NCRTC invites bids for Delhi to Karnal RRTS corridor

The stretch covers chainage 9,550 to 20,770 and forms part of the Delhi section of the Delhi-Panipat-Karnal line.

The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) has initiated preparations for the Delhi-Panipat-Karnal Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor by inviting bids for shifting and modification of key electrical utilities along a critical stretch in north Delhi, marking a key step forward for the project.

(Photo for representation)

According to NCRTC, it is hiring a contractor for the supply, installation, testing and commissioning, as well as shifting and modification of low-tension electrical utilities, in addition to dismantling and relocation of streetlights that infringe upon the proposed Namo Bharat corridor between Kashmiri Gate and Bhalswa. The stretch covers chainage 9,550 to 20,770 and forms part of the Delhi section of the Delhi-Panipat-Karnal line.

“The utility shifting work is a prerequisite for initiating civil construction and must be executed with minimal disruption to traffic and daily life. Contractors will be required to coordinate closely with utility agencies and local authorities to ensure continuity of services during relocation. This work should be completed within a year,” said an official.

NCRTC is also planning to float additional tenders in the coming months so that diversion and enabling works can progress simultaneously across multiple sections of the corridor.

The move follows the announcement made in November by Union minister for housing and urban affairs Manohar Lal Khattar, who said that the Delhi-Panipat-Karnal corridor had received final approvals and work will begin soon. The 136-km corridor is one of three priority RRTS lines conceived to connect Delhi with major satellite towns and cities in NCR.

The corridor will originate at Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi, which is the nodal hub for all three priority RRTS corridors, and pass northwest Delhi and key urban and industrial centres in Haryana, including Narela, Kundli, Sonipat, Gannaur, Samalkha and Panipat, before extending to Karnal in later phases. The line will have 17 stations, excluding Sarai Kale Khan, and is estimated to cost around ₹33,000 crore.

“Work on the first phase, covering a 22-km stretch between Narela and Murthal, had begun in October with the shifting of utilities. The Kashmiri Gate-Bhalswa section now under tender forms part of the Delhi segment, which is expected to be among the more complex portions of the alignment due to dense utilities and traffic conditions,” said the official.

Designed for trains operating at speeds of up to 180 kmph, the Delhi–Panipat RRTS is expected to reduce travel times. The journey between Delhi and Panipat, which currently takes two to three hours by road or conventional rail depending on traffic, is projected to be cut to under an hour once the corridor becomes operational.

Officials said the corridor would help ease congestion on the Delhi-Ambala highway (NH-44) and decongest the Capital by enabling more reliable commuting from satellite towns. The Sarai Kale Khan station is planned to be interoperable, allowing Namo Bharat trains to seamlessly run across the Delhi–Meerut, Delhi–Alwar and Delhi–Panipat corridors.

Currently, 55 km of the Delhi-Meerut corridor with 11 stations is operational.