Noida metro to be modelled on international systems

The Noida Metro Rail Corporation said it has decided to replicate international models of metro rail services in developing the 30km Noida-Greater Noida Metro link.

The Noida Metro Rail Corporation said it has decided to replicate international models of metro rail services in developing the 30km Noida-Greater Noida Metro link.

The 30km Noida-Greater Noida metro link is expected to open by the beginning of 2018. (Sunil Ghosh/HT File Photo)

Around 50% work on the project is complete and it will be open to the public by the start of 2018, officials said.

“We have decided to replicate the multimodal transport system of Taiwan Metro. Commercial development at all 21 Metro stations will be a replica of Hong Kong Metro. Also, we will adopt operations and maintenance model of Tokyo Metro,” Santosh Yadav, managing director of the NMRC, said.

“Taiwan has connected its Metro network with cycle tracks, feeder buses and walkways, providing robust multimodal public transport facilities and safe pedestrian movement to commuters. We want to do the same so that metro riders do not face last-mile connectivity issues in Noida and Greater Noida,” Yadav said.

The NMRC decision comes after a two-member team of managing director Santosh Yadav and Pramit Garg, director (projects), Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, went on a seven-day study tour from August 4-12.

“Our main challenge is to implement the technology and models that are being used in the three metro projects abroad,” Garg said.

“In Hong Kong Metro, they have used every inch of available space at the stations for commercial purposes to make a profit. We want to do the same here, at all stations, to make the project economically viable. Tokyo Metro uses an effective technology of ‘One Card One Ticket’ system, in which one card is used to ride the metro, bus, hire a cycle and use other modes of commute. We want to adopt the same technology for our operations,” Yadav said.

Work on this project, at a budget of `5,400 crore, is in full swing. However, NMRC is yet to obtain an environmental clearance for the same. After National Green Tribunal’s July 5 order, NMRC is in the process of obtaining environmental approval for the project.

The Noida and Greater Noida authorities are already planning to run a city bus service to address commuting woes. In 2014, the Noida authority had also proposed a tram and pod taxi in few areas but these projects failed to take off.

“We are getting a feasibility study done by DMRC to look into the tram service and other models that can be most effective here. NMRC, Noida and Greater Noida authorities together will work to provide multimodal transport facilities,” Yadav said.