To overcome connectivity issues, Noida Metro suggests extending the Aqua Line and creating a smooth connection to Delhi’s Blue Line.
The lack of “seamless connectivity” between the Delhi Metro‘s Blue Line and the NMRC’s Aqua Line has hindered the expansion of services between Noida and Greater Noida West, according to a statement released by the Noida Metro Rail Corporation on Monday.
Currently, Noida’s sector 51 and 52 metro stations serve as an interchange between the Blue Line and the Aqua Line. Commuters encounter difficulties, though, since they have to go 430 meters and go through the security and ticketing procedures again in order to change over.
The Noida Extension, also called the Aqua Line Extension, is a proposed route that would run from Noida Sector 51 to Knowledge Park-V in Greater Noida West. For years, the people of the area have been demonstrating in favor of metro service and smooth integration with the Noida Blue Line.
In the most recent detailed project report (DPR) on the expansion of the Noida-Greater Noida metro service, NMRC Managing Director Lokesh M stated that “there is a constraint of seamless connectivity between Sector-51 station of Aqua Line and Sector-52 station of Blue Line of Delhi Metro.”
The 430 meters between Sector 51 and Sector 52 stations mean that even though a Foot Over Bridge link (FoB) has been proposed to connect them, commuters’ problems won’t be permanently solved by it.
Even with travellators available, commuters will still be discouraged from using this FoB connection because it is 430 meters between the two stations, he said. According to the official, there has been a similar issue between the Airport Express Line’s Dhaula Kuan station and the Delhi Metro’s Pink Line’s Durga Bai Deshmukh station. Travellators were later introduced to provide FoB connectivity; nevertheless, this is not a long-term, permanent solution.
“At this point, a connectivity solution must be found. If an extension is sought by DPR, the seamless connectivity problem affecting Aqua Line and Blue Line will never be fixed and will not be subject to future corrections. The NMRC MD stated in a statement that “it would be prudent to take up an extension of Aqua Line without the aforementioned constraint as it will have a long-term adverse effect on footfall.”
As a result, a long-term fix for the smooth connection of the Blue Line and Aqua Line has been developed, involving a little adjustment to the Aqua Line’s extension’s alignment to reach Knowledge Park-V. The DPR has already started to implement these measures. The revised DPR will be processed for approval shortly,” he continued.
The senior IAS officer stated that the project’s planning is undergoing minor alignment adjustments solely to accommodate commuters from Delhi, Noida, Greater Noida, and Greater Noida West, who will find the changes more comfortable.
