A 300-metre-long skywalk connecting the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC)’s Sector 52 metro station with the Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC)’s Sector 51 metro station remains non-functional due to pending “finishing touches,” causing persistent inconvenience for thousands of daily commuters.
The skywalk, meant to seamlessly connect the two stations, has been ready for over a year yet remains closed due to technical issues.
NMRC, which built the foot overbridge, said they will soon open the facility but did not give a specific date. “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,” said Krishna Karunesh, chief executive officer, Noida authority.
This has forced thousands of commuters to fend for themselves every day.
“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,” said Bhoomika Singh, a daily commuter.
Commuters further said commercial establishments, including restaurants near Sector 51 station, have effectively taken precedence over commuter convenience as parking spaces have been carved out of the space meant for passenger use.
“To create parking space, authorities have barricaded entry and exit points of Sector 51 station with iron sheets, forcing people to walk an additional 100-150 metres. This is not just inconvenient — it is dangerous. In an emergency, such restrictions could prove catastrophic. These barricades have narrowed the Sector 52 station’s exit, creating a bottleneck where there should be free movement,” said Rushmeet Kaur another commuter.
At Sector 52, the situation is equally alarming. The construction of a mall between the two stations has led to extensive barricading with iron sheets, choking the already limited access. What remains is a narrow, poorly managed road that becomes a mess during rains. Waterlogging is routine, and commuters are forced to place bricks in the water to walk over.
“This is not just inconvenience; it is a disaster waiting to happen. The combination of waterlogging, congestion, and lack of proper pathways creates conditions ripe for a stampede,” said Ashwini Singh a college student and daily traveller.
Adding to the chaos is the complete absence of traffic regulation. The space between the two stations have been taken over by auto-rickshaws and e-rickshaws, said commuters.
“During peak hours, navigating this stretch becomes nearly impossible. What should have been a seamless interchange between two metro networks has instead become a daily test of endurance,” said Priya Singh an IT professional who uses the Metro.