Haryana clears extension of RRTS link from Dharuhera to Bawal

Singh wrote to Union urban development minister Manohar Lal Khattar, urging reconsideration of the corridor’s alignment.

Published on: Oct 12, 2025, 03:58:10 IST

By Leena Dhankhar

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The Haryana government has approved the extension of the Namo Bharat Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor from Dharuhera to Bawal, officials said. The decision is expected to benefit thousands of daily commuters and industrial workers, and enhance access to one of Haryana’s largest industrial hubs, they added.

The project was initially planned to terminate at Dharuhera. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

The project, which was initially planned to terminate at Dharuhera, has now received in-principle approval for extension up to Bawal. The move reportedly followed Haryana cabinet minister Rao Narbir Singh’s objections during a meeting held on September 18, where he questioned the decision to restrict the corridor to Dharuhera, officials said. Subsequently, Singh wrote to Union urban development minister Manohar Lal Khattar, urging reconsideration of the corridor’s alignment.

Responding to Singh, the Haryana government on September 26 informed the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) of its decision to extend the corridor. The communication, sent by Chandrashekhar Khare, managing director of Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation Limited (HMRTC), stated that the government had “after detailed deliberations decided to extend the corridor to Bawal.”

Khare’s letter further clarified that all decisions taken in the May 2025 meeting chaired by the Chief Minister would remain valid, with the word “Dharuhera” now replaced by “Bawal.” It also noted that any future extension beyond Bawal, such as towards Shahjahanpur in Rajasthan, would have to be funded by the respective state government.

Earlier, during a joint meeting of officials from HMRTC, NCRTC, and the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), Haryana’s approval for the RRTS project had been limited to Dharuhera. When Singh questioned the rationale for ending the corridor there, officials cited uncertainty over projected ridership beyond Dharuhera. However, Singh disagreed, arguing that Bawal’s industrial base and expanding multi-modal logistics hub made it an essential stop for the RRTS line.

Welcoming the decision, Union minister Rao Inderjit Singh said, “Bawal is one of Haryana’s most vital industrial regions, and extending Namo Bharat up to this point is necessary for both workers and industries. I will continue to push for the project’s further extension to Shahjahanpur in Rajasthan in the next phase, in coordination with the Centre and the Rajasthan government.”

He added that he would personally pursue Cabinet approval in Delhi to ensure that construction of the extended stretch begins at the earliest. With this, a long-pending demand for better connectivity in southern Haryana has moved closer to reality, strengthening economic and transport linkages between Gurugram, Rewari, and Rajasthan’s industrial clusters.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More

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