The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved an 8.449-km extension of the Noida Metro’s Aqua Line, from Noida Sector 51 to Greater Noida’s Sector 4 at an estimated cost of Rs 2,390 crore. The work, according to officials, will begin soon and is expected to be completed by 2031.The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) currently operates a single corridor, the Aqua Line, between Noida’s Sector 51 and the Greater Noida’s Depot stations over a distance of 29.7 km. The proposed corridor will prove significant for residents of and people travelling to Greater Noida West, which has seen rapid residential growth but continues to grapple with inadequate public transport.The corridor will have five elevated stations at Noida Sector 61, Sector 70, Sector 122, Sector 123 and Greater Noida Sector 4. Once operational, the combined length of the Metro network in Noida and Greater Noida will stand at 71.878 km, according to the government.The extension will provide an interchange facility with the Blue Line at Noida Sector 61 station, facilitating convenient metro travel towards Delhi’s airport and major railway stations and other parts of the NCR, the NMRC said.Which areas to benefit?According to officials, the proposed corridor is expected to improve access to several commercial, residential, educational and healthcare hubs. These include Gaur City Mall, H&S Mall, Blue Sapphire Mall, commercial spaces in Greater Noida Sector 4 and IKEA in Noida Sector 51.The corridor will also benefit people commuting to areas housing offices, such as Tech Mahindra and TCL Tech in Sector 60, and the Oil Industry Development Board in Sector 73. Among the residential areas expected to benefit are Gaur City 1 and 2, and Cleo County in Sector 122. It is also expected to boost connectivity to prominent educational institutions like Delhi Public School in Sector 122 and healthcare facilities, including Cloud9 Hospital in Sector 51 and Rama Hospital in Sectors 62 and 70.Two more extensionsThe NMRC also said that work on two more extensions was in progress — the 11.56-km Botanical Garden-Sector 142 corridor comprising eight stations, and the 2.6-km extension from Depot Station to the Boraki Multi-Modal Transport Hub (MMTH), which will have two stations.Story continues below this adIt said these extensions would further strengthen connectivity with the Delhi Metro network and facilitate integration with major transport facilities, including the proposed multi-modal transport hub at Boraki.The NMRC said the three projects would improve passenger convenience and regional connectivity, reduce dependence on private vehicles and ease road congestion while promoting environmentally sustainable urban mobility.Residents welcome moveResidents said that the decision marks the culmination of years of them campaigning for Metro connectivity in Greater Noida West.Abhishek Kumar, president of the Noida Extension Flat Owners Welfare Association (NEFOWA), which has been campaigning for Metro connectivity in the region for several years, said the approval marked an “important milestone”.Story continues below this ad“For several years, the NEFOWA has consistently raised this issue through various campaigns, protests and public initiatives … we are happy…,” he said.Kumar, however, said the combined rural and urban population of the region that would be covered by the Metro was currently around 10 lakh and was expected to reach 14-15 lakh by 2031. He questioned if the proposed infrastructure would be sufficient to meet the region’s future transport requirements. “We must start planning additional public transport options and better connectivity today, keeping future population growth in mind,” he said.Sanjiv Saxena, a resident of Supertech Eco Village 2, said Metro connectivity would make daily commuting easier. Echoing Kumar’s concern, Saxena also said that authorities, however, needed to account for the region’s growing population while planning transport infrastructure.Saurabh Singh, a resident of Nirala Estate, said the approval met a demand people had been raising for years. “We appreciate the progress, but 2031 is still a long wait. The authorities should make every effort to complete the project within the committed timeline, preferably earlier,” he said.