In 5th year, Noida's Aqua Line to give free cards for 10 days

NOIDA: Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) will give free smart cards to commuters on the Aqua Line for 10 days from January 26-February 4, officials said. The smart card for Aqua Line costs Rs 100.
NMRC would celebrate Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav-75 years of India's Independence-and its fourth anniversary of the successful commercial operation of Aqua Line through the initiative, Ritu Maheshwari, managing director of NMRC, said in a press statement.
Organised in collaboration with the State Bank of India (SBI), commuters would get SBI co-branded CITY1 cards under the initiative. "We request commuters to participate actively and take maximum benefits from the campaign, which would also promote the digital India campaign and increase card use," Maheshwari said.
Officials said the initiative is also likely to increase the Aqua Line ridership. An NMRC spokesperson, Nisha Wadhwan, said, "Currently, Aqua Line has 1.3 lakh smart card users. We will give free smart cards to commuters from January 26, which will help people commute hassle-free and also increase ridership."
NMRC envisages a unified single card-based multi-modal transport ticketing system, so people can use the same card for ticketing in feeder buses and taxis boarded through the NMRC app for a seamless commuting experience within the city.
The Aqua Line connects Noida Sector 51 to Depot station in Greater Noida, with its services starting at 6 am and continuing till 10.45 pm. Train frequency is 7 minutes 30 seconds during peak hours and 10 minutes for the rest of the time on weekdays. The Aqua Line has 21 stations; Rs 10 is the minimum fare, and Rs 50 IS the maximum. The NMRC gives nearly 20% discounts for commuting on Sundays and national holidays.
Besides the smart cards, tickets can be purchased using the NMRC mobile app and at ticket counters. Wadhwan said the NMRC installed two ticket vending machines at the Sector 51 station and one at the Knowledge Park station. "People can scan the QR code to pay and get a ticket. It helps in case they do not have change and also puts an end to long queues at ticket counters," Wadhwan said.
On Monday, the Aqua Line recorded 56,168 ridership, the highest yet. On November 30 last year, it recorded 52,696 ridership, the second highest for a day. It recorded an average daily footfall of 30,394 last year.