Greater Noida Authority approves phase 2 of Aqua Line

This news would  bring  cheer to residents of Greater Noida West. The Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) on December 4 approved the second phase of the Metro link from Noida Sector 71 to Knowledge Park 5 in Greater Noida. The extension will comprise nine stations and cost Rs 2602 crore, top officials said.

This decision was taken at the Authority's 113th board meeting. "NMRC would be the nodal agency for the project. The first phase of the Metro project comprising five stations from Noida Sector 71 to Greater Noida Sector 2 is expected to cost around Rs 1521 crore, officials said.

"The modalities and details on the DPR would be given later," Chief secretary AC Pandey was quoted as saying.

The extended line of Noida Metro's Aqua Line will have a total of nine metro stations  out of which two will be in Noida and seven will be in Greater Noida. The metro stations in Noida include sectors 122 and 123 and the metro stations in Greater Noida include sector 4, Ecotech 12, sectors 2, 3, 10, 12 and Knowledge Park V.

Almost a year ago, Noida and Greater Noida authorities, which will fund the Metro link, had decided to put the project on hold citing a fund crisis. They had also said that the project was not feasible as ridership would be low along the route.

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Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC), that was set up in November 2014, would construct the link. It has also constructed the over Rs 5,000-crore Noida-Greater Noida Metro link that is expected to be operational by end of 2018.

Homebuyers of Greater Noida West, that now has a population of about 30,000 residents, have welcomed the decision. They hope that work would begin soon. "Also by the time construction is completed, over 50,000 residents would have moved into the area," said Abhishek Kumar of NEFOWA.

Over 3.5 lakh residential units are expected to come up in the area.