The Delhi Metro is set to open its new Line 3 on Friday, linking the capital's heart to its thickly populated southwest.

The latest network connects Barakhamba Road close to Connaught Place, the city's oldest commercial district, to the sprawling residential district of Dwarka.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] will flag off the 22.9-kilometre route that will pass through 22 stations in central and west Delhi.

It is estimated to cater to around 600,000 passengers daily.

The places it will connect enroute are Jhandewalan, Karol Bagh, Patel Nagar, Rajouri Garden, Tagore Garden, Tilak Nagar, Janakpuri and Uttam Nagar.

A novel feature of the new line is that, after an underground run of around one-and-a-half kilometers from Barakhamba to Panchkuian Road, the track slowly moves to the surface via a ramp.

Photograph: Manan Vatsyayana/AFP/Getty Images