The Noida-Greater Noida Metro Rail line is expected to be inaugurated on Friday by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
“The Noida-Greater Noida metro line’s inauguration will be held most likely on January 25 by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath,” NMRC Executive Director P D Upadhyay had 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.
Stations
The rail corridor also known as the Aqua Line would run between Sector 51 station in Noida and the Depot Station in Greater Noida, covering 29.7 km.
There are a total of 21 stations on the corridor, 15 of them in Noida and six in Greater Noida.
It has been built at a cost of Rs 5,503 crore. It has one terminus at Theta (Sector 70) in Greater Noida. The corridor passes through Delta 1, Alpha 1 and 2, Pari Chowk and Knowledge Park 2, and will also connect Noida’s Sectors 149, 144, 137, 81 and 50.
For commuters who want to transfer to the Aqua Line can deboard at Sector 52 station of the Blue Line and board from Sector 51 station of the Aqua Line.
Fare
The minimum fare will be Rs 9 and the fare will be Rs 15 for travel extending beyond one station. Commuters travelling between three and six stations shall be charged Rs 20.
The fare slab for seven to nine stations is Rs 30 while those travelling up to 16 stations would be charged Rs 40. The maximum fare will be Rs 50 for passengers who commute more than 17 stations on Noida-Greater Noida corridor.
Compartments
The Aqua Line will have separate compartments for ladies, senior citizens and differently-abled persons. Each compartment will have a specific colour to differentiate between categories. Dedicated space for wheelchairs in the driving trailer cars, located at both the ends of the trains, will be allotted as well, news agency PTI reported.
The trains are designed to run at a maximum speed of 80 kmph, clocking an average speed of 37.5 kmph.
The Aqua Line corridor, however, has not been linked with the Delhi Metro at any point, making seamless connectivity with the latter difficult. While the new line will make it easier for people to reach Noida from Greater Noida, commuters will have to change station and get new tokens or use another card for boarding the Delhi Metro.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation will operate the line for first one year and then the operations would be handed over to the Noida Metro Rail Corporation.
(With agency inputs)