After a 15-year delay since the concept was first introduced, the proposed metro link between Gurugram and Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport has taken a significant step forward. The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) will now select the final route from three competing alignments, according to officials who attended the 65th board meeting of the Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC), chaired by Chief Secretary and HMRTC Chairman Anurag Rastogi.
DMRC Submits Two Draft DPRs Recommending Underground Corridors
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has submitted two draft Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), both recommending that the lines be built underground. The first proposed corridor runs from Yashobhoomi (Dwarka Sector 25) to Rajiv Chowk in Gurugram along NH-48. The second connects Dwarka Sector 21 to Gurugram’s Sector 21. These reports have been shared with HMRTC, an official confirmed.
Third Alignment Proposed by HMRTC
In addition to the DMRC proposals, HMRTC has put forward a third option: an 8.4-km corridor linking Rezang La Chowk in Palam Vihar to Dwarka Sector 21. The DPR for this alignment was cleared by the Haryana Cabinet in 2022, making it the most advanced among the three in terms of state-level approval.
Merger of Corridors and New Stations Suggested
At a meeting convened under the Union Housing Ministry, officials suggested merging the two DMRC corridors into a single alignment. This consolidated route would include additional stations at Bijwasan and Kapashera, enhancing connectivity for suburban areas. Ridership studies for all routes have been completed, and the alignments have been compared, an HMRTC official stated. The final decision rests with MoHUA, and HMRTC will construct the line according to the ministry’s directives.
Chief Secretary Directs Thorough Review
Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi has instructed HMRTC to carefully examine the alignment and station locations to ensure maximum commuter benefit and to avoid overlaps with the earlier corridor plan. Meanwhile, MoHUA has asked DMRC to make certain technical revisions and resubmit the DPR before the project can proceed further.
Long History of Delays and Revivals
The Gurugram–Dwarka metro concept was first floated in 2011. DMRC submitted a Dwarka–IFFCO Chowk DPR in 2015, which received in-principle approval in 2016 but stalled over alignment and funding issues. The plan was revived in 2025 with a revised terminus at Rajiv Chowk. Officials clarified that this corridor is separate from the under-construction New Gurugram Metro, a 28.5-km elevated line from Millennium City Centre to Cyber City. Cost and length figures for the two airport DPRs have not yet been made public.
