Walkway dug up, e-ricks stopped: Metro switch turns painful trudge

NOIDA: Taking the metro has never been this exhausting for Greater Noida residents headed for Delhi and vice-versa.
A 300m walkway to connect the Sector 51 station of Aqua Line with Blue Line’s Sector 52 station has been dug up for building a skywalk to link the two terminals. And since the walkway is gone, the Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) has also stopped the free e-rickshaw service to ferry commuters between the two buildings.
As a result, passengers are being forced to walk the stretch through the pathway that is dug up, negotiating concrete chunks and gravel and battling the dust they are kicking up.The trudge is all the worse for those with kids in tow or luggage hanging from their shoulders. The lack of a shade over the stretch and the punishing summer sun have only compounded the problem.
Among those braving the 300m walk is Akhil Paul. “Many commuters like me depend on the metro for travelling because it is not just cheap but takes less time too. I recently noticed that the walkway has been dismantled and the stretch dug up. With the sun above blazing on us, covering the 300m stretch on foot is a tough task. To add to our woes, they have also stopped the free e-rickshaw service for passengers to travel between the stations.”
TOI saw Greater Noida resident Mukesh Yadav walking slowly on the cratered stretch, carrying a heavy bag and wiping sweat from his forehead every now and then. “We will go to Shakarpur in Delhi. I have kids with me. Why can’t they make some arrangements for passengers like us?” he sought to know.
As of now, workers are digging the remaining stretch with earthmovers. A line of street food vendors and other hawkers has eaten away much of what is left of the pathway.
The Noida Authority is developing a 420m long and 5m wide skywalk to link the two stations. “The project, which will cost around Rs 9 crore, is likely to be ready this October,” a site engineer said.
A private firm, M/s Iqbal Constructions Co, has been developing the skywalk with a travelator since March this year. The project is important because the ridership of the two metro stations has increased. While Sector 51 sees a daily footfall of nearly 17,000, Sector 52 records 45,000 commuters.
Manoj Vajpayee, general manager (technical) at NMRC, said it was the Noida Authority that was responsible for the construction work.
“We have urged the Authority to set up a temporary shed on the pathway for passengers. The shed should be ready in a week. The e-rickshaw service has been stopped because there is no walkway. We are planning to resume the service soon,” he added.