Suggest a nickname for Aqua Line, Noida Metro’s new MD asks public

The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) is likely to give a nickname for the 29.7km long Aqua Line between Noida and Greater Noida.

Newly appointed managing director of the NMRC Dr Lokesh M on Wednesday said the Aqua Line should get a new name and sought suggestions from the general public.

The new MD also directs the staff to take effective measures to increase profit through non-fare revenue streams and also work towards offering ease to commuters by introducing last-mile connectivity.

“We will soon issue an advertisement inviting suggestions from the general public about what should be the nickname for the Aqua Line. We want people to suggest some Indian names or indigenous names related to the local culture or something with which residents can relate with or feel emotionally connected to. The basic idea is that people must own the Noida Metro and feel connected,” said Lokesh M, who took over as MD on Tuesday.

He also directed the staff to work towards introducing e-rickshaws from each Metro station to nearby residential or commercial areas besides starting the city bus service.

“The idea behind providing last mile connectivity is that the commuters travel via this Metro with complete ease. E-rickshaw is one of the workable last mile connectivity modes. Apart from that, we can also run a city bus service comprising electric buses,” said Lokesh M.

He has also asked the staff to focus on a non-fare profit model that include earnings from selling public space for advertising, renting out commercial space at Metro stations and running parking facilities, among others.

The Aqua Line spans 29.7km with 21 stations between Noida’s Sector 51 and Depot Station in Greater Noida. It was built for ₹5,503 crore, according to officials.

In July, Noida Metro witnessed its highest ridership of 88,646 when a religious gathering of a self styled god man attracted devotees to Greater Noida. Earlier, a ridership of 50,231 was recorded on October 17, 2022, the NMRC said. The previous single-day highest ridership figure was logged on October 14, 2022, at 48,852, the NMRC said in a statement.

“We can increase the number of riders only if we provide better last-mile connectivity to our users and to make that happen we need to introduce the e-rickshaws and buses,” said Lokesh M.