RRTS: 17km section gets safety approval, fares fixed

A Namo Bharat train will be flagged off by the PM Narendra Modi today from Muradnagar RRTS station via video conferencing from Kolkata

Ahead of its scheduled inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, the 17km long Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) section from Duhai to Modinagar (north) has obtained safety clearance from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) on Tuesday, said officials of the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), the agency executing the project.

Passengers will have to pay ₹90 to travel the full 34km distance from Sahibabad to Modinagar (north) in the standard coach and ₹180 in the premium coach, said NCRTC on Tuesday. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

“The safety approval has come for the 17km stretch on Tuesday and passenger operations will also start shortly. PM Modi will inaugurate the 17km long corridor from Duhai to Modinagar (north). A Namo Bharat train will be flagged off by the PM from Muradnagar RRTS station remotely through video conferencing from Kolkata,” said a spokesperson from NCRTC.

A 17km priority section is already operational in Ghaziabad and comprises five stations of Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar, Duhai and Duhai Depot.The 17km section that is slated for inauguration comprises three additional stations of Muradnagar, Modinagar (south) and Modinagar (north), said NCRTC, adding that the two sections have been integrated successfully.

Ahead of the inauguration, the NCRTC also rolled out the fare chart for the entire 34km RRTS section.

According to officials, the it will take about 20-25 minutes to cover the 34km stretch.

The officials indicated that the Delhi section, having four stations, will be the next to be readied and integrated with the Ghaziabad section at Sahibabad by the end of 2024.

Finally, the RRTS section in Meerut will be taken up and the entire 82km long route between Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut is scheduled to be ready by June 2025, NCRTC officials said.

“Aligned with the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, the RRTS stations are being seamlessly integrated with airports, railway stations, metro stations, ISBTs, and city bus stops, creating a network of public transit systems. This transformative approach to regional mobility aims to decentralize economic activity, improve access to employment, education, and healthcare, and significantly reduce traffic congestion and air pollution,” the spokesperson said.