Ghaziabad: Since its launch in October 2023, the Uttar Pradesh section of the Delhi-Meerut RRTS (Namo Bharat) train services has been used by over 5 million commuters. NCRTC officials expect ridership to increase further once the 42km UP section is linked to the 13km Delhi section from Sahibabad to New Ashok Nagar.
Delhi Section of RRTS Nears Completion with Underground Station at Anand Vihar
Officials stated that the Delhi section of the RRTS will feature an underground station at Anand Vihar, with final safety inspections currently in progress. The CMRS team has already inspected the site, and the process is nearing completion. Additionally, the first tunnel between Sahibabad and Anand Vihar is almost finished, making Anand Vihar the first underground station.
The Delhi-Meerut RRTS project, estimated to cost Rs 30,274 crore, aims to connect Delhi, Ghaziabad, and Meerut via an 82 km network. The trains, which can reach speeds of up to 180 km/h, will cover the 100 km distance in around an hour. Once fully operational by June 2025, the RRTS is expected to serve about eight lakh passengers daily.
RRTS Ridership Grows as Phased Launch Progresses Toward Full Operation by 2025
Puneet Vats, Chief PRO of NCRTC, stated that safety inspections are nearly complete, and efforts are being made to ensure the Ghaziabad-Delhi section starts operations soon. Currently, 42 km of the 82 km stretch is operational. The phased launch began with the 17 km Sahibabad to Duhai section on October 23, 2023, followed by the 17 km Duhai to Modinagar (north) section on March 6, 2024, and the 17 km Modinagar to Meerut (south) section on August 18, 2024.
As new sections were added, the daily ridership grew from 10,000-12,000 to 24,000-25,000. The entire system, including connections to Sarai Kale Khan and Modipuram, is expected to be fully operational by June 2025. Additionally, there are plans to connect Ghaziabad to the Noida International Airport in Jewar.
