Daily ridership on Noida Metro’s Aqua Line has crossed 85,000 in September 2026, compared with about 70,000 before the Sector 51-52 skywalk opened. The increase has been attributed to the improved interchange between the Aqua Line and Delhi Metro’s Blue Line, which has reduced the difficulty of transferring between the two networks.

Data from Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) shows that average daily ridership rose from 60,705 passengers in June to 61,811 in July and 73,298 in August. September’s figure is about 16 per cent above the August monthly average and approximately 21 per cent higher than the level recorded before the skywalk opened on August 28. Noida Authority CEO Krishna Karunesh said the interchange facility had contributed to the increase.

Before the facility became operational, passengers transferring between Delhi Metro’s Blue Line Sector 52 station and the Aqua Line’s Sector 51 station had to walk nearly 1 km. The new connection provides a direct route and allows commuters to switch between the lines without buying another ticket. The 400-metre-long, L-shaped, air-conditioned skywalk also includes travelators, with the transfer now taking about four to five minutes.

Construction of the facility began in March 2023 and was initially scheduled for completion within a year, but the project took more than three years to open. An underground metro cable discovered during excavation required the original single-pillar design to be changed to two-column supports, while another obstruction near the Sector 51 entry led to further modifications and an extension. Winter restrictions imposed by the National Green Tribunal also affected construction, raising the project cost from Rs. 250 mn to Rs. 330 mn. The ridership increase indicates that a shorter and more convenient interchange can influence passenger use of connected metro systems.