Thousands of commuters travelling between Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s (DMRC) Sector 52 station and Noida Metro Rail Corporation’s (NMRC) Sector 51 station continue to face daily inconvenience as the 300-metre air-conditioned skywalk connecting the two stations remains closed, despite being completed over a year ago, according to a report.

The Noida Metro Rail Corporation built the foot overbridge to enable a seamless interchange between the Delhi Metro and Noida Metro networks. However, pending finishing work and a structural obstruction have delayed its opening.

Krishna Karunesh, Chief Executive Officer, Noida Authority, said the skywalk cannot be opened until the remaining work is completed and the obstruction is removed. “An air-conditioned FOB between sectors 51 and 52 has been built but it is yet to open for use because the finishing work is on. Also, a beam coming in way of the FOB has to be demolished before it is opened to the public,” he said. He did not provide a timeline for when the facility would become operational.

With the skywalk still inaccessible, commuters are forced to walk along a dusty and congested stretch between the two stations. The route is reportedly encroached upon by roadside vendors and crowded with auto-rickshaws and e-rickshaws, leaving little space for pedestrians.

Bhoomika Singh, a daily commuter, highlighted the difficulties faced by passengers. “In the absence of this crucial link, people are pushed to use a poorly maintained and dusty 300m stretch that is nothing short of a civic failure. The road is encroached upon by roadside vendors, auto-rickshaws, and e-rickshaws, leaving barely any space to walk. During rains, the situation becomes worse as the broken stretch gets inundated, turning a routine commute into a daily ordeal,” she said.

Residents and commuters have urged the authorities to expedite the remaining work so the skywalk can be opened and safe pedestrian movement ensured between the two metro stations.