Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS: High-speed 55-minute journey, priority section to open in 2023; details

The ambitious Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project will change the lives of people across multiple cities, bringing the travel town down four times. The high-speed 82-km rail corridor will help people reach from Delhi to Meerut in just 55 minutes compared to the 3 to 4 hours it currently takes by road. 

The project is being implemented by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC). The priority section of the project, which will be 17 kms long, will connect from Duhai to Sahibabad. It will have four stations including Ghaziabad. 

Various tests are in progress and the section is on schedule, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishore recently confirmed in the Parliament. The trial runs on the main line for the priority section were scheduled to start in December. The four stations in this stretch will be Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar and Duhai. NCRTC's managing director Vinay Kumar Singh said last month that the section is expected to be operationalised by March 2023.

Details of the project

Timeline for completion: The entire 82 kilometre long Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS has a target of opening by 2025.

What kind of trains will run in the RRTS corridor? The Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS will mainly see six-coach trains. These will have five standard coaches with three doors and one with premium-class seating with two doors. 

Capacity: The corridor will have last-mile connectivity facilities to railway stations, airports, metro stations and bus stands. It is expected to manage around 8 lakh passengers daily once it is operational.

Details of platforms: To cater to the six coaches, platforms on the corridor will have 17 doors to cater to 15 standard class and 2 premium class entries. Platforms will also have as many screen doors.

Station details: There will be a total of 25 stations on the RRTS with Delhi Sarai Kale Khan and Ghaziabad stations to have five entry and exit points. All stations will have a minimum of two entry and exit points.

Project cost: A total of Rs 30,274 crore has been sanctioned for the project. Total of Rs 11,440 crore has been spent till November 30, as per government’s latest update. The funding is being done by the Central government, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi governments, Asian Development Bank, New Development Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

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