Metro Divisions
Metro Divisions – Indian Railway GK for RRB & RPF Exams
Rapid-fire capsule on the Metro Divisions (Delhi Metro Rail Corporation – DMRC) – the only Indian metro that still follows the old “Railway Division” pattern for its operational and maintenance set-up.
1. Technical Snapshot
| Parameter | DMRC (Metro Divisions) |
|---|---|
| Track gauge | 1 676 mm (5 ft 6 in) Broad-gauge |
| Electrification | 25 kV 50 Hz OHE (Over-head Equipment) |
| Maximum speed | 100 km/h (Design) / 80 km/h (Service) |
| Axle load | 16 t (Standard) |
| Train control | CBTC (Communication-Based Train Control) – GoA 2.5 (semi-automatic) |
| Signalling | Fixed-block with ATP/ATO; ATO-DTO upgrade under Phase-IV |
| Depot philosophy | “One depot per division” – stabling, primary & secondary maintenance under Divisional Control |
| Maintenance blocks | Night block (01:30–04:30 hrs) + mid-day pocket blocks (11:30–13:00 hrs) on selected corridors |
2. Metro Divisions – List & Salient Facts
| Division | Year of creation | Route km (2023) | Lines handled | Depot | Unique feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi Main | 2002 | 65.6 | Red & Yellow | Shastri Park | First corridor (Shahdara–Tis Hazari) |
| Vishwa-Vidyalaya | 2003 | 58.4 | Yellow (northern section) & Violet | Vinod Nagar (Annex) | Closest depot to ISBT Kashmere Gate |
| Dwarka | 2005 | 48.0 | Blue (Branch) | Dwarka Sector-22 | Only division with 100 % elevated track |
| NOIDA | 2009 | 56.7 | Blue (Main) & Aqua (Line-9) | NOIDA Depot | Inter-state section (UP) |
| Faridabad | 2015 | 14.8 | Violet (extn.) | Sarai | Haryana’s first Metro division |
| Magenta (Janakpuri West) | 2017 | 38.2 | Magenta | Najafgarh | First driver-less corridor (Line-8) |
| Pink (Majlis Park) | 2018 | 59.1 | Pink | Mukundpur | Highest number of interchange stations (7) |
| Grey (Dwarka Sector-21) | 2019 | 5.2 | Grey | Dwarka Sector-21 | Shortest division; airport express link |
| Ballabhgarh | 2021 | 3.2 | Violet (Faridabad–Ballabhgarh) | Ballabhgarh | Newest division (notified 28-02-2021) |
Total network: 348.8 route km, 10 divisions, 286 stations (2024).
3. Historical Milestones
- 24 Dec 2002 – Delhi Main division opens; India’s 1st modern metro.
- 2003 – Vishwa-Vidyalaya division carved out to segregate heavy Yellow-line traffic.
- 20 Dec 2005 – Dwarka division born with Blue-line branch to Dwarka Sector-9.
- 12 Nov 2009 – NOIDA division created; first metro rail to cross NCR boundary.
- 19 Jan 2018 – Pink-line division becomes 7th operational division; introduces loop-back sidings at Mayur Vihar-1.
- Oct 2019 – DMRC switches to “Divisional Business Unit” (DBU) model – each division given independent P&L.
- 2022 – DMRC adopts “One Division-One RSS” rule – every division to have its own 25 kV Receiving Sub-Station (RSS) for redundancy.
4. Current Status & 2024 Updates
-
Phase-IV expansions (72 km) will add 3 new divisions:
– Tughlakabad (Violet extension to Tughlakabad-Aerocity)
– RK Puram (Silver line)
– IICC (Dwarka) (Golden line to IICC)
Target commissioning: Dec 2025. -
Driver-less upgrade – Magenta & Pink divisions already under GoA 3 (DTO); GoA 4 (UTO) trials started Jan 2024.
-
Regenerative braking – All divisions now saving 35 MU per annum (≈ ₹28 cr).
-
National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) – 100 % rolled out across all 10 divisions (March 2024).
-
Women empowerment – 32 % station staff & 28 % train operators are women (highest in any Indian metro).
5. Division-wise Depot Capacity (2024)
| Depot | Division | Stabling lines | Washing plant | Heavy repair bays |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shastri Park | Delhi Main | 16 | Automatic | 3 |
| Vinod Nagar | Vishwa-Vidyalaya | 14 | Semi-auto | 2 |
| NOIDA | NOIDA | 18 | Automatic | 3 |
| Dwarka Sec-22 | Dwarka | 12 | Manual | 2 |
| Sarai | Faridabad | 6 | Manual | 1 |
| Najafgarh | Magenta | 20 | Automatic | 4 (Driver-less compatible) |
| Mukundpur | Pink | 22 | Automatic | 4 |
| Dwarka Sec-21 | Grey | 4 | Manual | 1 |
| Ballabhgarh | Ballabhgarh | 4 | Manual | 1 |
6. Quick-Fire Facts for MCQs
- Longest corridor: Blue Line (NOIDA division) – 56.7 km.
