Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the priority section of Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) Corridor in Sahibabad on October 20.
PM Modi flagged off the Namo Bharat RapidX train on a 17-km stretch connecting Sahibabad to Duhai Depot.
The priority section, between Sahibabad and Duhai Depot, has five stations — Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar, Duhai and Duhai Depot.
Trains will be operational between 6 am and 11 pm. Initially, trains will be available every 15 minutes, though the frequency can be increased on a requirement basis in the future.
Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS)
• The National Capital Region (NCR) is among the world’s largest urban agglomerations and a major economic center of India.
• Rapid growth in vehicular traffic has made NCR one of the most polluted regions in the world. By 2030, NCR is projected to become the most populous urban agglomeration in the world, which will increase pressure on basic infrastructure such as housing, water supply, electricity and transport.
• The idea of a high-speed integrated commuter railway network to connect NCR was first mooted in 1998-99 in a study commissioned by Indian Railways.
• The Planning Commission formed a Task Force in 2005 to develop a multimodal transit system for NCR. This was included in the Integrated Transport Plan for NCR 2032 with special emphasis on Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) connecting regional centres.
• The Task Force identified eight corridors and prioritised three corridors namely Delhi-Meerut, Delhi-Panipat and Delhi-Alwar for implementation.
• The National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) subsequently took up the study leading to signing of MoU and incorporation of NCRTC.
• The foundation stone for the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Corridor was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 8, 2019.
• The RRTS corridor is being built by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), a joint venture company of the Centre with the governments of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
• The Delhi-Meerut RRTS network is the first of three priority rail corridors in the country’s integrated transport network. The other two are Delhi-Alwar RRTS and Delhi-Panipat RRTS.
• The RRTS is a new rail-based, semi-high-speed, high-frequency commuter transit system with a design speed of 180 kmph, and operational speed potential of 160 kmph.
• RRTS is different from metro as it caters to passengers looking to travel a relatively longer distance with fewer stops and at higher speed.
• The objective of the Project is to develop an efficient and sustainable regional transport system to reduce congestion in Delhi, by offering people the alternative of settling in surrounding cities and being able to commute to Delhi through a fast, reliable, safe and comfortable public transport system.
• RRTS will act as the transportation backbone for the region, while ensuring a balanced and sustainable urban development.
• The RRTS will use advanced, high technology signalling systems based on latest standards and will have multimodal hubs to ensure smooth interchange with other transport modes.
• The design of the stations consider the needs of the elderly, women, children, and differently abled.
Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Corridor
• Due to lack of efficient public transport options, the number of private vehicles in NCR has increased. The daily passenger traffic along the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor in NCR is estimated at 0.69 million, of which 63 per cent utilise private vehicles for commuting.
• The Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS Corridor passes through one of the most densely populated sections of the NCR.
• Starting from Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi, the corridor will go up to Modipuram in north of Meerut city, joining many urban nodes such as Anand Vihar, Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Murad Nagar, Modi Nagar together with high speed connectivity.
• The entire 82.15 km corridor is targeted to be operational by June 2025.
• Once fully operational, the corridor would cut down the travel time between Delhi and Meerut to around 55 minutes from the current three to four hours by road.
• The Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor is being developed at a cost of more than Rs 30,000 crore.
Namo Bharat RapidX train
• Trains of the RRTS are known as Namo Bharat RapidX.
• Every Namo Bharat RapidX train will have six coaches, including a premium coach. One coach in every train is reserved for women and it is the coach next to the premium coach. Seats in coaches are serially numbered.
• There are also reserved seats for women, the specially-abled, and senior citizens in other coaches.
• Premium coaches have a seat with a different colour code, a provision for installing a vending machine, besides a host of additional commuter-centric features such as reclining seats, coat hooks, magazine holders and footrests.
• Entry to a premium-class coach will be through a gated premium lounge at platforms. Every lounge has cushioned seats and a vending machine.
• A one-way journey from Sahibabad to Duhai Depot station on the priority section of this RRTS corridor will cost Rs 50, while the fare for the same route will be Rs 100 in a premium-class coach.
• The commuters can buy a paper QR code-based ticket, which can be generated via ticket vending machines (TVM) or bought from ticket counters at stations.
• Unified Payments Interface or UPI-enabled ticket vending machines have been installed to purchase paper QR code-based tickets and recharge the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC).
• CCTV cameras, an emergency door-opening mechanism and a button to communicate with a train operator are among the safety features in trains.
• A push-button facility on the doors of the trains will allow passengers to board and get off the train when it halts at a station. The push-button only gets activated after a train comes to a halt at a station.
• However, initially, the door operation in coaches will be done automatically, and train attendants and ground staff will assist passengers till they fully get used to this system.
