NMRC’s Aqua Line Metro and bus service to remain shut Sunday

The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) will suspend the Aqua Line Metro service and the city bus service on Sunday, in the wake of the ‘Janta Curfew’ on March 22,

The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) will suspend the Aqua Line Metro service and the city bus service on Sunday, in the wake of the ‘Janta Curfew’ on March 22, in accordance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message to citizens. The move is aimed to encourage people to stay at home, which is essential in the fight against the disease, Covid-19.

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Sandhya Sharma, deputy general manager, corporate communications, NMRC, said, “The Aqua Metro and the NMRC’s bus service will remain suspended on Sunday. We are also taking proactive measures to spread awareness regarding Covid-19 and ensure that trains and Metro stations are clean and sanitised,” she said.

The NMRC is witnessing a fall in ridership as several offices and academic institutions have closed due to the Covid-19 threat in the last two weeks. The average ridership in the first week in March was 25,557 against average ridership in the third week of March, which is 17,597. The NMRC’s Aqua Line had recorded 26,079, 26,000 and 24,591 passengers on March 2, March 3 and March 4 respectively. However, the footfall came down to 19,064, 17,720 and 16,007 on March 16, March 17 and March 18 respectively. “Since private organisations and other MNCs have advised work from home and colleges, universities and academic institutions have closed, this resulted in fall in ridership,” Sharma said.

The NMRC is regularly conducting cleaning and sanitisation drives at the stations, crew control rooms, operation control rooms, and coaches. It is also ensuring the cleanliness of public areas such as escalators, handrails, staircases, railings, AFC gates, lift buttons, switches, train seats, doors of coaches, etc. Regular announcements are being made at every station, advising people to maintain adequate social distance.

“We also urge commuters and citizens to maintain social distancing and avoid public transport until extremely essential,” the NMRC said in a statement. The NMRC runs the 29.7km Aqua Line, which connects Noida’s Sector 51 to Greater Noida’s Depot Station. The city bus service has a fleet of 50 buses, which ply in Noida, Greater Noida and Greater Noida west.