Noida Metro ridership highest since Covid lockdown ended

NOIDA: With 26,554 passengers, the Noida-Greater Noida Metro has achieved its highest single-day ridership post the Covid-19 lockdown, while the average daily ridership stands at nearly 17,000, officials said on Tuesday.

The feat was achieved on Monday (November 15), said Ritu Maheshwari, managing director of Noida Metro Rail Corporation’s (NMRC). The previous single-day highest ridership was recorded at 22,996 on October 20 this year, said the NMRC. Noida Sector 51 had the highest footfall of 10,035 passengers.

“The NMRC is taking all necessary measures to ensure a safe journey for Aqua Line commuters, like passenger screening at the station entrance and proper sanitisation of all passenger circulation areas in trains and stations... This has inculcated confidence amongst the passengers. Due to which Aqua Line ridership has shown continuous growth in the last few months and the NMRC achieved its post lockdown highest single-day ridership of 26,554 passengers on Monday (November 15),” Maheshwari said in a statement.

In pre-pandemic times, the

NMRC was having a monthwise average daily ridership of 25,920 passengers in February 2020.

The NMRC passenger services were suspended according to the government guidelines from March 22 to September 6 last year, in the first lockdown and May 1 to June 8 this year in the second lockdown. After resuming train services on June 9, 2021, post-second lockdown, the daily average ridership reduced to 4,904 passengers.

For better monitoring of passengers, openings of Metro station entry/exit gates, and operation of lifts, were curbed.

Regarding station entrance, both exit and entry gates will be kept open at the 10 stations of Sector 50, Sector 51, Sector 76, Sector 83, Sector 137, Sector 142, NSEZ, Knowledge Park-II, Pari Chowk and the Depot station, the NMRC said. However, only one station exit and entry gate will be kept open at the remaining 11 stations of Sector 81, Sector 101, Sector 143, Sector 144, Sector 145, Sector 146, Sector 147, Sector 148, Alpha 1, Delta 1 and GNIDA Office, it added.