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With NH-58 heavily restricted during the Kanwar Yatra, the RRTS has emerged as a vital transport lifeline, offering commuters a reliable alternative
The train operation on the Delhi-Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor began in October 2023 with the 17-km priority section between Sahibabad and Duhai Depot.(News18 Hindi)
India’s first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), known as the Namo Bharat, has crossed the milestone of 1.25 crore passenger rides, even before the entire 82-km Delhi–Meerut corridor becomes fully operational. Currently, the high-speed service is running on a 55-km stretch, covering 11 stations between New Ashok Nagar in Delhi and Meerut South in Meerut.
The train operation on the Delhi-Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor began in October 2023 with the 17-km priority section between Sahibabad and Duhai Depot. The corridor expanded further in 2024, adding more stations and increasing frequency.
The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) on Tuesday said that the Namo Bharat service is fast emerging as the preferred and reliable mode of transit for commuters across the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor.
“Offering a safe, fast, and convenient travel experience in every season, be it summer, winter, monsoon, or spring, Namo Bharat is steadily gaining the trust of passengers seeking efficient regional connectivity,” the agency building the corridor said.
Kanwar Yatra Further Boosts Ridership
The NCRTC said that before the operations of Namo Bharat services up to Meerut South station last year, travelling between Delhi and Meerut, especially during the Kanwar Yatra and monsoon season, posed significant challenges.
With NH-58 heavily restricted during the Kanwar Yatra, the RRTS has emerged as a vital transport lifeline, offering commuters a reliable alternative.
“With the commencement of this modern transit system, commuters now have a dependable alternative. This growing confidence is reflected in the consistent increase in ridership, recently crossing the milestone of 1.25 crore rides,” it said.
While road commuters face delays and diversions, Namo Bharat commuters are reaching their destinations smoothly and on time, the NCRTC added.
The milestone is notable, considering the corridor served just 40 lakh riders in its first year, by October 2024, reaching 50 lakh by December 2024, before doubling in the following months.
It was on October 21, 2023, that the first passenger service on the priority section of the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (Delhi-Meerut RRTS) began. This is the first-of-its-kind train service in India connecting Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut.
Last month, News18 reported that the entire 82-km section of the Delhi-Meerut RRTS will soon be connected with trains after a successful trial on the route.
The full-length timetable trial run of Namo Bharat trains was held between Sarai Kale Khan and Modipuram. The journey took less than 60 minutes. This marks a significant operational milestone in the implementation of India’s first Namo Bharat corridor, connecting Delhi, Ghaziabad, and Meerut. It is expected to drastically cut travel time between Delhi and Meerut to under an hour.
Nivedita Singh is a data journalist and covers the Election Commission, Indian Railways and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. She has nearly seven years of experience in the news media. She tweets @nived…Read More
Nivedita Singh is a data journalist and covers the Election Commission, Indian Railways and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. She has nearly seven years of experience in the news media. She tweets @nived… Read More
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