NMRC to issue tenders for Aqua Line extension next month

Currently, the Aqua Line connects Noida Sector 51 to Depot Station in Greater Noida and records an average daily ridership of around 58,281 passengers, as per March 2026 data.

Tenders for the long-awaited extension of two key corridors —11.56-km Botanical Garden to Sector 142 stretch and 2.6-km Depot to Bodaki link — of the Aqua Line will be issued next month, the Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) said on Thursday.

NMRC officials said tenders to hire developers will be issued next month and it will also hire a general consultant (GC) for the two projects. (HT archive)

Speaking to HT, the NMRC officials said the tenders to hire developers will be issued next month and that it will also hire a general consultant (GC) for the two projects.

The GC will undertake validation studies, reviewing the Detailed Project Report (DPR), alignment, geotechnical data, and system requirements. They will also assist in preparing tender documents to hire developers, defining specifications, and supporting contract award processes,said officials.

During execution, the GC will also play a central role in supervision, and monitoring. They will further be tasked with overseeing construction activities, as well as ensuring adherence to quality, safety, and environmental norms.

Once the GC is selected, tenders for the two projects will be issued in a month.

Currently, the Aqua Line connects Noida Sector 51 to Depot Station in Greater Noida and records an average daily ridership of around 58,281 passengers, as per March 2026 data. The extension is aimed at strengthening last-mile connectivity in the Noida and Greater Noida region, said officials.

The Botanical Garden-Sector 142 corridor received approval from the Union cabinet in February this year, while the Depot-Bodaki stretch was cleared in July last year.

According to project details shared earlier, the Botanical Garden–Sector 142 corridor stretch will include eight elevated stations — Botanical Garden, Sector 44, Sector 96 (Noida Authority office), Sector 97, Sector 105, Sector 108 (police commissionerate), Sector 93 and Panchsheel Balak Inter College in Sector 91.

The project, estimated at ₹2,254.35 crore, is expected to be completed within three years, said the DPR.

“The corridor is strategically significant as it will directly connect Botanical Garden — a major interchange for the Blue Line and Magenta Line — with key sectors and further improve access towards Greater Noida and Jewar. This will also help people take metro for Indira Gandhi International Airport,” said Kranti Shekhar, NMRC executive director, told HT.

The shorter Depot–Bodaki route, estimated at ₹416 crore, will include two stations — Junpat and Bodaki. This stretch assumes importance as it will link the proposed Multimodal Transport Hub (MMTH) at Bodaki village, which will also house an Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT) and a railway passenger terminal, making the metro extension crucial for seamless multimodal transport integration.

Last year, NMRC had hired a Detail Design Consultant (DDC) who prepared the designs for civil, architectural, electrical and mechanical components for the two extension projects.