Transforming Connectivity: Inauguration of the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS)

• Inaugural Section: The Prime Minister flagged off the first 17km priority section of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor.
• Stations on Route: Sahibabad, Ghaziabad Guldhar, Duhai and Duhai depot will be the first five stations of the first phase.
• Name of the Train: The RRTS train has been named as “Namo Bharat”.
• Train Frequency: The frequency of trains will initially be 15 minutes and can be increased to every 5 minutes.

What is the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS)?

• About: Delhi-Meerut corridor is a new rail-based, semi-high-speed, high-frequency commuter transit system, for intercity commuting.
• Connectivity Corridors in NCR: A total of eight RRTS corridors have been identified, out of which the Delhi – Ghaziabad – Meerut Corridor; Delhi – Gurugram – SNB – Alwar Corridor; and Delhi – Panipat Corridor will be prioritized in the first phase.
• Namo Bharat Train:  The train has been designed and manufactured indigenously, with a designed speed potential of 180 kmph and an operational speed potential of 160 kmph.
• Authority: National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), a joint venture between the Centre and the governments of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, will be in charge of carrying out the RRTS projects.

Significance of RRTS: Driving Sustainable Urban Growth

• Seamless Connectivity: It will be integrated with various modes of transport like Airports, Railway Stations, Inter-State Bus Terminals, Delhi Metro Stations etc, providing seamless connectivity.
• Deurbanisation in Delhi: With fast connectivity with satellite towns, the urbanization burden in the UT of Delhi will reduce.
• Reduction in Emission: It will reduce usage of fossil fuel powered vehicles for ferrying people from outskirts to the city.
  • PM 2.5, Nitrogen Oxide, Hydrocarbons and Monoxide Air pollutants will be reduced significantly.  
• Increase in Public Transport: The RRTS will increase the share of public transport from 37% to 63% in the region, resulting in a reduction in traffic.
  • Once completely operational, the project could potentially take one lakh passenger vehicles off the roads.
• Time Taken: The total time taken to travel from Sarai Kale Khan station in Delhi to Meerut’s Modipuram will be less than an hour. Similarly, other routes will also observe reduction in travel time.
• Traffic Decongestion: Namo Bharat trains will provide a comfortable alternative to road travel as well as decongest Delhi’s roads.

Delhi-Meerut RRTS: Fast, Sustainable Connectivity

• Total Length: The Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor will have a total length of 82-km long, with 22 stations. Only a 17 km priority stretch will be opened.
• Time Taken: With an average speed of more than 100 kmph, the corridor will link Delhi to Meerut in less than an hour of travel time.
• Total Cost: It is being developed at a cost of more than Rs 30,000 crore.
• Funding: Government of India has borrowed about $1 billion from Asian Development Bank (ADB), $500 million from New Development Bank (NDB) and $500 million from Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
  • Apart from that, the Government of India will fund 20%, Government of Delhi 3.22%, and Government of Uttar Pradesh 16.78%.

Namo Bharat Trains: Modern, Inclusive, and Secure

• The trains used for Regional Rapid Transit System will be named as Namo Bharat. 
  • National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) had previously named it RapidX.
• Development: The train-set has been designed by the French coach manufacturer Alstom in its engineering center in Hyderabad. It has been produced at Alstom plant in Gujarat.
• Features of Namo Bharat:
  • Passenger Seating: There will be a total of six coaches with seats in 2 by 2 configuration. The standard coach has a total of 72 seats and the premium coach has 62 seats.
  • One train can carry 1,700 passengers, including sitting and standing.
  • Coaches: There are three types of coaches: a general coach, a premium coach and a coach reserved for women.
  • Passenger Facilities:  Each coach is equipped with luggage racks, CCTV cameras, emergency talkback buttons, information screens for passengers and Wi-Fi. Every passenger seat will contain charging ports.
  • Security: Each coach will be equipped with 24X7 CCTV cameras for monitoring, along with issuing alerts regarding any unauthorized entry, unclaimed luggage, and overcrowding
  • Disabled-friendly: The last coach of the trains will have designated space for wheelchairs and stretchers.

Conclusion:

The RRTS provides high-speed trains for intercity commuting, thereby reducing burden on road infrastructure and also reducing pollution. It also paves way for modernisation of the transport system in the country.