Noida Metro Revises Greater Noida West Corridor Plan to Four Stations in Phase 1
Days after the Union cabinet approved the Botanical Garden to Sector 142 extension of the Aqua Line, the Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) announced it will draft a revised detailed project report (DPR) for the Greater Noida West metro corridor. Under the new plan, phase 1 will include only four stations, a significant reduction from the 11 stations originally proposed.
Revised Alignment and Station Details
The revised corridor will feature stations at sectors 61, 70, 123, and Greater Noida Sector 4 (Gaur Chowk) in its initial phase. This adjustment comes as NMRC responds to coordination challenges with a proposed rapid rail corridor. The original alignment envisioned an 18-kilometer track linking Delhi Metro's Sector 61 station on the Blue Line to Knowledge Park V in Greater Noida, passing through multiple sectors including 70, 122, 123, Greater Noida Sector 4, Ecotech 12, and sectors 2, 3, 10, and 12.
While the Uttar Pradesh government approved this alignment in 2024, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) withheld its approval. This delay is pending a decision on the proposed 72-kilometer Ghaziabad-Jewar rapid rail corridor via Greater Noida West, which could duplicate some metro stations.
Rapid Rail Corridor and Coordination Issues
The rapid rail corridor, with 22 stations, is planned to originate at the Ghaziabad RRTS station on the Delhi-Meerut corridor. It will pass through Siddharth Vihar, Char Murti Chowk in Greater Noida West, Knowledge Park V, Police Lines, Surajpur, and Alpha-1, before terminating at Noida International Airport. A DPR prepared by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) indicates the corridor could be completed within five years.
Last year, MoHUA raised concerns about station duplication between NMRC's Aqua Line extension and the rapid rail corridor, directing the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) to reconsider the alignment. In January, YEIDA clarified that no changes would be made to the 72-kilometer corridor, adding complexity to metro planning.
NMRC's Strategic Decision and Public Concerns
NMRC General Manager (Projects) Pradeep Yadav explained that the corporation had initially prepared a DPR to extend metro connectivity up to Knowledge Park V. "However, there is a proposal for an RRTS corridor to Jewar that is to cover the remaining stretch of the Aqua Line from Gaur Chowk. We have decided to develop the new metro arm from Sector 61 to Greater Noida Sector 4 (Gaur Chowk) in the first phase," he said. Yadav added that it remains undecided whether NMRC or the RRTS will handle the remaining portion, with either agency able to proceed once work is sanctioned.
Residents' welfare associations have expressed frustration over the delays. With the Centre recently approving Aqua Line extensions to Botanical Garden and a 2.6-kilometer arm linking Depot-Boraki, they question why the Greater Noida West link is stalled. Abhishek Kumar, president of the Noida Extension Flat Owner Welfare Association (NEFOWA), highlighted that Greater Noida West houses over five lakh people in high-rise societies and villages, forcing commuters to rely on private vehicles due to lack of mass transport.
"A DPR for Aqua Line's extension up to Knowledge Park V was approved by the Noida and Greater Noida authorities and the state govt. Then why prepare another DPR?" Kumar asked. Residents have threatened protests at Jantar Mantar and plan to submit a memorandum to the PMO on March 15 over the delays and repeated alignment revisions.
Resident Voices and Future Prospects
Manish Kumar, a resident of Supertech Eco Village, emphasized the long-standing demand for metro connectivity. "Metro projects are being prioritised elsewhere, but not in Greater Noida West. There is no public transport network here yet. Why?" he questioned. Another resident, Mihir Gautam, noted on social media that locals face hardships from delayed flat registrations to traffic congestion and poor transport, arguing the route is viable given high population density.
An NMRC official added that in the revised alignment, the Sector 61 station will serve as an interchange with the Blue Line. "The rapid rail corridor connecting Ghaziabad to the Noida International Airport will also have a station at Greater Noida Sector 4, which will provide direct connectivity to Knowledge Park V, Surajpur, Alpha-1 and beyond up to Noida airport, significantly easing commuting in the area," he stated.
