RRTS may miss June 30 deadline in Ghaziabad

Officials said that with only four days left until the end of June, passenger services are unlikely to begin this month

The Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project is likely to miss the June 30 deadline for the opening of the 17-km priority section in Ghaziabad, officials familiar with the matter said on Monday, adding that the system is ready, but they are waiting for the date of the country’s first RRTS stretch to open.

A RapidX train in Ghaziabad on Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who laid the foundation stone of the RRTS project on March 8, 2019, during an event in Ghaziabad, is expected to inaugurate the RRTS priority section. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

When completed in March 2025, the 82km-long RRTS project will connect three cities: Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut. A 17km stretch of the project in Ghaziabad is known as the “priority section”, and it was scheduled to open for passenger service in June, specifically June 30, after work began on June 3, 2019.

But officials said that with only four days left until the end of June, passenger services are unlikely to begin this month. They added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who laid the foundation stone of the RRTS project on March 8, 2019, during an event in Ghaziabad, is expected to inaugurate it.

“The Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) has completed inspections, and the fare modalities have also been determined. The CMRS certificate is awaited while station work is completed to begin passenger operations. The date for the inauguration is being worked out, and time will be needed to make arrangements,” said an official familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

The priority section has five stations in Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar, Duhai and Duhai Depot, which are also on the Kanwar route on the Delhi-Meerut Road, where the annual Kanwar Yatra will pass through in the first week of July.

During the Kanwar Yatra, Ghaziabad authorities implement major traffic diversions from the Delhi-Meerut Road, with heavy/commercial vehicles being routed via the Delhi Meerut Expressway/National Highway-9 and the Eastern Peripheral Expressway.

Officials of the NCR transport corporation (NCRTC) said work had been completed at these five stations to begin passenger operations.

“The facilities have been taken over by the private operator, who has been assigned the work of operations. Along with train operations, live mock drills of various operations are taking place on the 17km corridor at the five stations. This is being done to familiarise the staff with various live case scenarios so that once passenger operations start, the staff can easily take over live passenger operations,” said Puneet Vats, chief PRO of NCRTC.

Live mock drills are held for various scenarios, such as lost articles, fire drills, evacuation drills, and even situations where the train is late or stuck.

“The operator has taken charge, and their staff is conducting various situation drills at stations and along the 17km corridor. The system is ready for commissioning, and the CMRS certification is also expected soon. The 17km section will likely open to the public as soon as possible in the coming days,” Vats added.