RRTS project: Trial runs for New Ashok Nagar to Sarai Kale Khan to start by Feb-end

The NCRTC is presently focussed on inauguration of the 13km RRTS link -- Sahibabad in Ghaziabad to New Ashok Nagar in Delhi.

Ghaziabad: The trial runs on the 5km section, from New Ashok Nagar to Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi, are likely to start by the end of February in 2025, officials of NCR transport corporation (NCRTC) that is executing the 82km long Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project, said on Friday.

Ghaziabad India - December 27 2024: A view of RRTS train running on tracks in Ghaziabad , India on Friday, December 27 2024. NCRTC is expecting start of trial run from New Ashok Nagar to Sarai Kale Khan by end of February (Photo by Sakib Ali /Hindustan Times) (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

The agency is presently focussed on inauguration of the 13km RRTS link -- Sahibabad in Ghaziabad to New Ashok Nagar in Delhi.

The 82km RRTS project that aims to connect the three cities of Delhi, Ghaziabad, and Meerut with Namo Bharat trains, involving a cost of about ₹30,274 crore, is scheduled to complete by June, 2025.

Already, a 42km section from Sahibabad to Meerut (south) is operational in Uttar Pradesh with nine stations, and the soon to be inaugurated 13km section will connect the state to the national capital.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to inaugurate the 13km link on Sunday (December 29).

“Once the 13km section opens up, we can expect that trial runs on the 5km remaining section from New Ashok Nagar to Sarai Kale Khan may begin by the end of February, 2025 or in the initial days of March,” said Puneet Vats, chief public relations officer, NCRTC.

Officials said that the viaduct and construction of the overbridge across Yamuna river is complete for the 5km pending section in Delhi. The installation of overhead equipment and laying of tracks is underway, after which the trial runs may begin.

It has been a practice that the RRTS sections that become operations-ready are opened up for passenger operations, they added.

“Already, three different sections have been opened up from Sahibabad to Duhai Depot, from Duhai to Modinagar (north) and from Modinagar (north) to Meerut (south). A fourth section from Sahibabad to New Ashok Nagar will be operational soon. Section-wise opening generates revenue and also gives time to commuters to get accustomed to the Namo Bharat trains and other facilities,” said an NCRTC officer requesting anonymity.

Once operational, the Anand Vihar station will become the national capital region’s first multi-modal transit hub with connectivity to Metro trains (Blue line and Pink line), the Indian Railways, and also to roadways buses operating from ISBT Anand Vihar in Delhi and the nearby ISBT at Kaushambi in Ghaziabad.

Likewise, the New Ashok Nagar station is also connected to the Metro’s Blue line that also connects Noida.

“Once Anand Vihar and New Ashok Nagar get connected to RRTS network, passengers from Meerut, Ghaziabad and Noida besides the ones in Delhi will get direct benefits. Likewise, Namo Bharat passengers from Ghaziabad will also get connected directly to East Delhi. A 900-metre-long FOB is getting constructed to connect Ghaziabad RRTS station to Metro’s New Bus Adda station,” said an NCRTC spokesperson.

The Ghaziabad municipal corporation officials said that the tender for the multi-level parking near the New Bus Adda Metro station and RRTS Ghaziabad station has also been finalised.

“We are expecting to start the facility in January. This will help commuters of both Metro and RRTS projects,” said Vikramaditya Malik, municipal commissioner.