Noida-Greater Noida Metro: Tender issued for 5 stations on Aqua Line extension corridor

[ecis2016.org] The 14.95-km Aqua Line extension corridor will connect Noida’s Sector 51 to Knowledge Park 5 in Greater Noida

The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC), on September 29, 2020, issued a tender to develop five stations on the Aqua Line extension to Greater Noida West, in the first phase. The last date for submission of bids for the contract would be October 31, 2020, the NMRC said. Phase-I of this crucial metro line will be developed at an estimated cost of nearly Rs 492 crores.

You are reading: Noida-Greater Noida Metro: Tender issued for 5 stations on Aqua Line extension corridor

The move comes 10 months after the Uttar Pradesh government, in December 2019, approved the 14.95-km Aqua Line extension corridor, which will connect Noida’s Sector 51 to Knowledge Park 5 in Greater Noida with a total of nine stations.

To be developed in two phases, the corridor, which is also known as the Greater Noida West extension line, will see work on five stations in the first phase. Stations that will be developed under this phase include Sector 122 and Sector 123 in Noida and Sector 4, Ecotech 12 and Sector 2 in Greater Noida, covering a distance of 9.15 kms. The remaining four stations (Sector 3, Sector 10, Sector 12 and Knowledge Park 5, all in Greater Noida) that will cover a distance of 5.8 kms, will be built in phase-II.

Impact on Noida real estate

Once it becomes operational, the Aqua Line Extension corridor is likely to provide an impetus to the housing market in Greater Noida, which has been severely affected, because of a multi-year slowdown in India’s residential real estate sector. Data available with ecis2016.org show builders in the Noida market had an unsold stock of over one lakh units and it might take more than three years to sell this stock at the current sales velocity. In spite of being the most affordable housing market in the NCR, this market has not been able to garner the attention it deserves, owing to project delays and connectivity issues. The availability of good ready-to-move-in stock may attract more buyers and renters to this market, as connectivity improves.

The existing Aqua Line corridor that runs from Sector 51 in Noida to the Depot station in Greater Noida, has 21 stations. After operations started on this metro line in January 2019, residential and rental markets in the Noida market have received a boost due to the improved connectivity.

(With inputs from Sunita Mishra)

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Noida-Greater Noida Metro: UP government approves 15-km extension

The UP government has approved the construction of a 15-km extension to the Noida-Greater Noida Metro, between Noida Sector 71 and Greater Noida Knowledge Park–V

December 4, 2019: The Uttar Pradesh government, on December 3, 2019, approved the construction of an extension of the Aqua Line (Noida-Greater Noida Metro) at `a cost of Rs 2,682 crores, UP’s industrial development minister Satish Mahana said. The new metro rail track, connecting Noida and Greater Noida will be 15 kms long, with nine stations and is expected to be completed in the next three years. According to the detailed project report (DPR), the new track would be completed in two phases and the entire project would connect Sector 71 in Noida and Knowledge Park V in Greater Noida.

The first phase would be between Sector 71 and Greater Noida Sector 2, while the second phase would be between Greater Noida Sector 2 and Knowledge Park V stations, the DPR stated. There will be five stations in the first phase – Noida Sector 122, Sector 123, Greater Noida Sector 4, Eco Tech, and Greater Noida 2. The four stations in the second phase will be Greater Noida Sector 3, Sector 10, Sector 12 and Knowledge Park V.

Aqua Line to Blue Line connectivity

In a major relief for commuters, a 300-metre walkway, connecting the interchange metro stations of the Blue Line and Aqua Lines, has been inaugurated

August 19, 2019: A walkway, constructed between the Sector 51 station on the Aqua Line and the Sector 52 station on the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s (DMRC) Blue Line, was inaugurated by union housing and urban affairs secretary DS Mishra, on August 18, 2019. “The walkway, built by the Noida Metro Rail Corporation, will facilitate those traveling to Greater Noida from various parts of Delhi,” the DMRC tweeted.

Commuters have been waiting for long to get such a facility for travelling between the two cities, by transitioning through the two corridors. “I had announced that we will develop an all-weather pedestrian pathway and deploy e-rickshaws between the two stations, which will offer free of cost rides. I feel immensely proud that the 300 mtr long walkway announced 4 months back, has been dedicated to the citizens today,” Mishra tweeted. Keeping in mind the comfort of passengers, the NMRC had also provided free solar-powered e–rickshaw services in this stretch, to facilitate connectivity between the two metro rail networks, the DMRC said.

