On the table: Service between

This portion of the 22.7-km corridor could start operating,though the majority of the structural damage-hit Airport Metro is unlikely to start operations before Diwali in November,sources said.

“No repairs is being carried out on the route between Dwarka Sector-21 and IGI Airport. It is perfectly fine to resume operations on this stretch,since it is unaffected. It has been proposed that service can resume on the specified route,” a source said.

The proposal will be discussed with Reliance-backed operator Delhi Airport Metro Express Private Limited (DAMEPL) at the review meeting on the status of repairs of the airport line on Monday. A decision on resumption of partial service could be taken.

The high-speed Airport Metro service was suspended in July after construction defects were detected.

The line has been closed for repairs since July 8.

“Portions where repairs are being conducted need to be shut. This means,there’s no pint in keeping operations between Dwarka Sector-21 and IGI Airport suspended. The ideal situation will be to resume the line in parts,than to keep it entire corridor shut,” an Urban Development Ministry official said.

He said operational logistics could be taken care of because the operator has a depot in Dwarka Sector-21.

However,details will have to be worked out on isolating the overhead electricity supply to the trains just for a small section of the corridor. “The repairs will be on and it needs to be monitored whether the overhead supply can be isolated for rains running between the two stations,” the official said.

The DAMEPL spokesperson refused to divulge details. “The proposal is on the table. But we can comment only after a formal decision is taken,” he said.

Earlier,the concessionaire’s CEO Sumit Banerjee had said the repairs would need time till November,given the severity of damage to the structure.

“The nature of repairs varies for every bearing,girder and pier. Keeping in view of the extensive repairs and the need to follow the remaining procedures,the Metro service will be open only by November,” a government official had said.

The Delhi Metro had proposed that the airport link should be open for 12 hours a day,while the remaining hours should be used for repairs. But the Reliance-backed operator insisted that operations should be completely suspended until the repairs were done.