The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) has taken steps to change the route of the Greeno West Metro.
They have sent a letter to the Chief Secretary of the government, seeking approval for the route change.
The decision will now be made at the government level. Before seeking approval, NMRC has prepared a primary study to establish a new route that merges both lines at Sector-61 of the Blue Line Metro, creating a common platform.
Proposed Route Extension to Greeno West Sector-2
For the Aqua Line extension to Greeno West, NMRC has prepared a Detailed Project Report (DPR). The proposed route in the DPR covers from Sector-51 to Sector-2 of Greeno West, including 5 stations.
In Noida, Sector-122 and Sector-123 are marked, and in the Greeno West area, Sector-4, Ecotech-12, and Sector-2 locations are identified. This corridor will be 9.605 kilometers long.
In the next phase, the route will extend from here to Knowledge Park-5. Approval has been obtained from the UP government up to the PIU stage.
Pending Approval from the Central Cabinet
The only remaining approval needed is from the Central Cabinet. There was a concern at the ministry level about the lack of connectivity from the Blue Line.
In response, NMRC provided information about the Skywalk project between Sector-52 of the Blue Line and Sector-51 of the Aqua Line. However, the ministry has not yet given its consent.
Metro Expansion Approval
A study was conducted and approval was granted for the expansion project. However, efforts to find a suitable junction between the two stations for a common platform were unsuccessful.
As a result, plans were made to connect Sector-61 station from Blue Line with Sector-51 Metro Station, and further extend the route to Sector-122 from Sector-71.
The NMRC (Noida Metro Rail Corporation) has given its consent for this plan after conducting the necessary study. The study report was submitted to the authorities, and approval has been obtained.
Delays and Increased Costs Expected
NMRC initiated plans to expand its metro network along the Green West route back in 2018. Proposals were made at that time, but the focus was shifted to the Aqua Line’s first line operation.
It wasn’t until January 2019, after the Aqua Line was operational, that the discussions about Green West route resumed. Detailed project reports were prepared, and the tendering process started in 2020.
So far, there have been three tendering attempts, with the involvement of three different agencies, yet the process faced hurdles.
Changing Routes Leads to Higher Expenses
In the third attempt, three agencies submitted their proposals. After opening the tenders, NMRC was in the process of obtaining DPAC (Delhi Public Approval Committee) approval to proceed further.
However, due to a lack of approval, the tender was canceled. At that time, the estimated construction cost for this line was approximately 15.21 billion INR. The estimated cost for civil work alone was around 500 million INR.
Changing the route and increasing the distance between stations will inevitably raise the project costs. As time extends, the expenses are also expected to escalate.
