Travel Delhi to Gzb in 15 minutes

The Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat rapid rail corridor launches Feb 22, cutting travel time to Ghaziabad to 15 minutes and easing congestion.

New Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to launch a five-kilometre section between New Ashok Nagar and Sarai Kale Khan Namo Bharat Station and a 21-km section between Meerut South and Modipuram. (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)

The Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat rapid rail corridor is set to become fully operational from February 22, reducing travel time from the city to Ghaziabad to just 15 minutes and turning the Sarai Kale Khan station into a major multimodal transit hub, according to a release issued by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to launch a five-kilometre section between New Ashok Nagar and Sarai Kale Khan Namo Bharat Station and a 21-km section between Meerut South and Modipuram, it said, adding that the launch will also mark the first anniversary of the completion of the Namo Bharat corridor.

“Namo Bharat corridors will be integrated with all the seven lines of Delhi Metro... While the Namo Bharat will act as a backbone for regional transportation, the Delhi Metro will complement it by providing feeder and dispersal services,” the NCRTC said in its release, titled “Namo Bharat &Meerut Metro Fact Sheet” and dated February 19.

Extending the corridor, which is currently operational up to New Ashok Nagar, up to Sarai Kale Khan—one of the most traffic-congested areas—will significantly benefit commuters. Sarai Kale Khan, which houses the Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station and the Veer Hakikat Rai interstate bus terminal, is likely to see relief from congestion.

For 34-year-old Abhishek Pathak, who spends nearly four hours in commute from Ghaziabad to Gurugram every day, the two-hour reduction in travel time comes as a significant relief from daily exhaustion.

“I travel from Ghaziabad’s Guldhar to New Ashok Nagar and then to my office in Gurugram, and then back home.The opening of the direct line from Ghaziabad to Sarai Kale Khan will halve my transit time,” said 34-year-old Abhishek Pathak, who works in the finance sector.

Forty-year-old Meerut resident Mohd Akhram said, “I only travel to Delhi to visit relatives during festivals. The fervour and excitement to meet family used to fade away as exhaustion from around three-and-half hours of travel used to hit. But the journey has been really smooth and quick, especially as it is now just an hour.”

Commuters said the reduced travel time would also provide relief from harsh weather conditions.

“I am travelling from my in-laws’ place in Meerut to Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan with my three children. I take a bus to Rajasthan from IFFCO Chowk in Gurgaon, but thanks to this network, at least my journey from Meerut to Delhi is smooth. Travelling with three children, especially as the days becomes hotter, becomes an added challenge,” said 29-year-old Rahul Singh.