Ridership on Aqua Line 

Average daily ridership touches 14,827 after six months, says NMRC

The Noida-Greater Noida Metro, known as the Aqua Line, has witnessed an 88% growth in commuters over the past six months, officials have revealed

July 26, 2019: The Noida-Greater Noida Metro, which completed six months of operations on July 25, 2019, ferried on an average 14,827 passengers daily and registered an 88% increase in ridership, officials said. Operated by the Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC), the Aqua Line between the twin cities in Gautam Buddh Nagar adjoining Delhi, was flagged off on January 25, 2019.

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“In the past six months, NMRC has registered a growth of approximately 88% in ridership. On the first day of operations, the ridership of the Aqua Line was around 13,000. NMRC recorded the highest ridership of 24,443 on July 22, 2019. The average ridership in the last six months has been 14,827. The NMRC has achieved major milestones in all spheres, whether it is operations, signalling and telecom, electrical, rolling stock, civil and property business. The Aqua Line has operated without any snag and provided a reliable and comfortable mode of transport for people,” NMRC executive director PD Upadhyay said.

Noida Metro gets over 20,000 passengers in a day, for the first time

On the back of concerns over a dip in card sales, the Noida Metro’s Aqua Line registered its highest single-day ridership on June 3, 2019, crossing the 20,000 mark for the first time

June 6, 2019: The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) has said that it has crossed the 20,000 mark and recorded the highest ridership till date, by carrying 20,614 passengers on June 3, 2019 (Monday). “The increase in frequency of trains to 7 minutes and 30 seconds during peak hours and 10 minutes during non-peak hours, which had been implemented from June 3, 2019, is one of the major factors for the increase in ridership,” it said in a statement.

The operator of the Aqua Line said it has taken various measures to increase ridership. “The most important reason behind increase in ridership, is improved connectivity between Aqua Line and DMRC’s Blue Line stations, with the help of a dedicated pathway and e-rickshaw service between Sector 51 of Aqua Line and Sector 52 Metro Station of the Blue Line and providing improved feeder bus connectivity,” it said. Before this, the metro service between Noida and Greater Noida, launched in January 2019, had achieved its highest ridership of 19,413 on May 27, 2019, the NMRC said.

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Aqua Line commuters have three options to generate tickets and travel in the metro. The first option is by using the smart card, which also offers a 10% discount on every journey. The second option is by purchasing the QR code from the customer care counter and the third is to generate the QR code by using the NMRC mobile app, which can be downloaded for free, the NMRC said. “Over the past few months, the sale of tickets through purchase of QR code and especially through the mobile app has increased considerably. This trend clearly shows that the commuters of the Aqua Line have given preference to these two ticketing options,” it added.

The NMRC said it has also been interacting with Residents Welfare Associations (RWAs), corporate offices and educational institutions to take their suggestions and feedback, to improve the services of the Aqua Line and the feeder buses. “Based on the suggestions from these sectors, the NMRC has also deployed e-rickshaws at the stations, to provide last mile connectivity to commuters of the Aqua Line,” it said.

Aqua Line: Daily ridership increases to nearly 11,000 passengers

A total of 6.48 lakh passengers have used the Noida-Greater Noida Aqua Line in the two months since its inauguration, with a daily ridership of almost 11,000 passengers, the NMRC has revealed

March 27, 2019: With 3.24 lakh passengers taking a ride on the Noida-Greater Noida Metro during its second month of operation, the overall average daily ridership on the Aqua Line improved slightly to reach almost 11,000, officials said, on March 26, 2019. In total, 6.48 lakh people have used the Aqua Line in the two months, its operator Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) said.

With March 25, 2019, marking two months of the inauguration of the metro service, which connects Noida and Greater Noida, the NMRC released data detailing the ridership and revenue, among others. During the first month, the Aqua Line had witnessed 3.24 lakh passengers and an average daily ridership of 10,458 passengers. By the end of March 25, 2019, 6.48 lakh riders were added while the average daily ridership during the two months reached 10,991, the NMRC data stated.

