Snapshot
Functional Plan on Transport for National Capital Region (NCR) – 2032 recommended eight Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridors to connect various vital towns of NCR with a high-speed rail-based commuter transit system.
Out of these, the prioritised three corridors are Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut, Delhi-Gurugram-Rewari-Alwar and Delhi-Panipat.
From the above, the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor has been approved, and the construction work is underway.
India’s first 82 km long RRTS corridor from Meerut to Delhi brings down travel time to less than 60 minutes from 3-4 hours to cover the distance.
National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) prepared a ‘Functional Plan on Transport for National Capital Region (NCR) – 2032’, which recommended eight Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridors to connect various vital towns of NCR with a high-speed rail-based commuter transit system.
These eight RRTS corridors include Delhi-Gurgaon-Rewari-Alwar, Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut, Delhi-Sonipat-Panipat, Delhi-Faridabad-Ballabgarh-Palwal, Delhi-Bahadurgarh-Rohtak, Delhi-Shahdara-Baraut, Ghaziabad-Khurja and Ghaziabad-Hapur.
Out of these, the task force constituted by the then planning commission prioritised three corridors, namely, Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut, Delhi-Gurugram-Rewari-Alwar and Delhi-Panipat. From the above, the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor has been approved, and the construction work is underway.
This information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Shri Kaushal Kishore, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Monday (13 December).
The Detailed Project Report (DPR) after the feasibility study has been received from National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) for Delhi-Gurugram-SNB Urban Complex RRTS Corridor in December 2018 and SNB Urban Complex to Sotanala RRTS Corridor in June 2020; which are part of Delhi-Gurugram-Rewari-Alwar RRTS Project.
The DPR of the Delhi-Panipat corridor was received from NCRTC in June 2020. Approval of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi with a financial commitment on DPRs of Delhi-Gurugram-SNB RRTS corridor and Delhi-Panipat RRTS corridor has not been received.
“The RRTS projects are cost intensive projects which require extensive inter-ministerial consultations and their approval depends on feasibility of projects and availability of resources. The release of funds and construction activity of the project is undertaken once the project is approved,” the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs said.
India’s First: Delhi – Meerut RRTS
Out of the planned eight RRTS corridors in the NCR region, three corridors have been prioritised for execution. Currently, only the Delhi-Meerut corridor is taking shape at a rapid pace.
India’s first 82 km long RRTS corridor from Meerut to Delhi brings down travel time to less than 60 minutes from 3-4 hours to cover the distance. With a design speed of 180 Kmph and an average speed of 100 Kmph, RRTS aims to bring people and places closer in the National Capital Region (NCR).
People living in Western Uttar Pradesh will hugely benefit from this rail corridor. Approximately 8 lakh commuters will be able to travel daily.
People from Meerut and Ghaziabad and large areas of Western UP will have easy access to better education, healthcare facilities, and economic opportunities. About 68 km stretch of Rapid Rail is in Uttar Pradesh, in which 60.57 km is elevated, and 8 km is underground.
In Meerut, from Meerut South to Modipuram, there are 13 stations in the 21 km long stretch on which the world-class transit service of Meerut Metro will be available to the residents.