If you live in Janakpuri, you've waited long enough. The wait's almost over.

DMRC confirmed this week that the R.K. Ashram Marg to Janakpuri West stretch — part of the long-stuck Phase 4 — will open by the second week of July. That's 12.6 kilometres, eight new stations, and interchanges at Peeragarhi and Madhuban Chowk.

What's it mean for you? If you commute from Janakpuri to central Delhi during peak hours, you'll shave about 25 minutes off each trip. Twenty-five minutes, both ways, five days a week. Do the math — that's over four hours of your life back every week.

Phase 4 has been a saga. Cleared in 2018. Then came the tree-felling dispute. Then land acquisition fights. Then COVID. At one point, the Delhi government and the Centre were publicly blaming each other over funding, which only got sorted in late 2023. DMRC chief Vikas Kumar says trial runs have been underway since early April, and the safety inspection is scheduled for the first week of June.

Once Phase 4 is fully live, it'll add 65 km to the network. Daily ridership is expected to cross 8 million, up from today's 6.2 million average. The new trains come with onboard Wi-Fi and upgraded AC — though those roll out in batches, not all at once.

One West Delhi resident summed it up best when I chatted with her outside Janakpuri East station: "I've planned my life around Metro delays for five years. Now I'll have to replan." A good problem to have.