“The ridership was approximately 13, 000 on the first day of revenue operations and after completion of the two months of metro operations, i.e., March 25, 2019, the ridership stood at approximately 17,000 depicting an increase of almost 30 per cent. NMRC’s ridership increased almost 57 per cent in the month of March,” NMRC executive director PD Upadhyay said. The highest ridership of 17,164, was recorded on March 15, 2019, the NMRC said.

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Upadhyay said the NMRC’s revenue during the two months reached Rs 1.99 crores, up from Rs 1.02 crores at the end of the first month. A total 12,828 metro cards have been sold since day one, while 4,89,361 QR-coded tickets were also purchased during the period, the NMRC said. The top 5 stations with highest ridership are Sector 51, Sector 76, NSEZ, Knowledge Park II and Pari Chowk.

Aqua Line: 3 lakh passengers ferried in one month

Over 3.24 lakh passengers took rides on the Noida-Greater Noida Metro in the first month, according to official data of the Noida Metro Rail Corporation

February 28, 2019: The Noida-Greater Noida Metro, known as the Aqua Line, which was opened to the public on January 25, 2019, has recorded an average ridership of 10,458 passengers during the first 31 days of its operations, Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) data has revealed. “From January 26 to February 25, the NMRC earned a total revenue of Rs 1.02 crores, with an average daily earning of Rs 3.30 lakhs and served 3.24 lakh passengers during the period,” it said.

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The highest single-day ridership of 14,314 passengers was recorded on January 27, 2019 (Sunday), the second day after the launch of the Aqua Line. The same day, the NMRC recorded its highest single day revenue of Rs 4.59 lakh. NMRC executive director PD Upadhyay said the response has been ‘good’ so far, considering the Aqua Line is a ‘stand-alone’ metro corridor. He was also upbeat about ridership going up next month, when the Blue Line’s extended corridor that goes from Noida City Centre metro station to Electronic City (around Noida’s Sector 62 and Ghaziabad’s Indirapuram), is expected to begin.

According to the NMRC figures, the average ridership per station during the first month stood at 498.

The five stations that saw the highest number of riders (average daily) are Sector 51 (2,391), Pari Chowk (1,642), Knowledge Park (799), NSEZ (731) and Sector 142 (702) – all of them except for Sector 142 also being the highest revenue earners, the data said. The five stations that saw the lowest number of riders (average daily) are Sector 147 (22), Sector 145 (33), Sector 146 (39), Sector 144 (40) and Sector 148 (128), it added.

The NMRC data showed that the average revenue per passenger at Rs 31.59 and average revenue per station at Rs 15,732.

Noida-Greater Noida metro sees 37,000 passengers in the first three days, since its inauguration

Nearly 14,000 passengers used the Noida-Greater Noida metro rail, also known as the Aqua Line, on the first day of full-fledged services on the route, on January 28, 2019, the NMRC officials have revealed

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January 30, 2019: Over 37,000 passengers have availed of rides on the Noida-Greater Noida metro, in the first three days since its opening, with nearly 14,000 using the Aqua Line on Monday, January 28, 2019, according to Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) officials. The metro service between the twin-cities in Gautam Buddh Nagar district was inaugurated on January 25, 2019 and it opened for citizens the next day, albeit with curtailed timings of 10 am to 5 pm.

According to official figures, 11,625 people used the rail service on Saturday (January 26), 11,835 on Sunday (January 27) and 13,857 on Monday (January 28), totalling 37,317 passengers in first three days. Monday was the first day of full-fledged service on the line, from 6 am to 10 pm. The Aqua Line runs from 6 am to 10 pm except on Sundays, when it begins at 8 am, according to the NMRC.

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“Rs 6.01 lakhs was earned in cash, while 497 metro cards were also sold on Monday, up from Rs 4.98 lakhs in collection and 386 cards sold on Sunday and 3.60 lakhs in collection and 266 cards sold on Saturday,” NMRC’s executive director, PD Upadhyay said.

Aqua Line: Rooftop solar panels to help NMRC save over Rs 4 crores annually

The Noida Metro Rail Corporation, which operates the Aqua Line, has said that it plans to save over Rs 4 crores each year, by installing solar panels at all its stations

June 21, 2019: Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) is in the process of installing rooftop solar panels at its all 21 stations and power generation through these, will help it save approximately Rs 4.37 crores annually, officials said, on June 20, 2019. Presently, the NMRC is purchasing power from the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) at Rs 6.81 per unit, to meet its daily requirements. The cost per unit, once the energy is derived from the solar panels, will be Rs 3.25 per unit, which will result in a direct saving of Rs 3.56 per unit, the officials said.

