Central government approves 2.6km Metro extension in Greater Noida

Two other extensions, including an 11.56km one from Botanical Garden to Noida Sector 142, await central government nod

The central government has approved a 2.6km extension of the Noida Metro’s 29.7km Aqua Line from Depot station to Bodaki in Greater Noida, where a multi modal logistics hub is proposed, the Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) said on Thursday. The corridor will be built in three years at a cost of ₹416.34 crore, officials added.

The last metro pillar near Noida Electronic City in Noida Sector 62. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

Two other extensions — an 11.56km one from Botanical Garden to Noida Sector 142, and a 5km link from Noida Sector 51 to Knowledge Park 5 in Greater Noida West, await central government nod. The former will make the connectivity between Delhi Metro and Noida Metro seamless, and also be closer to Noida International Airport in Jewar.

“The 2.6km extension will take metro connectivity deeper into pockets of Greater Noida. This metro corridor will also have an extension to Junpat village, aside from Bodaki. We want to start work on the 11.56km Metro link on priority because it will not only take direct Metro connectivity to distant pockets of Greater Noida but also towards the upcoming Noida Airport. We will start work on this once the central government gives approval,” said Mahendra Prasad, executive director of NMRC.

Of the ₹416.34 crore budget for the 2.6km corridor extension, ₹211.80 crore will be given by government institutions such as the National Capital Region Planning Board, the central government will give ₹70.59 crore, the Uttar Pradesh government will share ₹91.08 crore equity in the project and land component will be ₹10.44 crore, officials said.

This section of the metro will be built on standard gauge (1,435mm), traction system of 15kv AC overhead wire with supervisory control and data acquisition, said officials. NMRC will build this project through a special purpose vehicle, said officials.

Currently, Greater Noida and Noida are not directly connected to the Delhi Metro via the Aqua Line corridor. The connectivity is to Delhi Metro’s Blue Line, which enters Noida via Mayur Vihar and ends at Noida Sector 62’s Electronic City metro station. This connectivity between Delhi and Noida Metros is not seamless, officials said.

NMRC has also already done a topography survey on the 11.56 km route before work begins at the ground. In the topography survey, NMRC is studying the longitude and latitude of tall buildings, houses, markets and other areas through which the metro corridor will pass, officials said.

NMRC had approved the detailed project report of the 11.56km Metro link from Botanical Garden Metro station on Delhi Metro’s Blue Line to Noida Sector 142 station on Noida Metro’s Aqua Line on December 27, 2023.