Expect one smart card for all modes of transport in Noida soon

Smart CardThe Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) has mooted ‘One City, One Ticket’ plan for Noida city. If the scheme is implemented, commuters will be spared the trouble of having separate tickets or smart cards for various modes of public transport.

The NMRC officials are said to be working on the modalities of the plan for making commuting easier in the twin cities of Noida and Greater Noida by bus, Delhi Metro and Noida Metro.

According to sources in NMRC, a city bus service is expected to be launched by April 2016, and it is important to ensure a seamless journey for commuters, who use different modes of transport. Details of how the integrated mobility plan will be implemented were reportedly discussed at a meeting on January 13.

Finer details on revenue sharing with DMRC were deliberated upon at the meeting. A formal proposal will now be drafted and a technical consultant appointed afterwards to take the plan ahead by the month-end, said an official privy to the developments.

He added that appointment of a fare collection agency was also discussed. “We’ve studied the pattern being followed by DTC and are considering appointment of DIMTS to create a centralised IT control for the city bus service.”

The city bus service will launch operations by March 2016 with a 100-bus fleet. More buses could be added later. This service will be separate from the state transport buses. Thirty buses will ply in Noida, 20 in Greater Noida and 30 between the two cities. Another 20 buses will be used for a feeder service to Metro stations. A bus depot in Sector 82, Noida, is being built to accommodate the buses.

The Wednesday’s meeting discussed at length the feasibility of parking lots at all the 21 stations along the Noida-Greater Noida Metro corridor.