“The estimated annual power generation expected by NMRC through solar panels, is 1,22,89,754 kWh. The estimated solar capacity of the panels to be installed in the entire network, including the depot, is around 10.021 MWp out of which around 6.811 MWp will be from all 21 stations and 2.5 MWp will be from the depot,” NMRC executive director, PD Upadhyay said. “Currently, the NMRC receives power supply from two sub-stations, located at Sectors 83 and 148, each having a capacity of 6 MW,” he said.

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“The power generated from solar panels will meet all basic power requirements of the NMRC stations and depots. All generated power may not be consumed. The extra power will revert back to the grid, instead of getting wasted,” he said. “The saved solar power in the grid, combined with the power from the sub-stations, may be used for the traction power supply,” Upadhyay said.

The NMRC said it had already installed solar panels at 9 of its 21 stations and had energised 5 stations – Noida Sectors 50, 51, 76, Knowledge Park–II and Pari Chowk. Apart from these, solar panels will be installed at the depot located in Greater Noida, the sub-station buildings of the depot and the parking lot of the staff quarters situated inside the depot premises by September 2019, it said. Upadhyay said all 21 stations of the Aqua Line had been awarded the Green MRTS Platinum Rating under the elevated stations category, by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC).

“The NMRC has taken measures to adopt green building requirements and implemented green concepts in the design, construction and operation of this corridor. All stations have features like the conservation of natural resources, ensuring water efficiency, adoption of renewable energy, management of waste and commuter health and comfort,” he added.

Frequency on Aqua Line

Trains every 7.30 minutes during rush hours, from June 3, 2019

The Noida Metro Rail Corporation has announced that it will increase the frequency of trains on the Aqua Line, with trains plying every 7 minutes and 30 seconds during rush hours and every 10 minutes during non-rush hours, from June 3, 2019

June 3, 2019: Aqua Line metro trains will be available every 7 minutes and 30 seconds during rush hours and every 10 minutes during non-rush hours on weekdays, from June 3, 2019, its operator, Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) announced, on June 1, 2019. At present, the trains ply at an interval of 10 minutes during peak hours (8 am-11 pm and 5 pm-8 pm) and 15 minutes during non-peak hours, from Monday to Friday, the NMRC said.

“NMRC will be increasing the frequency of the metro trains on the Aqua Line on weekdays, with effect from June 3 (Monday). Trains on the Aqua Line will now ply at a frequency of 7 minutes and 30 seconds during peak hours and 10 minutes during non-peak hours on weekdays, i.e., Monday to Friday,” NMRC executive director PD Upadhyay said. “On Saturdays and Sundays, the frequency is currently 15 minutes and will continue to remain the same,” he added.

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The Aqua Line, which connects Noida and Greater Noida, is currently running 163 trips a day, with a fleet of 10 trains. With the increase in frequency the number of trains will increase to 13 and the number of trips per day will increase to 221, he said. “There will be a total increase of 58 train trips per day, during weekdays,” Upadhyay said, adding that the NMRC has maintained a punctuality of 99.99%, since the first day of operations on January 26, 2019.

The Aqua Line operates from 6 am to 10 pm from Monday to Saturday. On Sundays revenue hours begin from 8 am and services are available till 10 pm, the NMRC said.

Built worth Rs 5,503 crores, the Aqua Line was launched on January 25, 2019 and connects the twin-cities in western Uttar Pradesh’s Gautam Buddh Nagar district, running over 29.7 kms via 21 metro stations. The average daily ridership of the Aqua Line at the end of May 2019, stood at 13,317, according to the NMRC.

Aqua Line connectivity, parking facilities

Noida Metro Rail Corporation to introduce 50 feeder buses for last-mile connectivity

The Noida Metro Rail Corporation has announced that it will introduce 50 new feeder buses across 16 routes, beginning March 15, 2019, to provide last-mile connectivity to stations on the Aqua Line

March 13, 2019: Beginning March 15, 2019, the Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) will introduce 50 low-floor, air-conditioned, disabled-friendly feeder buses across 16 new routes in Noida and Greater Noida, officials said on March 12, 2019. The new routes for the buses of the NMRC, which primarily operates the Aqua Line of the metro rail between the twin cities, will replace the current 12 routes on which they run, they said.

