PM Modi flags off 'Namo Bharat', India's first regional rapid rail service; all you need to know

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the priority section of Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) Corridor and flagged off NaMo Bharat (earlier name RapidX) train connecting Sahibabad to Duhai Depot.

The 17-km priority section of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS Corridor is scheduled to be opened for passengers on October 21 (Saturday). The foundation stone for Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor was laid by the Prime Minister on March 8, 2019.

"RRTS is a new rail-based, semi-high-speed, high-frequency commuter transit system. With a design speed of 180 Kmph, RRTS 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," according to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office.

A total of eight RRTS corridors have been identified to be to be developed in NCR, 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, the statement further read.

PM Modi was on Friday seen interacting with school children and crew of 'NaMo Bharat' during the inauguration.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri were present at the inauguration ceremony.

The under-construction RRTS Corridor, being built for the semi-high-speed regional rail service by the NCRTC, is a joint venture company of the Centre with the governments of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.

The NCRTC has been tasked to oversee the construction of India's first RRTS, between Delhi and Meerut.

The entire 82.15 km Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS is targeted to be operational by June 2025.

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