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Airport Metro Express likely to run again next year

Unwilling to wait till Delhi Metro's Phase-III is completed, the Centre wants construction work on "some sections" of the Phase-IV project to start immediately once the detailed project report is completed.

Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath also said Delhi's Airport Metro Express might start functioning again by the end of this month or early next year as an inspection by the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety is expected by then.

Addressing the valedictory session of the 5th Urban Mobility Conference 2012, he said the detailed project report of the Phase-IV of Delhi Metro will be completed soon and that the ministry intends to start work on "some sections".

"Not completely, but we would start work on some sections through which we can connect the existing Phase I and II and also the Phase-III which is being built. When Phase-IV is fully completed, Delhi will have 440 km of metro network which will be bigger than the London underground," he said.

The minister also batted for monorail saying it will function as a "good feeder to unviable metro projects" by supplementing Metro in certain routes.

He also talked about delegation of more powers to state government in Metro construction and building up of human capacity to run such systems in the country.