“The NMRC will be running a fleet of 50 feeder buses which will be plying on these new routes from March 15 (Friday),” NMRC executive director PD Upadhyay said. It is being done, to cater to all the operational metro stations of the Aqua Line in Noida and Greater Noida, he said. Of the 16 new routes, seven will be covering Noida area, three each for Greater Noida, Greater Noida West and another three between Noida and Greater Noida, the NMRC said in a statement.

Routes of buses providing last mile connectivity to Aqua Line metro stations

The seven routes in Noida include Sector 74 (Cape Town) to Sector 51 metro station, Sector 51 metro station to Sector 137 metro station, Sector 51 metro station to Sector 12/22 (Ring Route), Sector 51 metro station to Sector 32 (RTO Office), Sector 55/56 (Indian Oil Colony) to Sector 51 metro station, Sector 142 metro station to Sector 51 metro station and Sector 142 metro station to Botanical Garden metro station, it said.

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The three routes covering Greater Noida include Sharda University Outer Ring Route, metro’s Depot station (GNIDA) to Kasna, Dadri railway station to Gautam Buddha University via Kasna, the statement said. According to the NMRC, three routes which will be providing feeder bus service to Greater Noida West include Gaur City (Greater Noida West Sector 1) to Sector 51 metro station, Greater Noida West (ACE City) to Sector 51 metro station and Greater Noida West (Sampooranam) to Sector 51 metro station. Another three feeder buses will run on three routes between Noida and Greater Noida, including NSEZ metro station to Kasna via AWHO, NSEZ metro station to Dadri via Surajpur and Botanical Garden metro station to Depot station via Greater Noida Authority.

“These routes will be covering almost all the metro stations of the Aqua Line and their nearby areas. It will immensely benefit commuters, who have to rely on other modes of local transport to reach the nearest metro stations,” the NMRC said. “The areas covered by the new routes include prominent residential societies, hospitals, university campuses and important corporate and government offices that fall along the alignment of the NMRC metro corridor,” it said. The NMRC claimed that its air-conditioned buses are India’s first ‘true low-floor’ buses and are equipped with features like GPS, intelligence transport system, electronic ticketing machines, passenger information system, announcement and digital display, three CCTV cameras, panic button and accessibility for disabled people.

Parking facility to be available at 10 Aqua Line stations from March 4, 2019: NMRC

Parking facility for two-wheelers and four-wheelers will be made available to commuters at 10 stations of the Aqua Line, from March 4, 2019, with the parking charges starting from Rs 10

March 1, 2019: People will be able to park their vehicles on the premises of the 10 stations of the Noida-Greater Noida Aqua Line, from March 4, 2019, its operator Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) has announced. The stations at Sector 51, 76, 101, 81, 137, 142, Knowledge Park, Pari Chowk, Alpha 1 and Delta will be available for parking to the public, a senior official said.

“People will be given (Quick Response) QR-coded tickets for parking, which will be available for a charge,” NMRC executive director PD Upadhyay said.

Any four-wheeler will be charged Rs 20 for the first six hours, Rs 10 for every additional two hours and the maximum charge per day has been capped at Rs 40, he said. The parking rates for two-wheelers have been fixed at half the fare of four-wheelers, he added. A monthly parking pass for four-wheelers will cost Rs 800, while that for a two-wheeler will be available at Rs 400, Upadhyay said.

Impact of Aqua Line on Noida housing market

Aqua Line to boost housing demand in Noida, Greater Noida: Experts

The launch of the Noida-Greater Noida metro rail, also known as the Aqua Line, is likely to have a positive effect on real estate demand and prices in the region, say experts

January 28, 2019: Housing demand and prices may rise in Noida as well as Greater Noida, with the launch of a new metro rail service, linking the twin cities in western Uttar Pradesh, according to real estate developers and consultants. The new metro rail service, called Aqua line, covers a distance of 29.7 kms and has 15 stations in Noida and six in Greater Noida. “The upgrading of infrastructure due to metro connectivity, is expected to help in spurring the demand for residential units in the region. Also, it is expected to have a positive fallout on the commercial and retail segments, as well,” said Abhinav Joshi, head of research for CBRE India.

In the past also, Joshi said, metro lines have played a crucial role in uplifting the real estate profile of areas that it connects.

