The proposed 72-km regional rapid transit system (RRTS) corridor, connecting Ghaziabad to Noida International Airport at Jewar via Greater Noida West, will remain a priority, said Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (Yeida) officials on Friday.
In a meeting held on December 29, a separate 60-km rapid RRTS corridor was also proposed from IFFCO Chowk in Gurugram to Surajpur via Faridabad to improve access to Delhi’s IGI airport, added officials.
“The Noida International airport will now enjoy connectivity via two rapid rail corridors. For the Ghaziabad-Jewar alignment, a detailed project report has been finalised and forwarded to Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs for final processing,” said Shailendra Bhatia, Yeida, additional chief executive officer.
The 60-km route from Surajpur to Aerocity will ensure rapid rail connectivity to pockets of Greater Noida, Faridabad, and Gurugram before touching Aerocity, said Bhatia, adding that the RRTC will prepare detailed project report (DPR) for the project.
The Uttar Pradesh government and agencies concerned are working on multi-model connectivity projects to develop different world-class modes of travel for airport passengers. The Yeida had also proposed another rapid rail project from Jewar to Sarai Kale Khan. However, the project is yet to get the final approval, added officials.
The Gurugram-Faridabad-Surajpur corridor is intended to function as an additional regional link, offering a faster and more direct connection to IGI airport. “Both corridors proposed are being viewed as complementary rather than competing projects, with Surajpur emerging as a key interchange node in NCR’s future high-speed rail network,” said Bhatia.
According to the DPR prepared by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), the Ghaziabad–Jewar corridor will be an elevated, integrated RRTS-cum-metro line, spanning 72.44-km, including a 1.1-km underground stretch within the airport area.
“The corridor will have 22 stations—11 integrated RRTS-cum-metro stations and 11 metro-only stations—with provision for 12 more stations. The estimated project cost stands at ₹20,360 crore, with a construction timeline of around five years,” said Bhatia.
The alignment will run from Siddharth Vihar in Ghaziabad through Greater Noida West’s Char Murti Chowk, Knowledge Park-5, Police Lines, Surajpur and Alpha-1, before entering Yamuna City sectors 18 and 21 and terminating at Noida International Airport.
The corridor has been designed for multimodal integration at key locations, such as Ghaziabad, where it will connect with the Delhi–Meerut RRTS and the Red Line Metro and Char Murti Chowk, integrating with the proposed Aqua Line extension, among others
“The separate Gurugram–Faridabad–Noida corridor, terminating at Surajpur, is expected to act as a major feeder for airport-bound passengers travelling to and from IGI airport. Once operational, it is expected to significantly reduce travel time between the airport and Jewar through interoperable RRTS corridors,” added Bhatia.
The DPR estimates that the travel time can be reduced by 60–70 minutes, depending on the route taken.The Ghaziabad–Jewar corridor, in particular, is projected to serve as the backbone of airport connectivity for residents of Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida West and YEIDA-notified areas, said officials.
With Noida International Airport expected to handle large passenger volumes in the coming years, authorities believe the twin-corridor strategy will be crucial for balanced regional mobility and easing pressure on NCR’s road network, said Yeida officials.