The Headlines With the games themselves attracting all of the headlines for such as the booing of the organiser at the opening event, cracks appearing in the running tracks, bird droppings in the swimming pool an the scales used to weigh boxers being 2KG out, you could have missed the dispute between the Delhi Metro Railway Corporation (DMRC) and the concessionaire. Thankfully, the bad headlines around the games have melted away and the crowds have grown as the games have gone on but the saga around the Airport Express looks set to continue for some time. The Airport Line is the first Metro line in the country to be implemented on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis with DMRC having completed the civil work and the remaining works done by the concessionaire.

The line promises to take passengers from Connaught Place to the airport in just 18 minutes with stops at four stations. It usually takes 45 minutes to one hour to go the airport by road.

Is it very important?

With reports of jam-packed coaches, pushing and shoving and sometimes the doors not closing because of the rush, travelling on the (non-airport) Delhi Metro was very difficult due to the Commonwealth Games and the traffic restrictions. According to a Delhi Metro official, the daily ridership has doubled after the dedicated Commonwealth Games lanes began as thousands of people were avoiding buses.

Interestingly, when asked whether the airport express line will be ready before the end of the Games, Delhi Metro chief Mr. E. Sreedharan said: “I don’t think it will be ready by then. But, anyway it is not very, very important for the Games. No one is going to take that Metro for the Games.” That may sound like a bizarre statement to many who have seen airport links as vital for major sporting events and finished them in time for the occasion.

Having missed the games deadline after failing to get the mandatory safety clearance, the Airport Express line, should be operational by the end of this month.

E. Sreedharan expressed the hope that the 22-km high-speed corridor will get the certificate and will be opened to public soon.

The Airport Express Line, which will be run by a consortium led by Reliance Infrastructure, failed to get safety clearance from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) due to signalling problem and non-conduct of speed trials, after the safety check on 27-28 September 2010. The Line was scheduled to be opened to the public before the beginning of the Games.

“The Line is complete. It has not been able to get the safety certificate. We hope to get it very shortly,” Mr. Sreedharan said.


Trouble Ahead?

However, a day after the line failed to get the mandatory safety clearances DMRC slapped penalties of Rs 11.25 crore (US $2.5m) on the concessionaire, Delhi Airport Metro Express Pvt Ltd (DAMEPL), a subsidiary of Reliance Infrastructure.

But DAMEPL holds DMRC responsible for the delay. “DMRC was supposed to complete the civil structures and other works as per the dates stipulated in the Concession Agreement. However, DMRC severely delayed their completion works,” the DAMEPL spokesperson said.

According to the agreement, DMRC had to construct the civil structures for the line, being implemented in the PPP model, following which the concessionaire, DAMEPL, was to get the line ready for operations.

Check-in Dispute

But troubles do not end here for the Airport Express line. Leading airlines have rejected a proposal by DAMEPL asking them to pay for the check-in counters and other back-end facilities and services at the city end stations. The airlines said the metro company have demanded exorbitant rates for the service – equivalent to what Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) is charging at the airport for common user terminal services, including check-in and baggage-handling facilities.

“We have told the metro company that they should talk to DIAL as this is just an extension of the airport in a remote location. And we are already paying DIAL for these services, so why should we pay such exorbitant rates. After all every penny counts,” said a top executive of one of the country’s leading airlines to the local press.

The three stations where check-in facilities have been set up are at Connaught Place, Shivaji Stadium and Dhaula Kuan.

Is Delhi Different?

The Delhi Airport Express line represents a great opportunity to transform the travel experience between the airport and city centre but the head of the metro seems dismiss its usefulness for the commonwealth games. Is he right? Airlines have rejected the rates of the check-in desks, refusing to pay the ‘going rate’ requested by DAMEPL. What is a fair price?

Airrail news would like to hear the views of our readers, place a comment below.

Quick Facts

• The 23-km line built at an estimated cost of '4,500 crore was to start commercial operations by September-end ahead of Commonwealth Games beginning October 3.
• The line is being implemented on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model and the civil structure has been put up by DMRC. Operations related to rolling stock, signalling, telecom and track laying are being executed by a Reliance-led consortium.
• The consortium will be responsible for operating the express link for a period of 30 years and will have the rights to commercially develop real estate at the six stations en-route the airport.
• Once operational, tickets from the capital’s central business district (Connaught Place) to the airport will cost Rs 150 and to Dwarka Sector-21 Rs 180 per person.

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