Now, commuting on Noida Metro Aqua Line to be faster! The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) has decided to introduce “fast trains” in a bid to reduce the travel time of Aqua Line commuters. These fast trains will skip metro stations having low ridership during peak hours. NMRC Managing Director Ritu Maheshwari was quoted in a PTI report saying that the initiative will be implemented in February. Noida Metro Aqua Line trains starting from terminal stations (Sector 51 and Depot metro stations) from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM and from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM on weekdays i.e., Monday to Friday will be fast trains, Maheshwari said.
According to the NMRC Managing Director, of the total 21 metro stations on the Aqua Line, 10 metro stations will be skipped by these fast train services during peak hours. The Noida Metro stations which will be skipped are Sector 50, Sector 81, Sector 83, Sector 101, Sector 143, Sector 144, Sector 145, Sector 146, Sector 147 as well as Sector 148 metro stations, she further said. QR tickets will not be sold to commuters at these metro stations and for these stations during running hours of these fast trains, the MD added.
According to the NMRC chief, the Aqua Line’s average run time from Sector 51 station to Depot station and vice versa (one way) is 45 minutes 43 seconds. Now, it will be reduced to 36 minutes 40 seconds, thereby saving approximately 9 minutes of travel time for the Aqua Line passengers. Also, the travel time between Sector 51 station highest ridership) and Pari Chowk station (second highest ridership), which is 37 minutes at present, will also become 28 minutes 30 seconds with the skipping of metro stations.
However, the train frequency will remain the same i.e., 7.5 minutes during peak hours and 10 minutes in non-peak hours from Monday to Friday. On weekends i.e., on Saturdays and Sundays, the trains on Aqua Line will continue to run at a frequency of 15 minutes with no skipping of metro stations.
Meanwhile, NMRC is also making adequate efforts to create awareness among the general public regarding the schedule of Noida Metro fast trains and the metro stations that will be skipped. At all the metro stations of the Aqua Line, signages will be displayed indicating the timings of normal and fast trains as well as the list of stations that will be skipped. Besides, regular announcements will also be made in this regard inside the metro stations and the trains.
