The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved a Rs 2,390 crore extension of the Noida-Greater Noida Metro's Aqua Line, a project that will add 8.449 km to the existing network. The decision was taken at the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, November 11, and is aimed at easing road congestion in one of the National Capital Region's fastest-growing corridors.
The extension runs from Noida Sector 51 to Greater Noida Sector 4 and will include five new elevated stations. The corridor will interchange with the Blue Line at Noida Sector 61, linking the Aqua Line to the wider Delhi Metro network. The official statement did not name the five new stations, and no locations beyond the corridor's two end points have been announced.
Once the extension is complete, the combined active network of the Noida-Greater Noida Metro will reach 71.878 km. The government has presented the project as a practical alternative to road travel along the route. The stated intention is to shorten journey times and cut vehicle emissions, both of which the government links to the broader aim of relieving congestion on roads serving the twin cities.
The statement identified residential areas expected to benefit from the line. Cleo County Residencies in Noida Sector 122 was named as a beneficiary, as were Gaur City 1 and Gaur City 2 in Greater Noida Sector 4. Delhi Public School in Noida Sector 122 was also listed among the institutions that will gain better connectivity, giving families living and studying in these localities a rail option that does not depend on the road network.
Commercial and employment hubs along the corridor were also cited. The malls named are Gaur City, H&S, Blue Sapphire, IKEA in Sector 51 and Anthurium in Sector 73. Offices identified include Tech Mahindra and TCL Tech in Sector 60, together with the Oil Industry Development Board in Sector 73 and Golden I commercial space in Greater Noida Sector 4. For the IT and corporate employees who work in these clusters, the line is positioned as a direct link to their workplaces.
Healthcare facilities listed as accessible from the line include Kailash Hospital and Rama Hospital in Sectors 70 and 62 respectively, and Cloudnine in Sector 51. Access to hospitals is a recurring concern for residents of fast-growing Noida and Greater Noida, where population growth has outpaced some civic infrastructure, and the statement's inclusion of these facilities underlines the public-service dimension of the project.
Several key details remain unannounced. No completion deadline or opening date has been given for the extension, and ticket fares have not yet been specified. Until these are set out, commuters will not know when the new stretch will begin operating or what a journey on it will cost, and the practical benefit to residents of the named localities will remain provisional.
Source: etnownews.com
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