India’s first regional rapid rail service opens to public

A part of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), India’s first rapid rail corridor, was opened to the public on Friday. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off a RapidX train, named Namo Bharat, connecting Sahibabad on the outskirts of Delhi to Duhal in Uttar Pradesh. 

“This is a historic moment for the country. Today, India’s first rapid rail services – Namo Bharat – have begun,” Modi said in Sahibabad.

The 17-km priority section of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor connects Sahibabad to ‘Duhai Depot’, with stations at Ghaziabad, Guldhar, and Duhai on the way. Work on the corridor began on 8 March 2019.

RRTS is a fast train service designed for travel between cities. The trains can go as fast as 180 kmph and usually run every 15 minutes. If needed, these can run as often as every 5 minutes.

A total of eight RRTS corridors have been identified to be developed in the National Capital Region (NCR), out of which three have been prioritized in the first phase: Delhi – Ghaziabad – Meerut; Delhi – Gurugram – SNB – Alwar; and Delhi – Panipat. 

The 82-km Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS is being developed at a cost of more than ₹30,000 crore ($3.6 billion). It will connect Delhi to Meerut in less than an hour and pass through the urban centers of Ghaziabad, Muradnagar, and Modinagar.

The RRTS network will have extensive multi-modal integration with railway stations, metro stations, and bus services. 

“Such transformative regional mobility solutions will boost economic activity in the region; provide improved access to employment, education and healthcare opportunities; and help in significant reduction of vehicular congestion and air pollution,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.