Metro rail on track to reach Greater Noida soon

A 35-km Metro rail service was announced on Monday to connect Noida with Greater Noida. The public-private partnership (PPP) model will be adopted for the Rs 7,500-crore project.

This was announced after a meeting between senior officials of Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway authorities. "This will be independent from the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation's (DMRC) projects in the area," a senior official said.

Noida Authority CEO Sanjeev Saran said: "We felt the need for a Metro service between Noida and Greater Noida because close to 1.5 lakh homes are expected to come up there by next year. Though the Delhi Metro has extended to several parts, some areas will still not be covered."

"The proposal for a PPP project was sent for approval to the state government. The service is expected to cover around 35 km," he said.

Saran said the Noida and Greater Noida authorities were looking for private participation because the project expenses were quite high. "We recognise the need for connectivity between the two areas, but the project cost is too high for authorities to bear. So we are looking at the PPP model."

"Senior officials said no timeframe has been announced, but project tenders would be floated in the next four to six months. "A project of this magnitude will require time. Hopefully, within a year, construction will begin," the official said.

Other than this proposed Metro rail service, officials said a detailed project report was also being prepared for the extension of the existing Delhi Metro service into Noida Extension.

"The line will be extended from Sector 72 to Noida Extension. The Noida and Greater Noida authorities will share the expenses in accordance with the jurisdiction of the area through which the line will pass. Currently, we are looking at two or three stations over a 7-km stretch," Saran said.

... contd.

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