NCRTC starts putting in passenger safety features on RRTS line

The 82km Phase 1 of the RRTS, being built at a cost of ₹30,274 crore, will connect Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut and is slotted for commissioning in March 2025. A 17km stretch of the route in Ghaziabad is getting developed as a priority section and it will be the country’s first RRTS stretch to open in March 2023

Ahead of the trial runs of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) trains, which are expected to start this November, the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), the agency implementing the project, has started putting in place various safety features designed to ensure passenger safety on the high-speed train network.

NCRTC starts putting in passenger safety features on RRTS line

The 82km Phase 1 of the RRTS, being built at a cost of ₹30,274 crore, will connect Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut and is slotted for commissioning in March 2025. A 17km stretch of the route in Ghaziabad is getting developed as a priority section and it will be the country’s first RRTS stretch to open in March 2023.

To ensure safety of passengers using the line, the NCRTC has started installing platform screen doors (PSDs) on all 25 stations.

The NCRTC officials said they have given the utmost importance to passenger safety since inception. “The installation of platform screen doors is another step in that direction. Platform screen doors will be integrated with RRTS train doors and European train control system 2 (ETCS level-2) signalling system, resulting in train doors opening and closing simultaneously with the platform screen doors. For the safety of passengers, the train will run only when both the doors of the train and the platform screen doors are closed,” said Puneet Vats, chief public relations officer, NCRTC.

He said all safety features will be put in place before the first train moves on the corridor for its trail run.

The trains that will run on the RRTS corridor will primarily consist of six coaches, comprising five standard and one premium class coach. Each standard class coach will have three doors on one side and the premium class coach will have two doors on one side.

Accordingly, there will be a total of 17 doors on the entire train. Going by this number, the NCRTC has proposed a total of 17 platform screen doors on each platform.

“The NCRTC is implementing the most advanced signalling and train control systems in the world for the operation of RRTS trains. Long term evolution radio based signalling system will be the first of its kind facilitating latest digital interlocking with automatic train operations. This will enable higher frequency of train services and better headway,” Vats said.

Some other features include separate coaches for women, CCTV monitoring at stations and on trains, predetermined space for wheelchairs and stretchers on the coaches besides larger lifts/elevators on stations.

“The NCRTC is also developing walkways every 2-3km of the entire RRTS corridor and these are being provided for passenger evacuation in case of an emergency. That, too, is another safety feature. The trains will also be monitored regularly by the control centre at the Duhai depot,” Vats said.

The six coach RRTS trains will have a design speed of 180 km/hr. The NCRTC sources said the actual operational speed of the RRTS trains will be 160km/hr while their average running speed will be about 100km/hr.