RRTS trial runs extended: 42km stretch to be operational by March

The 17km Namo Bharat train connectivity will be extended to 42km by March-end, as trial runs on a 25km stretch from Duhai to Meerut have been extended. The Regional Rapid Transit System project aims to link Delhi, Ghaziabad, and Meerut. The project is estimated to cost around ₹30,274 crore and is scheduled to be fully operational by June 2025.

The 17km connectivity of Namo Bharat trains will be extended to 42km by March-end as the NCR transport corporation (NCRTC), the agency executing the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project, on Friday extended the trial runs on the 25km stretch from Duhai in Ghaziabad to Meerut (south) in Meerut district.

The RRTS project at present has a 17km priority section, operational in Ghaziabad. (HT Photo)

The 82km-long RRTS project, estimated to cost around ₹30,274 crore, proposes to link three cities of Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut with Namo Bharat trains having a design speed of 180kmph.

The RRTS project at present has a 17km priority section, operational in Ghaziabad. It involves five stations at Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar, Duhai and Duhai Depot.

The NCRTC officials on Friday said that the Namo Bharat trains are now engaged in trial runs beyond the priority section, and up to Meerut. This 25km stretch includes RRTS stations at Muradnagar, Modinagar (north), Modinagar (south) and Meerut (south).

Once the stretch gets operational, all the eight stations in Ghaziabad will become fully functional.

The trial-runs are now on for the entire 25km stretch beyond Duhai stations to Meerut (south), said an NCRTC official.

“We are striving to make this stretch operational by the end of March. Before this, the trial runs have been initiated, and it is expected that the safety clearances for this stretch will happen in March,” said chief public relation officer, NCRTC, Puneet Vats.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 17km priority section on October 20, and passenger operations were initiated the next day.

According to officials, the trial runs for the priority section got initiated in January and lasted up to April. This, they said, included the extensive trial runs of the trains which went on tracks for the maiden time.

Now, the trial runs will not include the trials of trains since these have already been tested during the trials of priority section.

“However, the other systems and integration like signalling, tracks, stations, platform screen doors, over-head equipment and other related infrastructure will be tested during the trial runs on 25km section,” said a spokesperson from NCRTC.

The 25km extension of RRTS project will largely benefit commuters from two districts of Ghaziabad and Meerut.

The officials said that once this section gets operational, the focus will shift to the section in Delhi and finally to the last section from Meerut (south) to Modipuram in Meerut.

The entire 82km stretch of the RRTS project is scheduled to get operational in June, 2025.