Meerut Metro unveiled, to run on RRTS corridor
The under-construction RRTS project, which aims to connect the three cities of Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut, will use Namo Bharat trains.
The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), under its broader 82-kilometre Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project, unveiled a Meerut-only Metro train to run on part of the stretch, in Ghaziabad on Saturday.
With the unveiling, the agency also started test runs of three-coach Meerut Metro trains stationed at Duhai Depot in Ghaziabad. “Work is in full swing to complete the project and we expect that the 23km route in Meerut will be completed by June 2025. The six-coach Namo Bharat train, having four stations in Meerut, and local Metro, operating on all 13 stations, will use the same infrastructure. Provisions for platforms at stations have been made to ensure smooth operation of two trains in Meerut,” said a spokesperson from NCRTC.
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The under-construction RRTS project, which aims to connect the three cities of Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut, will use Namo Bharat trains having a design speed of 180kmph and operating speed of up to 160kmph. The three-coach Meerut Metro trains, having similar aerodynamics to the Namo Bharat trains, will run on the 23km RRTS route in the city. The Metro trains will cover 13 stations , while the Namo Bharat trains will stop at only four of these stations.
At present, a total of 42km of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor is operational, including nine stations from Sahibabad in Ghaziabad to Meerut South in Meerut. The projected deadline for completion of the entore 82km corridor is June 2025, according to NCRTC officials.
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Officials said that commuters will also be able to switch between Namo Bharat trains and the Meerut Metro trains at four of these stations — Meerut South, Shatabdi Nagar, Begumpul, and Modipuram. The rest of the stations in Meerut.
Officials said that the Meerut Metro trains will have an operational speed of up to 120kmph and design speed of 135kmph.
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The train sets, with their sleek and state-of-the-art modern light weight design, built with stainless steel, are energy efficient and equipped with a regenerative braking system, officials added. The coaches are air-conditioned, having luggage racks, grab handles, CCTV cameras, USB mobile charging facilities, dynamic route maps, and other features. “The coaches are ergonomically designed with 2x2 transverse and longitudinal seating arrangements with comfortable cushioned seats. More than 700 passengers can travel in a train, with a seating capacity of 173,” NCRTC said in a statement.