Delhi Ring Railways

A division of Delhi Suburban Railways is the Delhi Ring Railway. It was constructed during 1982 at the time of Asian Games. It runs besides ring roads and are circular in structure. It was actually initiated in 1975 for the purpose of transporting service goods which was then upgraded for Asian games with 24 supplementary services. The distance of this route is about 35 km and the train completes its journey between 90 and 120 minutes both forward and backward passing through Hazrat Nizammudin from 8 am to 7 pm. The complete to and fro from journey is available for Rs.12, whereas Delhi Metro charges Rs. 60 for this journey. This is highly preferred by middle class and poor families. It covers 7 clockwise and 6 anticlockwise journeys with a peak frequency between 60 and 90 minutes during the peak hours of evening and morning. In the coming years, the capital city will develop far beyond the Ring Roads, resulting in redundant form of these railways. Before Commonwealth Games in 2010, seven railway stations near the venue like Safdarjung, Lodhi Colony, Sewa Nagar, Lajpat Nagar, Inderpuri Halt, Sarojini Nagar and Chanakyapuri had a facelift consuming INR 3 crores.

In 1975, Ring railways was laid to help goods trains that were passing through, originating or terminating in Delhi can bypass passenger stations situated at Hazrat Nizammudin, Old Delhi and New Delhi. It was named as ‘Delhi Avoiding Line’. Presently, people avoid these passenger trains of Northern Railways. Ring railway is operating twelve electric trains. Only 3 among them operate with full capacity. 1-2% is the occupancy of remaining trains. Ring railway track originate and terminate at Hazrat Nizammudin with both forwards and backward trains running all around the city.

Freight Services

Currently, this network is used as the freight corridor with limited EMU passenger trains available during morning and evening. When Hazrat Nizammudin, Old Delhi and New Delhi stations are crowded, the trains may get diverted and halt at these ring railway stations.