Last Updated:
The Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), also called Namo Bharat trains, will be available to the public at a frequency of 15 minutes
With this inauguration, the operational stretch of the Namo Bharat Corridor will expand to 55 kilometres, with a total of 11 stations. (PTI)
It sounds like a dream to commute from Delhi to Meerut via Ghaziabad in less than an hour, even during non-peak hours. However, from Sunday evening, the smooth ride will be a reality as the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), also called Namo Bharat trains, will be available to the public at a frequency of 15 minutes.
The fare from New Ashok Nagar Station, the first operational station going from Delhi to Meerut, to Meerut South will be Rs 150 for standard coach and Rs 225 for premium coach, an official statement announced on Saturday. The minimum fare in standard coach starts from Rs 20 and goes up to Rs 150 for a single trip while in the premium coach, it ranges between Rs 30 and Rs 225.
So far, the RRTS train services, which were first started in 2023, were only available between Meerut and Ghaziabad. The 42-km stretch of the corridor between Sahibabad and Meerut South has nine stations.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate an additional 13-km section of the Delhi-Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor between Sahibabad and New Ashok Nagar, marking a significant development in regional connectivity. With this inauguration, Namo Bharat Trains will arrive in Delhi, ushering in a new chapter of high-speed mobility options for the Capital.
With this inauguration, the operational stretch of the Namo Bharat Corridor will expand to 55 kilometres, with a total of 11 stations. Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, while speaking to the media on Saturday, said Delhi has contributed Rs 1,260 crore to this project. “These projects will not only reduce travel time but also accelerate regional economic growth,” she said.
After the PM’s inauguration, the passenger operations will commence from 5pm on January 5. The trains will be available to the public at a frequency of 15 minutes.
“With the commencement of operations on this section, Meerut city is now directly connected to the national capital, Delhi, through Namo Bharat. This will reduce travel time by one-third, enabling commuters to travel from New Ashok Nagar to Meerut South in just under 40 minutes,” the statement from National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) reads.
Last week, News18 had reported that the train service has served over 50 lakh commuters, highlighting their popularity and impact.
Sahibabad-New Ashok Nagar Sections
Of the 13-km section, six kilometres is underground and includes a prominent station on the corridor — Anand Vihar — the first station while entering Delhi from Meerut. This marks the first time that Namo Bharat trains will operate in an underground section. The other station on this stretch is an elevated station at New Ashok Nagar. Both stations are located in Delhi.
While the travel time to reach Meerut South from New Ashok Nagar is less than 40 minutes, from Anand Vihar, it is just 35 minutes.
The Anand Vihar station is one of the largest stations on the corridor and offers Multi-Modal Integration between the existing six modes of public transport in the area. These include two ISBTs at Swami Vivekananda (Anand Vihar) and Kaushambi, two corridors of Metro (Pink and Blue Line), Anand Vihar Railway Station, apart from the City Bus Stand.
Through this station, commuters from Meerut and Delhi will be able to travel seamlessly to any corner of the country by metro, ISBT, and railway station. Separate entry and exit gates, along with FoB facilities, have been provided at the station to ensure seamless, convenient, and safe travel for commuters.
“For the convenience of commuters, Anand Vihar station has been built at a depth of just eight meters below ground level. To make the corridor possible at such a depth, it has been constructed beneath the basement of the metro lines passing through Anand Vihar. This is a complex task from the perspective of construction and civil engineering, but NCRTC, committed to passenger convenience, has made it possible by using new technologies, strategic planning, and innovative methods,” the statement added.
As a special arrangement for the movement of vehicles and pedestrians at this station, three bridges have been built over the Ghazipur drain. Two of these bridges are to be used for vehicle entry and exit, while one is exclusively for pedestrians.
This station will provide convenience to commuters coming from nearby areas like Shrestha Vihar, Ramprastha, Brij Vihar, and Surajmal Vihar, as well as from different parts of Delhi and the country.
On the other hand, New Ashok Nagar station is the first elevated station in Delhi. It crosses the New Ashok Nagar metro station at a height of 20 meters. Construction at such a height above an already existing and operational metro station, without disrupting service, is a significant achievement from an engineering perspective. This station is connected to the Blue Line of Delhi Metro through a 90-meter-long FOB.
Two entry-exit gates have been constructed for the convenience of commuters from nearby areas such as New Ashok Nagar, Mayur Vihar, Vasundhara, and Chilla Village.
In Delhi, the services are planned till Sarai Kale Khan and the work is underway between the section beyond New Ashok Nagar. In Meerut also, the tracks will go till Modipuram. On both these sides, work is progressing at a rapid pace, the statement added.
Covering 82 km, the Delhi–Ghaziabad–Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor originates at Sarai Kale Khan in New Delhi and terminates at Modipuram in Meerut. It features 16 stations along with nine additional stations for the Meerut Metro, making it a comprehensive and transformative regional transit solution.
Once the entire Delhi-Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor becomes operational, it is projected to remove over one lakh private vehicles from the roads and reduce carbon emissions by 2.5 lakh tonnes annually.
