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NOIDA: Following the Union Cabinet’s approval of the Aqua Line extension from the Botanical Garden to Sector 142, the Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) announced it will develop a revised detailed project report (DPR) for the Greater Noida West metro corridor. The updated plan will feature only four stations in Phase 1, as opposed to the previously proposed eleven.
In this revised plan, the metro corridor will include stations at sectors 61, 70, 123, and Greater Noida Sector 4 (Gaur Chowk) in the first phase.
Initially, an 18 km track was suggested to connect Delhi Metro’s Sector 61 station on the Blue Line to Knowledge Park V in Greater Noida, passing through various sectors. While the Uttar Pradesh government approved this alignment in 2024, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) withheld further endorsement, pending decisions regarding the proposed 72 km rapid rail corridor from Ghaziabad to Jewar, via Greater Noida West.
This rapid rail corridor, which includes 22 stations, is intended to start at the Ghaziabad RRTS station on the Delhi-Meerut corridor, traversing through several localities before concluding at the Noida International Airport. The NCRTC has prepared a DPR, projecting completion within five years.
Previously, MoHUA had raised concerns about the potential overlap of stations with NMRC’s Aqua Line extension during its review of the rapid rail corridor, instructing YEIDA to reassess the alignment. In January, YEIDA confirmed that no changes would be made to the route.
According to NMRC’s general manager for projects, Pradeep Yadav, the corporation has already drafted a DPR to extend metro services to Knowledge Park V. “However, a proposal for an RRTS corridor to Jewar aims to cover the remaining stretch from Gaur Chowk. We have opted to proceed with the metro extension from Sector 61 to Greater Noida Sector 4 (Gaur Chowk) in the first phase. It’s yet to be resolved whether NMRC or RRTS will manage the remaining segment,” he noted.
With the Centre’s recent approval of the Aqua Line extension to the Botanical Garden, as well as a new 2.6 km arm linking Depot to Boraki, resident welfare associations have expressed concerns regarding delays in the Greater Noida West connection, alleging that the project has been sidelined without justification.
Abhishek Kumar, president of the Noida Extension Flat Owners Welfare Association (NEFOWA), emphasized that Greater Noida West, which has over 500,000 residents living in high-rise developments and surrounding villages, lacks adequate public transport. Consequently, many commuters rely on private vehicles and cabs to travel to their jobs in Delhi and Noida.
“A DPR for the Aqua Line extension to Knowledge Park V was approved by both Noida and Greater Noida authorities as well as the state government. Why is there now a need for another DPR?” he questioned.
Kumar added that residents are planning a protest at Jantar Mantar and intend to submit a memorandum to the PMO on March 15 to address the delays and persistent modifications of the alignment.
Manish Kumar, a resident of Supertech Eco Village, stated that there has been a long-standing demand for metro connectivity. “Metro projects are being prioritized elsewhere, but not in Greater Noida West. We still lack a public transport network. Why is this the case?” he asked.
Another resident, Mihir Gautam, commented on X, highlighting the residents’ ongoing struggles with issues such as delayed flat registrations, traffic congestion, and poor public transport. “Considering the high population density, this route is feasible, yet it isn’t being expedited,” he lamented.
An NMRC official remarked that in the updated alignment, the Sector 61 station will serve as an interchange with the Blue Line. “The rapid rail corridor connecting Ghaziabad to the Noida International Airport will also have a station at Greater Noida Sector 4, facilitating direct access to Knowledge Park V, Surajpur, Alpha-1, and eventually the Noida airport, significantly improving commuting in the region,” he added.
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