NMRC boosts peak hour frequency of Aqua Line

NOIDA: The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) on Sunday said it has increased the frequency of Aqua Line trains during peak hours, and also extended late-night services to cater to a rising passenger demand

NOIDA: The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) on Sunday said it has increased the frequency of Aqua Line trains during peak hours, and also extended late-night services to cater to a rising passenger demand.

Also, the last train from Noida Sector 51 towards Depot station, will now depart at 11.25pm, compared to the earlier schedule of 10pm, said officials. (HT Archive)

The headway or, the waiting time between two trains during peak hours has been reduced from 7 minutes 30 seconds to 6 minutes 35 seconds. Also, the last train from Noida Sector 51 towards Depot station, the elevated terminal metro station on the North-South corridor of the Aqua Line in Greater Noida, will now depart at 11.25pm, compared to the earlier schedule of 10pm, said officials.

Anjenee Kumar, general manager, NMRC, in a statement said the corporation, which had announced these measures last week to improve passenger convenience, implemented them from Sunday.

The first train, meanwhile, continues to depart at 6am from Monday to Saturday and at 8am on Sundays.

The move comes after the Aqua Line recorded its highest-ever single-day ridership of 105,358 passengers on October 23. NMRC attributed the increase to several passenger-friendly initiatives, including the skywalk connecting Sector 51 and Sector 52 metro stations, QR-code-based ticketing and the introduction of the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC), said officials.

It has invited Expressions of Interest (EoI) for the commercial development of Plot FC-04 in Sector 94, adjacent to Okhla Bird Sanctuary metro station, under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, officials said.

Spread over 44,151 sqm, the plot has a permissible floor area ratio (FAR) of 4.5 and is suitable for a shopping mall or commercial complex, officials said.

The selected developer will be responsible for designing, constructing and managing the project at its own cost. The proposed lease period is up to 40 years, including a three-year construction moratorium, they said.

The developer will also have to build and maintain parking space for 800 cars for visitors and metro users. The deadline for submitting applications is November 6 at 3pm, they added.

On the expansion front, NMRC selected Larsen & Toubro (L&T) in August to construct two metro corridors — a 2.6-km extension from Depot station to Boraki and an 11.56-km stretch between Botanical Garden and Sector 142.

The detailed project report (DPR) for a third corridor, an 8.4-km extension from Sector 51 to Sector 4 in Greater Noida West, featuring five stations, is awaiting Union cabinet approval, officials said.