PM Modi lays foundation stone for RRTS between Delhi, Meerut

New Delhi: Commuters between Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut may enjoy the country's first rapid rail transport facility by 2024, as Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi on Friday laid the foundation stone for the construction of 82 km long Regional Rapid Transport System (RRTS) between Delhi, Meerut via Ghaziabad.

PM Modi said that "Giving a new way to next generation urban infrastructure, this will be the first RRTS project built with a cost of Rs 30,000 crore. The rapid rail and the metro both will be running on this corridor in Meerut. Once this is completed, Delhi-Meerut journey will be covered in less than an hour. Of this RRTS, commuters' suffering will be removed and traffic system will be streamlined."

"In an immense relief from the road congestion and pollution faced by the commuters travelling between Delhi and Meerut, the RRTS, regional rail will cover the 82-km stretch in less than 60 minutes. It will offer high-speed, high-frequency, safe and green public transit. The operating speed of RRTS would be 160 kmph and average speed of 100 kmph. The frequency of the trains would be between 5-10 minutes and there would be an RRTS station at every 5-10 km," said an official from RRTS.

The statement further said that the RRTS will pass through some of the most densely populated sections in Delhi and Meerut. Starting from Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi, the corridor will go up to Modipuram in Meerut, joining many urban cities such as Anand Vihar in Delhi, Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Muradnagar and Modinagar in Uttar Pradesh.

"Meerut Metro: In a unique feature, the Meerut Metro services with 12 stations on 18 kms stretch between Modipuram and Meerut South stations on RRTS infrastructure will meet the local mobility needs of citizens of Meerut besides providing efficient regional connectivity. The arrangement of Meerut Metro on RRTS infrastructure would also result in an overall cost saving of approximately Rs 6,300 crore," a statement said.

While the Meerut Metro would mostly be elevated, it would run underground in high density areas like Bramhapuri, Meerut Central, Bhaisali and Begumpul. The RRTS trains will be equipped with all modern features and every stations and trains will have universal access for the differently abled. Meanwhile, each train will also have a Business Class and a Ladies coach.

Addressing the gathering in Meerut, Union minister, Hardeep Singh Puri said, "The population in cities is increasing rapidly. Therefore, public transport and intercity linkages are a must. If you make a rapid transit system, there would be many people who would prefer living in Meerut and NCR and come to Delhi for work. I am confident that RRTS project would be completed on time and will improve the ease of living of people living in Meerut and nearby areas along with improving the region's economic situation."

"RRTS stations will be seamlessly integrated with other transport modes like Airport, Railway, Metro, ISBTs and will be connected seamlessly through Elevators, escalators, travellators etc. All three corridors of phase I of RRTS will be inter-operable, thus does not require changing of train to go from one corridor to another, the statement said.

With new Metro line, travel from Dilshad Garden to Gzb in 16 mins 

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 9.4-km-long Dilshad Garden-New Bus Adda section, an extension of the Delhi Metro's Red Line, which will open for passengers from 8 am on Saturday. After the inauguration of Red Line extension, the PM boarded the metro train from Shaheed Sthal (New Bus Adda) at around 7:07 pm and deboarded the metro train at Kashmiri Gate metro station at 7: 26 pm.

With this new section, the Delhi Metro will foray into the interiors of Ghaziabad for the first time, touching the industrial areas in twin cities of Ghaziabad and Sahibabad.

"Passenger services on the Red Line extension from Dilshad Garden to Shaheed Sthal (New Bus Adda) in Ghaziabad will start from 8 am on Saturday," DMRC's Executive Director for Corporate Communications Anuj Dayal said.

The stations on the stretch are Shahid Nagar, Raj Bagh, Rajendra Nagar (Major Mohit Sharma Rajendra Nagar station), Shyam Park, Mohan Nagar, Arthala, Hindon River Station and Shaheed Sthal (New Bus Adda). "The Rajendra Nagar Metro Station has been rechristened as Major Mohit Sharma Rajendra Nagar station and the end station New Bus Adda has been renamed to Shaheed Sthal (New Bus Adda)," the official said.

This section will be an extension of the 25.09-km Rithala-Dilshad Garden corridor or Red Line, which has 21 stations. After opening of this section, the entire Red Line will become 34.72 km.

"Trains will be available at a peak hour frequency of six minutes and twelve seconds on the Dilshad Garden New Bus Adda section. A total of 35 six-coach trains will be used on the entire Rithala-New Bus Adda Red corridor. The total journey from Dilshad Garden to New Bus Adda will take about 16 minutes," Dayal said.