Noida: Residents of Greater Noida West staged a protest on Sunday near the final Metro pillar close to the Sector-71 intersection, voicing anger over the Centre’s decision to once again reject the detailed project report (DPR) for the proposed Metro extension. Raising slogans such as, “Approval ka kaise khel, kab ayegi metro rail… Greno West ki janta karey pukar, kab ayegi metro rail,” protesters symbolically used ropes to “pull” the Metro pillar towards their locality, highlighting their demand for urgent connectivity.Organised by the Noida Extension Flat Owners Welfare Association (NEFOWA), the protest saw participation from residents’ welfare groups, village associations, and citizen bodies. Protesters said repeated cancellations of the DPR have deepened frustration among the region’s population, now exceeding three lakh.Residents pointed to worsening daily traffic congestion and the absence of a reliable public transport system. They said that despite a decade of assurances, there has been no visible progress on the ground. Demonstrators appealed to both Central and State govts to prioritise the project, calling the Metro a necessity rather than a luxury.Alok Kumar of Active Citizens’ Group said, “This region is developing rapidly, yet the lack of basic infrastructure remains a matter of grave concern. The absence of public transportation is adversely affecting people’s daily lives. The government must now move beyond mere assurances and take concrete action.”Ranjan Tomar, president of Noida Village Residents Association added, “The lack of public transport causes difficulties for both the urban population and residents of the villages. Therefore, our collective demand is that work on the Metro project must commence as soon as possible.”NEFOWA president Abhishek Kumar said, “The residents of Greater Noida West are facing continuous injustice. The repeated cancellation of the DPR is extremely unfortunate. The daily hardships faced by hundreds of thousands of people are being completely ignored. We demand that the govt grant approval to the Metro project as soon as possible and initiate the construction work.”He warned that protests would intensify if action is not taken, with plans for a mass demonstration at Jantar Mantar on April 26.The DPR for the 7.5-km Metro extension from Noida Sector-51 to Greater Noida West was rejected on April 3 on technical grounds, requiring a fresh submission and further delaying the project.
Gr Noida West residents protest on metro demand
