NMRC awards survey works to 2 firms for Aqua Line extension

Noida: Two days after the UP cabinet approved the Aqua Line extension to Greater Noida West, Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) Thursday awarded the survey work

Noida: Two days after the UP cabinet approved the Aqua Line extension to Greater Noida West, Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) Thursday awarded the survey work to two private agencies.

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PD Upadhyaya, executive director, NMRC, said the “geotechnical Investigation” work on the first phase of the corridor (from Sector 51 to Sector 2 in Greater Noida), has been awarded to Techpro Engineers Pvt Ltd. “The company will conduct a study on the characteristics of the soil, earthwork designs, etc. It is expected to submit a detailed report in 45 days,” he said.

Upadhyaya said NMRC has also selected another agency — Mapage Infrastructure Pvt Ltd — to conduct a “topographical survey” for the proposed corridor. That report will be submitted in 30 days. He said once the two surveys are over, the civil work on the extension will start.

Uttar Pradesh cabinet Tuesday approved the extension of the Aqua Line by another 14.95km comprising nine metro stations, from Noida Sector 51 to Knowledge Park 5 in Greater Noida. On Thursday, Alok Kumar, principal secretary, UP government, issued a formal order approving the project. “The state government will provide ₹504 crore for this project,” Kumar’s letter stated.

The extension project will cost about ₹2,682 crore and will be funded by the state government, central government, Noida authority and the Greater Noida authority.

Upadhyaya said the NMRC is going to write to the two authorities to appoint one nodal officer each for the project. “We are also writing to them to release their share of the fund for this project,” he said.

The first phase of the corridor, which will be 9.15km long, will have five stations — Sector 122, Sector 123, Greater Noida Sector 4, Ecotech and Greater Noida Sector 2. This phase will be completed in 2022

The second phase, which will be 5.8km long, will have four Metro stations—Greater Noida Sector 3, Greater Noida Sector 10, Greater Noida Sector 12 and Knowledge Park 5.

NMRC officials said they would also develop foot overbridges (FOBs) at each station to facilitate a smoother commute. “We have found that there is a huge volume of traffic at Gaur Chowk in Greater Noida West. There will be a Metro station near the police check post there. There will be at least two FOBs at this Metro station,” Upadhyaya said.