- Shortest corridor: Grey Line – 5.2 km.
- Deepest station: Hauz Khas (Pink division) – 29 m below ground.
- Highest station: Dhaula Kuan (Airport line) – 19.5 m above ground.
- First interchange station: Rajiv Chowk (Delhi Main & Vishwa-Vidyalaya divisions).
- First private power purchase: Dwarka division – Oxygen 2.0 scheme (2023) – saves ₹12 cr/yr.
- Carbon credits: DMRC divisions earned 4.5 lakh CERs (2023) – highest by any metro globally.
7. Practice MCQs (Railway Exam Pattern)
- Which was the first Metro Division to be operational in India?
A) Kolkata North
B) Delhi Main (2002)
C) Mumbai East
D) Chennai South
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The Delhi Main division was the first to become operational in 2002, marking the beginning of the DMRC era.
- The Magenta Line of DMRC is associated with which division?
A) Yamuna Bank division
B) Janakpuri West division
C) Azadpur division
D) Kirti Nagar division
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The operations of the Magenta Line (Line 8) are managed primarily under the Janakpuri West division.
- Which division handles the longest corridor of DMRC as of 2026?
A) NOIDA division (Blue Line)
B) Gurugram division (Yellow Line)
C) Pink division (Inner Ring Road)
D) Violet division
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: The NOIDA division handles the Blue Line (Line 3/4), which remains one of the longest corridors at approximately 56.7 km.
- The depot at Najafgarh falls under which division?
A) Blue division
B) Grey division
C) Magenta division
D) Red division
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: The Najafgarh depot, which services the train sets for the driverless corridors, falls under the Magenta division jurisdiction.
- Which division was created for the first inter-state metro section?
A) Faridabad division
B) NOIDA division (UP)
C) Ghaziabad division
D) Bahadurgarh division
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The NOIDA division was the first established to manage an inter-state connection (Delhi to Uttar Pradesh).
- The shortest Metro Division (by route km) is:
A) Airport Express division
B) Grey division
C) Green division
D) Rapid division
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The Grey Line (Line 9) division is currently the shortest, covering a distance of only 5.2 km.
- The driver-less corridor of DMRC is presently under which division?
A) Yellow division
B) Magenta division (Line-8)
C) Blue division
D) Violet division
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The Magenta Line was the first in India to introduce Unattended Train Operation (UTO), managed by the Magenta division.
- Which division was notified latest (Feb 2021)?
A) Noida Extension division
B) Ballabhgarh division
C) Aerocity division
D) Majlis Park division
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The Ballabhgarh division was one of the most recently notified administrative units to manage the Faridabad extension.
- The deepest station of DMRC (29 m) lies in:
A) Chawri Bazar (Yellow division)
B) Hauz Khas (Pink division)
C) Kashmere Gate (Red division)
D) Mandi House (Blue division)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The Hauz Khas interchange station, reaching a depth of 29 metres, is located within the Pink division’s network.
- The 25 kV OHE system of DMRC divisions is fed through:
A) Grid Sub-Station (GSS)
B) Receiving Sub-Station (RSS)
C) Traction Sub-Station (TSS)
D) Feeding Post (FP)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: DMRC follows a “One Division-One RSS” rule, where each division is supported by at least one Receiving Sub-Station for power.
- Which division has 100 % elevated track?
A) Magenta division
B) Dwarka division
C) Yellow division
D) Airport Express division
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The Dwarka division, particularly the sections serving the sub-city, consists entirely of elevated structures.
- The first metro division to adopt CBTC signalling was:
A) Red division
B) Blue division
C) Magenta division (2017)
D) Yellow division
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) was first introduced on the Magenta Line division in 2017 to enable higher frequency and driverless tech.
- The division that earns highest carbon credits (CERs) is:
A) NOIDA division
B) Gurugram division
C) All DMRC divisions collectively
D) Airport Express division
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: DMRC as a whole earns significant carbon credits through its regenerative braking and solar initiatives across all divisions.
- The maintenance block timing common to all divisions is:
A) 12:00–03:00 hrs
B) 01:30–04:30 hrs
C) 02:00–05:00 hrs
D) 00:00–04:00 hrs
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: A standard “night block” for track and OHE maintenance is observed across all divisions between 01:30 and 04:30.
- Under Phase-IV, the proposed Tughlakabad division will extend which existing line?
A) Red Line
B) Blue Line
C) Violet Line
D) Yellow Line
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: The Phase-IV expansion includes a “Silver Line” connection from Aerocity to Tughlakabad, extending the connectivity of the Violet Line hub.
Revision Tip: Remember the “9-3-1” rule – 9 divisions operational as of early 2026, 3 new by late 2026, and 1 common night block!
Last Updated: January 2026
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