Noida : Sector 51-52 skywalk boosts Aqua Line ridership by 20%

Daily passenger ridership on Noida Metro’s Aqua Line has increased by more than 20% since the long-awaited skywalk connecting Sector 51 and Sector 52 metro stations was opened to the public on August 28, officials said on Monday

Daily passenger ridership on Noida Metro’s Aqua Line has increased by more than 20% since the long-awaited skywalk connecting Sector 51 and Sector 52 metro stations was opened to the public on August 28, officials said on Monday.

As per data by the Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) average daily passenger numbers have increased from around 70,000 in August this year to around 85,000 so far in September. (HT Archive)

As per data by the Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) average daily passenger numbers have increased from around 70,000 in August this year to around 85,000 so far in September.

Officials attributed the increase to the opening of the skywalk.

“The number of commuters has increased after we opened the skywalk for public use. As per our data, normally 85,000 commuters use this station per day now against earlier 70,000 per day before the skywalk was commissioned. This shows there is an increase of about 21% commuters due to the skywalk opening,” Krishna Karunesh, chief executive officer of Noida authority said.

According to NMRC officials, the average daily ridership on Aqua Line was 60,705 in June, 61,811 in July and 73,298 in August.

The L-shaped, 400-metre air-conditioned skywalk, equipped with travelators, was launched in March 2023 with a one-year completion target. However, the project faced multiple hurdles, including a change in alignment and construction curbs imposed by the National Green Tribunal during winter season, said NMRC.

The skywalk was initially planned as a single-pillar structure, but the discovery of an underground metro cable during excavation led to a redesign with a two-column support system. Later, a beam was found to be obstructing its entry at Sector 51 station, prompting the Noida authority to modify the design and extend the skywalk further. The project cost also increased from ₹25 crore to ₹33 crore, following the design changes, officials explained.

Akansha Singh, a Sector 50 resident, said the skywalk has made the interchange between the two stations easier for commuters. “The skywalk has offered ease for commuters during rainfall, heat, while also maintaining safe and continuous urban mobility. It normally takes 4-5 minutes to cover this distance as people also use the travelators. The journey now has become hassle-free,” she said.