretch will connect Aerocity to IGI Airport’s Terminal 1. And in the east, Tughlaqabad will be linked to Kalindi Kunj by a 3.9-km corridor.