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Realtors’ body CREDAI said that sectors along the Noida Expressway, will have better connectivity now.

“Commuting will become easier from places like Noida Extension too. The market works on sentiment and the sentiment is positive in the real estate sector,” said Prashant Tiwari, president of CREDAI western UP. With improved infrastructure, he expects demand and rates for properties in Noida and Greater Noida region to get a big boost.

The new metro line has provided a great relief to home buyers of this area, said Deepak Kapoor, director, Gulshan Homz. Dhiraj Jain, director, Mahagun Group, said the benefit of the metro will be shared by both, the residents as well as the real estate sector.

“The inauguration of the Aqua Line will also hike the rates of the units by 20 per cent in the area, along with a boost in sales,” Jain said. Sagar Saxena, project head for Spectrum Metro, said several commercial and housing projects are being developed in sectors along the route of the Aqua Line. “This is a big day for the realty sector of Noida and Greater Noida,” he said.

Around 2006, several projects were launched in sectors 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 51 and 50, when the average rates at that time were approximately Rs 2,000 per sq ft, said Haris Murshid of Skydeck Infrastructure, a commercial property consultant. “Today, the rates in these sectors is approximately around Rs 4,500 per sq ft,” Murshid said, adding that there would be no immediate impact on prices. “Maybe, after 1.5 or two years, the impact will be seen. As of now, only rental prices may go up by five or six per cent,” he said.

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Public response to Aqua Line has been good, say Noida Metro officials

The Noida-Greater Noida Metro, which opened to the public on January 26, 2019, witnessed a total ridership of 11,625 passengers on day one, with officials expecting a major surge from Monday, January 28

January 26, 2019: The Noida-Greater Noida metro rail service, also known as the Aqua Line, was opened for citizens on Republic Day, January 26, 2019, with curtailed timings from 10 am to 5 pm, the Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) said. “Total ridership on the metro line stood at 11,625, with the highest number of passengers boarding from Pari Chowk and Depot Stations (also the terminus station at one end) in Greater Noida,” NMRC executive director P D Upadhyay said.

Upadhyay, who went on a ride on January 26, said the public’s response has been ‘good’, considering it was a holiday and the ridership is expected to go up in the coming week. “The service was open for seven hours only today. Monday onwards, as we begin full-fledged service from 6 am to 10 pm and offices, schools and colleges reopen, we are expecting more commuters to get on board,” he said.

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“Overall 266 smart cards and 11,440 QR-coded paper tickets were purchased by the passengers on day one,” he said. The sales of cards and tickets fetched the NMRC Rs 3.60 lakhs, Upadhyay said, adding that if top-up values in smart cards is included, then, the amount goes up to Rs 4.43 lakhs. The metro card, built in line with the central government’s initiative of a national common mobility card, which could be used for NMRC-run city buses, parking and online shopping, is being sold for Rs 100, he said.

“Total 64 trips were made by the metros between the two terminus stations of Depot (in Greater Noida) and Sector 51 (in Noida), covering a distance of 1,906 km,” he said. According to the NMRC, the highest ridership was witnessed at Pari Chowk, Alpha, Depot, and Delta stations in Greater Noida and Sectors 51, 137, 76, 101 and 50 stations. The lowest ridership was recorded at Noida’s Sector 147, 146 and 144 metro stations, it said. Full-fledged service on the route, built at a cost of Rs 5,503 crores, from 6 am to 10 pm, would begin from January 28, 2019, according to the NMRC.

Aqua Line Timeline

Noida-Greater Noida Metro inaugurated, to be opened to commuters from January 26, 2019

The 29-km-long Noida-Greater Noida metro, known as the Aqua Line, between Sector 71 station in Noida and the Depot Station in Greater Noida, has been inaugurated and will be thrown open to commuters from January 26, 2019

January 25, 2019: The much-awaited metro rail linking the twin-cities of Noida and Greater Noida in Gautam Buddh Nagar was inaugurated on January 25, 2019, by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath. The Noida-Greater Noida metro rail, also known as the Aqua Line, between Sector 51 station in Noida and the Depot Station in Greater Noida, will have 21 stations, spread over a distance of 29.7 kms.

“Today we dedicate the Noida-Greater Noida metro rail to the people of the region. The Aqua Line, which has been completed in record time, will provide better connectivity to the region and prove to a milestone in development of the region,” Adityanath said.

