Noida Metro’s Aqua Line records highest-ever single-day ridership of over 105k

Noida: The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) said on Sunday that it recorded its highest-ever single-day ridership of 105,358 passengers on Friday (October 23), reflecting growing commuter demand for Aqua Line services

Noida: The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) said on Sunday that it recorded its highest-ever single-day ridership of 105,358 passengers on Friday (October 23), reflecting growing commuter demand for Aqua Line services.

Started on January 25, 2019, the 29.7-km long Aqua Line comprises of 21 stations and connects Noida Sector 51 to Depot Station in Greater Noida. (HT Archive)

The average daily passenger count rose from 73,298 in August to 83,403 in September while the ridership figures for October are yet to be compiled, officials said.

An NMRC official statement attributed the rise in ridership to several passenger-friendly initiatives, including recently opened skywalk connecting the Sector 51 and Sector 52 metro stations, and QR-code-based ticketing and the implementation of the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC).

The skywalk project, opened to the public on August 28 but officially inaugurated on October 4, enables commuters to interchange between the two stations without navigating through the encroached subway on the ground, officials said.

Krishna Karunesh, managing director of the NMRC and Noida authority chief executive officer, said “These facilities and schemes have contributed to a 20% increase in average daily ridership.”

To cater to passenger demand and further improve services, NMRC has also planned to increase train frequency during peak hours by reducing the headway from 7 minutes 30 seconds to 6 minutes 35 seconds with effect from November 1.

Night Service

Noida metro is also considering an extension of late-night services. Under the proposal, the last train from Sector 51 towards Depot Station would depart at 11.25pm instead of 10pm. The proposed change is subject to finalisation of the arrangements and operational feasibility, said officials.

In 2019, Aqua Line’s average daily ridership was 18,516.

However, the ridership was badly affected next year due to covid-19 outbreak and decreased to 12576 in 2020. The footfall started improving following years and improved to 14,058 in 2021, and 30,632 in 2022. Then the NMRC recorded 45,881, 52,829, and 61,401 in 2023, 2024 and 2025. This year till September, the average daily ridership stood at 66,333 commuters per day, said officials.