Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS Project Receives Rs 4,710 Crore Budgetary Boost, NCRTC Plans Trial Runs On Priority Section This Year

In a major boost to regional connectivity in NCR, the government has allocated Rs 4,710 crore to country’s first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project in the Union Budget.

Construction work on the entire 82 km long Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor is in full swing. The corridor will have 25 stations, including two depots and one stabling yard.

Braving the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the progress of the project has been as per scheduled timelines as more than 14,000 workers and 1,100 engineers are working round the clock at RRTS sites.

So far, 16 km viaduct of priority section, 1200 piers, and 9,900 piles have been concreted. Foundation work has been completed for 56 km of the corridor.

The 17 km priority section between Sahibabad to Duhai is scheduled to be operational by March 2023 and trial runs are expected to begin this year. The complete corridor will be opened to the public by 2025.

"RRTS is a strategic investment of the government to transform the mobility in NCR in line with the Gati Shakti masterplan. The continued allocation to RRTS reinforces government’s focus on infrastructure expenditure to catalyse the economic revival after the impact of pandemic," said NCRTC MD Vinay Kumar Singh.

"Despite the impact of pandemic on the pace of work and capital expenditure, we are committed to work with our construction partners and other stakeholders to uphold the responsibility bestowed upon us by the government in keeping the implementation of RRTS as per schedule," he added.

With a maximum speed of 180 kmph and operational speed of 160 kmph, the RRTS trains will be unique and one of its kinds in India. The aerodynamic coaches will be self-propelled on electric traction with a 25KV AC System. The RRTS trains are being designed with the state-of-the-art latest technology.

NCRTC is a joint venture of the Government of India (50 per cent) and State Governments of Haryana (12.5 per cent), NCT Delhi (12.5 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (12.5 per cent) and Rajasthan (12.5 per cent).

It is mandated to design, construct, finance, operate and maintain RRTS in NCR and works under the administrative control of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.