While earlier two City Airport Terminals (CATs) were being planned at the New Delhi and Shivaji Stadium Metro stations, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) authorities decided to extend the service, keeping in mind the location of Dhaula Kuan.

Three of the six stations on the Airport Express Link will now serve as CATs, where commuters can straightaway avail their boarding passes. The other stations on the Airport Express Link are NH8, Indira Gandhi International Airport and Dwarka Sector-21.

“Introduction of the facilities at the Dhaula Kuan station is likely to benefit thousands of commuters, since it is located at a major traffic intersection serving West, South, Southwest and Central Delhi,” Anuj Dayal, DMRC spokesperson. said.

While passengers can avail boarding passes at the Dhaula Kuan station, they will not be able to check in their luggage unlike the other two CATs, where baggage-handling facilities will also be made available. “Passengers can, however, carry small briefcases or bags meant as cabin baggage. This will be useful for business travellers and other professionals who make daily trips with little luggage,” Dayal said.

One half of a car of the six-coach standard gauge train will be used as a special luggage compartment.

A specialised baggage-handling system is being put in place by Reliance Infrastructure, which has joined hands with CAF, a Spanish company, to form the Delhi Airport Metro Express Private Ltd (DAMEPL), a special-purpose vehicle. DAMEPL officials have claimed the facility will be a seamless baggage handling system. The technology for the baggage-handling system will be sourced from Siemens Mobility. Latest technology from across the world is being used for this Link, which will be the world’s second airport express line after Hong Kong.