GHAZIABAD: The long-awaited metro link from Noida to Ghaziabad is gaining momentum as the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has proposed extending the Blue Line corridor to connect Noida Electronic City with Sahibabad under its Phase V expansion plans.
More than 500,000 residents in areas like Indirapuram, Vasundhara, and Vaishali stand to benefit from this metro corridor, which will also function as an extension of the Namo Bharat corridor that runs through Sahibabad.
Among the 18 corridors identified by DMRC and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs for expansion in Delhi-NCR, four are located in Ghaziabad. Notably, there is a plan to extend the Pink Line corridor by adding another 12 km from Gokulpuri to Arthala, linking parts of north and east Delhi to Hindon Civil Terminal.
Additionally, a proposal exists to extend the Red Line corridor by 3 km from Shaheed Sthal New Bus Adda to Ghaziabad railway station. Another plan aims to connect Vaishali with Mohan Nagar via an extension of the Blue Line corridor. Initially proposed by the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) in 2018, this extension was put on hold due to funding issues. However, as the focus shifted toward multi-modal integration with the rapid rail corridor, the proposition to extend the Blue Line to connect Noida Electronic City to Sahibabad has resurfaced as a crucial Phase V extension.
On Friday, GDA representatives informed TOI that DMRC has requested them to prepare detailed project reports for these corridors, with funding to be covered by the central government. “These corridors are extensions of existing lines designed to enhance metro access to underserved areas. The extension from Shaheed Sthal New Bus Adda to Ghaziabad railway station is part of the Red Line. Connections from Noida Electronic City to Sahibabad and Vaishali to Mohan Nagar will extend the Blue Line, while Gokulpuri to Arthala will enhance the Pink Line with an interchange at Arthala,” a GDA official stated.
A draft by DMRC indicates that the Shaheed Sthal to Ghaziabad railway station corridor will be approximately 3 km long with one station. The Noida Electronic City to Sahibabad line will measure around 5.1 km and include five stations—Indirapuram, Shakti Khand, and Vasundhara Sector 5 among them.
The corridor linking Vaishali to Mohan Nagar will span 5 km and comprise four stations, including Prahladgarhi and Vasundhara’s Sector 14. The 12 km Gokulpuri to Arthala corridor will feature a combination of 4 km underground and 8 km elevated sections, with eight stations, including one at the Hindon Civil Terminal. With four airlines launching operations on 17 routes from Hindon, including connections to all major metro cities, the terminal is poised to provide enhanced air connectivity for residents in north and east Delhi as well as western UP districts and Noida. Currently, Delhi Metro’s Pink Line connects Majlis Park in North-West Delhi to Shiv Vihar in North-East Delhi, creating a U-shaped route. Extending the metro to Hindon terminal, and further to Arthala, will improve accessibility for residents within the vicinity.
This corridor is also expected to enhance metro connectivity to Loni, aiding in the decongestion of areas along the Delhi border.
The estimated construction cost is Rs 300 crore per kilometer, leading to a preliminary budget of Rs 7,500 crore for the total length of 25 km across all four corridors. A previous DPR for the Noida Electronic City-Sahibabad line, costing Rs 1,873 crore, had been stalled since 2018 due to financial constraints.
“Funding has been a significant obstacle,” mentioned a GDA official. “However, with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs now involved in financing the DPRs, there’s a viable opportunity for these corridors to progress with both central and state support.”
Moreover, GDA had previously requested Rs 2,441 crore under the 16th Finance Commission to partially fund this metro expansion.
