Adding up a new dimension to its infrastructure across Delhi NCR ,the Delhi Metro on Wednesday opened a new Metro Museum at the Supreme Court Metro Station, marking a shift of the facility from Patel Chowk to a larger and more interactive space, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said.
The museum was inaugurated by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta in the presence of Transport minister Pankaj Singh and DMRC officials, including DMRC Managing Director Vikas Kumar, the corporation said, adding that the inauguration marked another milestone in showcasing the evolution of the capital’s mass rapid transit system.
According to the DMRC, the museum will open for public from December 19 and will operate from 10 am to 4 pm, Tuesday to Sunday, remaining closed on Mondays and public holidays.An entry fee of Rs 10 has been fixed to encourage wider public participation, it said.
Spread across around 12,000 square feet in its first phase, the museum has been designed on the lines of leading metro museums globally, with a focus on interactive and educational displays, the DMRC said.
Its location at the Supreme Court station on the Blue Line makes it easily accessible by metro as well as by road, given its proximity to major landmarks such as the Supreme Court and Bharat Mandapam.The DMRC said the museum features metro train simulators, working models of tunnel boring machines and launching girders, digital gaming displays explaining metro construction, as well as quiz screens, selfie points and a souvenir shop.
It said that static exhibits and models explain various operational and engineering aspects of the Delhi Metro system.Special sections include panels on 'Metroman' E. Sreedharan, a mock metro tunnel, a model of the Operations Control Centre, dioramas of Delhi landmarks, and a photo gallery documenting visits by dignitaries, the DMRC said.More than 50 panels, kiosks and models have been installed so far, with additional displays planned under Phase II expansion, it stated.
Tracing the background, the DMRC said the idea of a metro museum was first conceived in 2008, leading to the inauguration of India’s first Metro Rail Museum at Patel Chowk on December 31 that year.The Patel Chowk museum, which attracted thousands of students and visitors annually, has now been closed following the opening of the new facility at Supreme Court station, it added.