New Delhi, July 15 (IANS) The Delhi Metro Thursday began a trial run on the much-awaited Central Secretariat-Qutub Minar corridor, which opens to the public next month, an official said.

He said the trial on the 12.53-km stretch will continue for a week.

‘By August, we are hoping to open the line for the public after attaining the statutory safety clearances,’ a Delhi Metro spokesperson said.

The Central Secretariat-Qutub Minar line is an extension of the Qutub Minar-Gurgaon section.

A Delhi Metro official said that to facilitate the integration process of the Central Secretariat-Qutub Minar line with the Gurgaon section, train services on the corridor will run an hour late from 7 a.m. from July 17.

‘This is because signaling, telecommunication, electrical and track engineers need more working time for the linkage and integration at the Qutub Minar station,’ the official added.

The metro expects over a lakh footfalls on a daily basis on this corridor, which will help commuters reach Gurgaon from Central Secretariat in just 52 minutes.

The underground stretch was constructed in just four years.

There are 10 metro stations on the corridor: Saket, Malviya Nagar, Hauz Khas, Green Park, AIIMS, INA, Jor Bagh, Race Course, Udyog Bhawan and Central Secretariat.