High-speed Metro from Jewar to New Delhi to have just 6 stations

The high-speed Metro project connecting Noida international airport with Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport may have only six stations to ensure speedy commutes on the 72km line. The Uttar Pradesh government wants a half-hour travel time between Jewar and New Delhi station. A high-level meeting in June 2023 will finalize the DPR and funding pattern. The 72km link requires INR130bn ($1.7bn). A 35.64km Metro project between Jewar and Greater Noida's Knowledge Park-2 has already been approved, while a 36.36km Metro link between Knowledge Park-2 and New Delhi is yet to be finalized.

The high-speed Metro project that will connect the greenfield Noida international airport with the Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport, via the Airport Express Line, may have only six stations so as to ensure a speedy commute on this 72km long line, said Noida International Airport Limited (NIAL) officials on Monday.

The construction of the Jewar airport at full swing. (HT Photo)

Earlier, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), in the draft detailed project report, had suggested 12 stations on the corridor that will start from New Delhi Metro interchange, from where the Airport Express Line begins, and connect with Noida airport in Jewar.

“The Uttar Pradesh government wants that there should be only six Metro stations on this project so that it takes only half an hour to reach from Jewar to New Delhi station,” said a Uttar Pradesh government official, asking not to be named.

Uttar Pradesh chief secretary DS Mishra will chair a high-level meeting on June 14, 2023to finalise the DPR and the meeting will be attended by DMRC, Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (Yeida), NIAL, the Yamuna International Airport Private Limited, and the ministry of civil aviation, among others, to discuss finalise the stations in this mega Metro corridor project, said NIAL officials, adding that the meeting will also discuss the funding pattern.

“In the earlier draft DPR, DMRC suggested 12 stations on the corridor that will begin from Jewar airport and end at New Delhi Metro station. But having more stations will reduce the speed on the corridor. Therefore, we have suggested six Metro stations on the corridor, so that commuters are able to commute quickly between the two airports,” said Arun Vir Singh, chief executive officer of NIAL and Yeida.

As per the agreement signed between the Jewar airport concessionaire Company, the Switzerland-based Zurich International AG, Yamuna International Airport Private Limited, and Noida International Airport Limited, the Uttar Pradesh government and Yeida are bound to provide multimodal connectivity from Jewar to IGI airport as Noida airport is set to commence operations by September 29, 2024, said officials.

“The 72km Metro link from Jewar to New Delhi Metro station requires an estimated funding of ₹13,000 crore. We have already approved the detailed project report of the 35.64km Metro project between Jewar and Greater Noida’s Knowledge Park-2 and sent it to the Uttar Pradesh government for approvals in August, 2022. The Yeida is yet to finalise the DPR of 36.36km Metro link between Knowledge Park-2 and New Delhi, which is another stretch of this 72km Metro project,” said the Uttar Pradesh government quoted earlier in the copy.