Senior officials of the Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) said that with its inauguration, the rail service would begin for citizens on Saturday (January 26) while regular rides from 6 am to 10 pm would begin Monday onwards (January 28, 2019). “On Saturday, rail services would begin at 10 am and continue till 5 pm, on Sunday the timings will be from 8 am to 10 pm. Monday onwards the regular rides will commence from 6 am to 10 pm, at an interval of 15 minutes each,” NMRC managing director and chief executive officer, Alok Tandon said.

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Adityanath, who took the inaugural ride from Sector 137 metro station to the Depot Station, said the Aqua Line would prove to be effective in making the region the ‘growth engine’ of the state and the country. “The most significant point, is that this metro project had got the centre’s approval in June 2017 and today, in January 2019, we are inaugurating it. This project’s completion in record time proves the efficiency of local authorities, as well as highlights the potential of Uttar Pradesh to become the growth engine of the country,” he said. The chief minister said the metro rail network in Ghaziabad would be soon expanded, while revised detailed project reports (DPRs) for metro rail in Agra, Meerut and Kanpur have been sent to the central government.

Noida-Greater Noida Metro: Lack of connectivity to Blue Line may deter commuters

Unavailability of connectivity between the soon-to-be-inaugurated Aqua Line with the Delhi Metro’s Blue Line, may keep away a majority of daily commuters who travel from Noida to the national capital, according to residents

January 24, 2019: While the Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath is scheduled to inaugurate the Noida-Greater Noida metro rail line (also known as the Aqua Line) on January 25, 2019, lack of connectivity between this line and the Delhi Metro’s Blue Line may deter commuters, say residents. “The inauguration of the Aqua Line is a half-baked project and may not serve the desired purpose, as it will not connect Noida with Delhi. Concerned authorities must provide connectivity of Aqua Line with Delhi Metro, so that more people can travel,” said Pankaj, a resident of Sector 137.

After alighting from the Aqua Line, one has to travel a few kilometres to take the Delhi Metro’s Blue Line at Noida City Centre metro station, he pointed out.

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“It is a badly conceived idea of not providing the connectivity. There has been a long pending demand of residents of Noida and Greater Noida, to connect the metro with the Blue line. I do not understand why there has been no connectivity between the Aqua Line and the Blue Line,” said Sanjeev Singh, another resident.

“The distance from Sector 51 to Noida City Centre is more than six to seven kilometres at least. How do the Noida Metro authorities expect commuters to cover this distance? The commuters would rather avoid taking the Aqua Line, till it gets connected to the Blue Line,” said Vivek, who works close to Noida Sector 142 metro station.

Noida Metro officials remained tight-lipped over the issue. “As of now there is no connectivity between the Aqua Line with the Blue Line,” a senior Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) official said, requesting anonymity. The Noida-Greater Noida rail corridor would run between Sector 51 in Noida and the Depot Station in Greater Noida.

Inauguration of Noida-Greater Noida metro line likely on Jan 25, 2019

The Noida-Greater Noida metro, also known as the Aqua Line, which will run between Sector 51 station in Noida and the Depot Station in Greater Noida, is likely to be inaugurated on January 25, 2019

January 18, 2019: The Noida-Greater Noida metro rail line is likely to be inaugurated on January 25, 2019, by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, the Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) said, on January 17, 2019. The rail corridor, also known as the Aqua Line, would run between Sector 51 station in Noida and the Depot Station in Greater Noida. There are a total of 21 stations on the corridor – 15 of them in Noida and six in Greater Noida – spread over a distance of 29.7 kms.

“The Noida-Greater Noida metro line’s inauguration will held most likely on January 25, by chief minister Yogi Adityanth,” NMRC executive director, PD Upadhyay said. He said the inaugural event would be held at the Depot Station, from where the chief minister would take a ride on the new metro up to Sector 142 station. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), which operates the Delhi Metro, will assist the NMRC over the next one year, in operating the Aqua Line.

