RRTS project: Drive-in lanes to prevent traffic jams outside stations

NCRTC officials said that the new lanes will ease pick-up and drop facilities at RRTS stations by allowing vehicles coming to/leaving the stations to not merge with regular traffic

In order to prevent traffic jams on major roads leading to Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) stations in Ghaziabad, the NCR Transport Corporation (NCRTC), which is implementing the project, has started constructing drive-in lanes around them. NCRTC officials said that the new lanes will ease pick-up and drop facilities at RRTS stations by allowing vehicles coming to/leaving the stations to not merge with regular traffic.

Works on the Regional Rapid Transit System stations proposed in Ghaziabad are going on in full swing on NH-58. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

The officials said that they planned the construction of about 100 metres of separate lanes which would lead from the main roads to the premises of RRTS stations. They have also proposed a divider wall to separate the traffic.

“This arrangement will not hinder traffic on the main roads. Vehicles that enter the RRTS station premises will use the 100-metre lane. This will divide the traffic on the main road and the traffic coming to the station. Hence, there will be no jam outside the RRTS stations,” said Puneet Vats, chief public relations officer (CPRO) of NCRTC.

The officials said that they have started developing a separate lane at Sahibabad station, which is one of the five stations under the 17km priority section -- from Sahibabad to Duhai in Ghaziabad -- of the Delhi-Meerut RRTS project.

“The drive-in lanes will be used by both public transport and private vehicles. These vehicles will enter the station premises through a single lane and once in, they will be separated into two different lanes proposed to be about six metres in width. The inside lane used by public transport vehicles will be the closest to the station building while the lane used by private vehicles will be at a little distance from the station building,” the CPRO added.

The officials said that such an arrangement will be made for four stations -- Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar and Duhai (not at the fifth station, a depot station at Duhai) -- of the priority section in Ghaziabad.

Pegged at ₹30,274 crore, the complete 82km RRTS project (with 25 stations, including three at Sarai Kale Khan, New Ashok Nagar and Anand Vihar in Delhi, and the rest in Ghaziabad and Meerut in Uttar Pradesh) is scheduled to commence operations in 2025, while the 17km priority section in Ghaziabad will be made operational by March 2023. The project will connect Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut with the help of high-speed trains that will reduce the travel time between Delhi and Meerut to 55-60 minutes.