Cabinet Clears 8.449 Km Aqua Line Metro Extension in Noida

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the extension of the Aqua Line metro rail corridor of the Noida Metro Rail Project. The new stretch will run from Noida Sector-51 to Greater Noida Sector-04, measure 8.449 km and carry 5 elevated stations. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs handles the project.

What changes on the map

Once the corridor starts carrying passengers, the twin cities of Noida and Greater Noida will together hold an active metro network of 71.878 km. The line will also give riders a direct link to a high-demand corridor through an interchange with the Blue Line at Noida Sector-61, which is the join the two cities have lacked so far.

What the corridor will connect

• Commercial hubs: Gaur City Mall, the Blue Sapphire Mall and commercial space at Greater Noida Sector-04, IKEA at Noida Sector-51 and the Anthurium mall at Noida Sector-73.
• Offices and IT: Tech Mahindra and TCL Tech offices at Noida Sector-60, the Oil Industry Development Board at Noida Sector-73 and the Golden I office complex at Greater Noida Sector-04.
• Hospitals: Kailash Hospital, Rama Hospital at Noida Sector-70, Cloud9 Hospital at Noida Sector-51 and Rama Hospital at Noida Sector-62.
• Schools and homes: Delhi Public School at Noida Sector-122, Cleo County Residencies at the same sector and Gaur City 1 and 2 at Greater Noida Sector-04.

What the government expects

Four gains are listed. Road congestion should ease, because a rider who takes the metro is a vehicle taken off the road, and lighter traffic means shorter travel time and safer roads. Carbon emissions should fall, since a metro moves far more people per unit of energy than vehicles running on fossil fuel. Economic activity should pick up around the new stations, and access to Delhi's airport, its railway stations and bus depots should improve, which the government links to higher productivity. Socially, the extension spreads public transport across income groups and narrows the gap between those who can afford a private vehicle and those who cannot.

For the exam

Note that the Aqua Line belongs to the Noida Metro Rail Project, while the Blue Line that it meets at Sector-61 is part of the Delhi Metro network. The phrase worth remembering is the pair of figures: a route length of 8.449 km with 5 stations, feeding into a combined network of 71.878 km.