Aqua Line Metro route and fares

The Aqua Line, which will have 19 rakes with four cars each, will halt on the Sector 76, 101, 81, NSEZ, Noida Sector 83, 137, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, and Greater Noida’s Knowledge Park II, Pari Chowk, Alpha 1, Delta 1, GNIDA Office and Depot metro stations. However, a major concern among the people has been that the interchange stations of the DMRC-operated Blue Line and the NMRC’s Aqua Line are not seamless. Commuters will have to get down at the Sector 52 metro station of the Blue Line, which will further get extended to the Noida Electronic City station and reach the Noida Sector 51 station of the Aqua Line, covering a stretch of around 200 metres. Earlier the NMRC had said that a skywalk or foot overbridge, to directly link the two stations, was under consideration.

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The NMRC had, in December 2018, announced fares for the Aqua Line, with minimum being Rs 9 and the maximum Rs 50. Commuters could buy QR-coded paper tickets or use smart cards, the officials had said. The trains are designed to run at a maximum speed of 80 kmph, clocking an average speed of 37.5 kmph. Seat reservation through different colours has been done in the coaches for ladies, senior citizens and differently abled persons. Dedicated space has been provided for wheelchair in driving trailer cars at both the ends of the trains, according to officials. The Aqua Line, whose construction started in May 2015 and was completed in record time, was initially expected to be opened to the public in November 2018 and then in December 2018.

NMRC invites bids for co-branding of 11 stations

The Noida Metro has asked various government organisations, PSUs and nationalised banks to submit bids, to acquire co-branding rights of the Aqua Line Metro stations

May 21, 2019: The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) has written to 33 government organisations, nationalised banks and public sector undertakings (PSUs), for bidding for co-branding rights of 11 of its stations – Noida Sector 76, Sector 101, Sector 81, NSEZ, Sector 83, Sector 143, Sector 144, Sector 145, Sector 146, Sector 147 and Depot Station, officials revealed, on May 20, 2019. “The main purpose behind writing to these government sector organisations, is to remove third-party mediation from a potential transaction with fellow government organisations and simplify the process,” the NMRC said.

“It was observed across many Indian metros that government organisations take the co-branding of metro stations from a third-party vendor, which resulted in government organisations paying a higher amount than required to the third party,” it said in a statement. It said the co-branding rights for the stations will be awarded to the organisation with the highest bid.

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Some of the organisations that the NMRC has written to include NTPC Ltd, ONGC, SAIL, BHEL, GAIL, NBCC, Engineers India Ltd, MTNL, Power Finance Corporation, Power Grid Corporation of India, Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited, Shipping Corporation of India and nationalised banks like State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank, Union Bank of India, Industrial Development Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank and Syndicate Bank. A meeting with these organisations has been scheduled on May 24, 2019, at 12.00 pm, at the NMRC’s headquarters in Noida, the statement read.

The Aqua Line comprises 21 stations, out of which co-branding rights for five stations have been awarded through open tender system to private parties (Sector 137, Sector 142, Knowledge Park-II, Pari Chowk and Alpha-1). The NMRC said it has shortlisted 11 stations from the remaining 16 stations, for inviting bids from government organisations, PSUs and nationalised banks. The remaining five stations – Noida Sector 51, Sector 50, Sector 148, Delta-1 and GNIDA Office – will be put up for co-branding through open tendering, it added.

“Total annual revenue earned by NMRC through co-branding for these five stations will be Rs 5.52 crores,” it said. “The co-branding rights for these stations have been given to the licencees for a period of 10 years and the licencees will be responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of these stations,” it added.

Noida Metro Rail gets safety clearance for launching services on the Aqua Line

The Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety has given his go-ahead, for launching of commercial operations on the Aqua Line of the Noida Metro, from Sector 71 in Noida to the Depot Station in Greater Noida

December 24, 2018: A final and mandatory safety inspection report, has given the Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) the approval to launch commercial operations of the Aqua Line, officials said, on December 21, 2018. With the approval, the NMRC has now written to the Uttar Pradesh government, to finalise the date of inauguration of the much-awaited Aqua Line that would run between Sector 71 station in Noida and the Depot Station in Greater Noida, covering 29.7 kms through 21 stations.

“The Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) report has been received and it has its sanction for the commercial operations of the metro service. The report also praised the civil and track work of the metro system,” NMRC’s executive director PD Upadhyay said. NMRC’s managing director has written to the state government, for finalising the date of inauguration, said Upadhyay.

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He also said the fares of the Aqua Line would be decided in the NMRC board meeting, scheduled on December 28, 2018. “Chairman Sanjay K Murthy, the additional secretary to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, will chair the meeting,” he added.

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