The recently launched Aqua Line has left many residents unimpressed. Residents hoping to have a seamlessly easy travel between the satellite town and Delhi were disappointed to find that there is no connectivity between the Aqua and the Blue Line that connects Noida with Delhi.

The Noida-Greater Noida rail corridor, known as the Aqua line, chugs between Sector 51 in Noida and the Depot Station in Greater Noida. However, to travel to Delhi, commuters have to go to Noida City Centre, which is the nearest Metro station on Blue Line, around six to seven kilometres away from Sector 51. Residents rue that the new rail line has failed to solve the purpose of connecting the two cities due to this reason. "Why would I travel first on Aqua Line and then go to Noida City Centre to board another train? I might as well take the Blue Line straight away to travel to the national capital. It looks like the authorities did not do a feasibility study to understand this basic point," Pawan Jha, a resident of Sector 135 said. "The Noida Metro Rail Corporation must do something to connect Aqua and Blue lines, otherwise it is of no use to so many of us living here,"Deepali Yadav, another Noida resident said.

Daily passengers also are complaining about the lack of last mile connectivity on the Aqua Line route as well as the peeve of buying two different tickets. "I have no option but to either take an auto or cab to reach Noida City Centre. Till the time they connect Aqua and Blue corridors, the NMRC should provide for last mile connectivity," says Ragini Kaushal, a resident of Sector 93. Another resident Sanjay Mishra said, "I have to carry two different cards- one of DMRC and another of NMRC. It is very cumbersome. The authorities must address this."

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday inaugurated Noida's much-awaited Aqua Line. The Metro line has now linked the twin-cities of Noida and Greater Noida in Gautam Buddh Nagar. There are 21 stations on the corridor, 15 of them in Noida and six in Greater Noida.

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BRIDGING GAP