Prime Minister Narendra Modi flags off the RapidX train between Sahibabad to Duhai Depot, in Uttar Pradesh on October 20, 2023.
Ghaziabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched India’s first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) by inaugurating the priority section of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS Corridor at Sahibabad RapidX Station here today. He also flagged off the Namo Bharat RapidX train connecting Sahibabad to Duhai Depot, marking the launch of the RRTS and travelled on board the Regional Rapid Train, Namo Bharat.
The Prime Minister also dedicated to the nation, two stretches of the east-west corridor of Bengaluru Metro that connect Baiyappanahalli to Krishnarajapura and Kengeri to Challaghatta. These two metro stretches were opened for public service on October 9, 2023, to provide convenience to the public commuting on this corridor, without waiting for formal inauguration.
Women make up the entire support staff and the locomotive pilots of the Namo Bharat train, and Modi said, “Namo Bharat is a symbol of the strengthening of women’s power in the country”. Noting that the train has modernity and speed, he added, “Namo Bharat Train is defining the new journey of New India and its new resolutions”.
Prime Minister Modi laid the foundation stone for the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS Corridor four years ago on March 8, 2019. The 17-kilometre priority section of the Corridor, which connects Sahibabad to Duhai Depot, has stations at Ghaziabad, Guldhar and Duhai on the way.
RRTS is a new rail-based, semi-high-speed, high-frequency commuter transit system. With a design speed of 180 kilometres per hour, it is a transformational, regional development initiative, which is designed to provide high-speed trains for intercity commuting every 15 minutes, which can go up to a frequency of every 5 minutes as per requirement.
A total of eight RRTS corridors have been identified to be developed in the National Capital Region of Delhi, out of which three corridors have been prioritised to be implemented in Phase-I including Delhi – Ghaziabad – Meerut Corridor; Delhi – Gurugram – SNB – Alwar Corridor; and Delhi – Panipat Corridor.
The Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS being developed at a cost of more than Rs 30,000 crore and will connect Delhi to Meerut in less than an hour of travel time going through the urban centres of Ghaziabad, Muradnagar, and Modinagar.
As it is, RRTS being developed in the country is a state-of-the-art regional mobility solution and is comparable to the “best in the world”. The Prime Minister’s Office stated that it will provide “safe, reliable and modern” intercity commuting solutions in the country.
In line with PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, the RRTS network will have extensive multi-modal integration with Railway stations, Metro stations, Bus services etc. “Such transformative regional mobility solutions will boost economic activity in the region; provide improved access to employment, education and healthcare opportunities; and help in the significant reduction of vehicular congestion and air pollution,” the PMO stated.
– global bihari bureau
