Several Noida Metro commuters are reportedly suffering due to the Aqua Line metro skipping 10 stations during peak hours. On Saturday, office bearers of residents’ groups held a protest against the Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC), according to a PTI report. The protesters said that among the metro stations that are skipped by Noida Metro train during peak durations i.e., from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM and from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM on weekdays are Sector 101 and Sector 50 metro stations. With an aim to reduce the travel time between terminus stations in Noida and Greater Noida by nine minutes, fast trains were started by the NMRC from 8 February 2020, which skip certain low-ridership metro stations during peak hours.
On Saturday, nearly three dozen people, including office-bearers of residents’ bodies like the Noida Federation of Apartment Owners Association, the Noida Extension Flat Owners Welfare Association and social activists, staged a protest at the Sector 101 metro station, demanding a rollback of the move. The metro stations that are skipped during peak hours are Sector 50, Sector 81, Sector 83, Sector 101, Sector 143, Sector 144, Sector 145, Sector 146, Sector 147 and Sector 148.
NOFAA president Rajiva Singh was quoted in the report saying that a nine-minute faster metro ride does not give any major advantage to passengers but it definitely causes inconvenience to those whose stations are being skipped. Singh further said that many residents of high-rise apartments have purchased flats considering the closeness of the metro station. During peak hours, there are many women commuters, students and senior citizens who have to bear the brunt of this decision, Singh added.
According to General Secretary of NEFOWA, Shweta Bharti, people have been raising the issue for the past few days but there has been no response from the concerned officials. Now Noida Metro does not halt at key metro stations like Sector 101 and Sector 50 during peak hours. Bharti further said that there are many residential societies in the vicinity of these metro stations where commuters are facing issues because now they have to go to other stations. In the coming days, the problem would amplify as offices and schools are reopening after a break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she added.
Besides, it was also alleged by the protestors that they were not permitted to travel from Sector 101 station to Sector 50 station by the metro train where they wanted to hand over a memorandum to NMRC officials and discuss the issue with them.