First train of Noida-Gr Noida Metro reaches NMRC depot

GREATER NOIDA: Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) on Thursday achieved a landmark among infrastructure projects in Noida and Greater Noida, after it took delivery of the first train that will run along the 29.7 km Noida-Greater Noida Metro Aqua Line corridor on Thursday.

The coaches arrived from China at the depot located near Kasna in Greater Noida early Thursday morning.

According to NMRC officials, the Aqua Line will support 76 coaches. A total of 19 trains will run between Noida and Greater Noida, of which 11 will run in the first phase.

Each train will have four coaches, with each coach costing around Rs 4 crore.

NMRC officials said that the number of trains and their coaches will be tweaked to as per commuter traffic.

"The first batch of the long awaited Noida-Greater Noida metro corridor has arrived. More coaches are en route and expected to arrive shortly.

"Trials at the Metro track will start in January and we are making all possible efforts so that the project does not miss its proposed deadline of April 2018," said PD Upadhyay, General Manager (Finance), NMRC.

Highlighting the features of the new Metro, an NMRC official said, "The coaches are lightweight and made of stainless steel and aluminium. Each train will be equipped with a passenger information system, a passenger announcement system and an emergency announcement system from the operation control centre of the train".

Officials further said that the seating capacity of each train will be 186 passengers, while the standing capacity will be 848 passengers, taking the total capacity of each train to 1,034 passengers.

There will also be special dark Aqua coloured seats for women, senior citizens and differently-abled persons. Each coach will have 16 such seats, with a total of 64 in each train.

The coaches had for long been waiting at the harbour, after they arrived in India, because of financial issues.

However, last month, both Noida and Greater Noida authorities released funds to ensure transfer of Metro rail coaches to Greater Noida.

The National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) also disbursed a Rs 200 crore loan, which gave a boost to the Metro project.