Delhi-Gurugram-SNB rapid rail line to save time, ease daily commuting
New Delhi: Commuting will become easier and faster for adjoining areas of national Capital as the upcoming Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project has proposed interchanges and connectivity to regional periphery of Delhi that will provide integration with other modes of transport such as the metro, buses and trains. Recently, the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) board has approved the project proposal for a part of the Delhi – Alwar corridor, which has given the hopes for the daily commuters from the Delhi- Alwar, Shahjahanpur- Neemrana-Behror urban complex, through Gurugram.
As per the proposal, the first phase will be 106-km long, having 11 elevated stations and five underground stations. The underground stations of the corridor will be in Delhi, Gurugram and SNB (Shahjahanpur-Neemrana-Behror). The RRTS project will also integrate with the Delhi Metro at four of its existing stations, namely, Sarai Kale Khan, Jor Bagh, Munirka and Aerocity.
The official further said that the RRTS trains will run at an average speed of 100 kilometres per hour, and with a frequency of 5-10 minutes. The plan is to also have a business class coach in every train, so that more people can use the line and leave their cars behind. "Once constructed, the corridor is expected to decrease the travel time between Delhi and Shahjahanpur-Neemrana-Behror Urban Complex to less than 70 minutes, he added.
The corridor is planned to be constructed in about five years excluding one year of pre-construction activities at a base construction cost of Rs 24,975 crore, funded by 20 percent by the Government of India, 20 percent by the concerned state governments and 60 percent by the bilateral and multilateral funding agencies, NCRTC said in a statement.
Out of eight corridors, which have been proposed, three corridors are the first prioritised under phase-I which is of 349 kms, in which Delhi-Sonipat-Panipat (103 kms) which will be covered in 80-85 minutes through this route, Delhi- Ghaziabad-Meerut ( 82 kms) will take around 40-45 minutes and Delhi Gurugram-Rewari- Alwar (164 kms) will take around 70 minutes, NCRTC said.
The officials of the NCRTC said apart from Anand Vihar, where the rapid train station will have an integration with the Metro, state buses and trains, the other interchange will be at Sahibabad in Ghaziabad. "One of the entry-exit will also be developed at Kaushambi's UP roadways bus stand. The next interchange will be at Sahibabad where the integration will be with the UP roadways buses. This interchange will be near the UPSRTC depot," said an official.
The next interchange in Ghaziabad will be developed at the Meerut crossing near GT road where the rapid rail will have integration with the Metro. The terminating station under the 9.41-km Dilshad Garden to Ghaziabad route is being developed at New Bus Stand near Meerut Road. After that interchange, the rapid rail corridor will move on the median of the Delhi-Meerut road towards Meerut.
