Rail safety inspection on 25km Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS section likely in a fortnight

Operations on the 17km priority section in Ghaziabad will be suspended on February 10-11 for another round of integrated trials, NCRTC officials said

With train trials on the 25km stretch of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project from Duhai in Ghaziabad to Meerut (south) progressing swiftly, officials of executing agency National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) said on Friday that the inspection by the commissioner of metro rail safety (CMRS) may happen in the next fortnight, paving the way for opening the section to public.

A view of newly constructed 25km RRTS stretch from Duhai to Meerut (south) on Friday. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

Once the section becomes operational, it will take RRTS connectivity from Ghaziabad to the doorsteps of western Uttar Pradesh at Meerut (south) RRTS station. A 17km priority section of the RRTS is already operational from Sahibabad to Duhai in Ghaziabad.

The priority section has five stations at Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar, Duhai and Duhai Depot in Ghaziabad while the 25km section will add three more stations of Muradnagar, Modinagar (north) and Modinagar (south) in Ghaziabad besides Meerut (south) in Meerut.

The entire 82km RRTS project is being built at a a cost of ₹30,274 crore and is aimed at linking the three cities of Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut by June 2025.

“It is expected that the CMRS inspection of the 25km section may happen in the next fortnight. This will pave the way for making this stretch operational,” said an NCRTC official, asking not to be named.

Sources said the inspection and opening of the section is likely to happen before the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections. The foundation stone for the project was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 8, 2019, in Ghaziabad and a day before the announcement of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

“The work on the 25km section from Duhai in Ghaziabad to Meerut (south) is progressing at a fast pace. The finishing work at the stations are also underway and speed trials of trains are ongoing. We will shut down operations on the 17km priority section on February 10-11 for another round of integrated trials,” said Puneet Vats, chief public relations officer, NCRTC.

The operations on the 17km section was suspended on January 20 and 21 as well to facilitate integrated trials.

Both the priority section as well as the 25km section are elevated, said NCRTC officials. Overall, the entire 82km RRTS project has 25 stations with eight in Ghaziabad, 13 in Meerut and four in Delhi, they said.