Noida: Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) has increased the frequency of Aqua Line trains during peak hours and extended late-night services from Sunday to meet rising passenger demand. The interval between peak-hour trains has been cut from seven minutes 30 seconds to six minutes 35 seconds, while the last train from Sector 51 towards Depot station will now leave at 11.25pm instead of 10pm. The first train continues to depart at 6am from Monday to Saturday and at 8am on Sundays.NMRC general manager Anjenee Kumar said the corporation had announced the measures last week to improve passenger convenience and implemented them from Sunday.The move follows Aqua Line’s highest-ever single-day ridership of 1,05,358 passengers on Oct 23. NMRC attributed the rise to several passenger-friendly initiatives, including the skywalk connecting Sector 51 and Sector 52 metro stations, QR-code-based ticketing and National Common Mobility Card (NCMC). Average daily ridership rose from 73,298 in Aug to 83,403 in Sept. Oct’s average is yet to be compiled.The skywalk was opened to the public on Aug 28, coinciding with Raksha Bandhan, and formally inaugurated on Oct 4. It allows commuters to interchange between the two stations without having to navigate the encroached subway at ground level.Meanwhile, NMRC is pursuing other infrastructure projects to increase its non-fare revenue. It has invited Expressions of Interest (EoI) for the commercial development of Plot FC-04 in Sector 94, adjacent to Okhla Bird Sanctuary metro station, under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. Spread over 44,151 sqm, the plot has a permissible floor area ratio (FAR) of 4.5 and is suitable for a shopping mall or commercial complex.The selected developer will design, construct and manage the project at its own cost, and will also have to build and maintain parking space for 800 cars for visitors and metro users. The proposed lease period is up to 40 years, including a three-year construction moratorium. Applications can be submitted until Nov 6 at 3pm.On the expansion front, NMRC selected Larsen & Toubro (L&T) in Aug to construct two metro corridors: a 2.6-km extension from Depot station to Boraki and an 11.56-km stretch between Botanical Garden and Sector 142. The detailed project report (DPR) for a third corridor, an 8.4-km extension from Sector 51 to Sector 4 in Greater Noida West with five stations, is awaiting Union cabinet approval.
