The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) will add eight fast Namo Bharat train services to the Delhi-Meerut corridor from November 16, offering quicker journeys for commuters during morning and evening rush hours.
The new limited-stop services will bring down the travel time between Anand Vihar and Ghaziabad to just eight minutes, as per news agency PTI.
Passengers travelling from Anand Vihar to Begumpul will be able to cover the distance in 36 minutes, while the journey from Ghaziabad to Begumpul will take 28 minutes, officials said.
According to the NCRTC, the fast trains will cover the entire corridor in less than 50 minutes. The move is aimed at providing quicker travel options, particularly for office-goers and students who use the corridor during peak hours.
Namo Bharat fast trains to stop at five stations
Unlike regular services, the additional trains will halt at only five stations: Sarai Kale Khan, Anand Vihar, Ghaziabad, Begumpul and Modipuram. The reduced number of stops is expected to help passengers reach their destinations faster.
The eight services will operate during morning and evening peak hours. In the morning, two trains in each direction will depart from Sarai Kale Khan and Modipuram at 8 am and 8.30 am.
{{/usCountry}}The eight services will operate during morning and evening peak hours. In the morning, two trains in each direction will depart from Sarai Kale Khan and Modipuram at 8 am and 8.30 am.
{{/usCountry}}During the evening rush, the additional trains will leave both terminal stations at 6 pm and 6.30 pm.
Regular Namo Bharat train frequency to remain unchanged
The additional services will run alongside the existing Namo Bharat trains. Regular services will continue to operate at intervals of 10 minutes, with no change to the current frequency, the NCRTC said.
Passengers have been asked to check station display boards and pay attention to platform announcements before boarding. This will help them identify whether a train is a fast service or a regular one.
Namo Bharat corridor records 1.1 lakh daily passengers
The Delhi-Meerut corridor currently handles around 1.1 lakh passengers every day and has recorded more than five crore passenger journeys so far.
Over the past three months, the network saw an average monthly ridership of over 32 lakh, according to the NCRTC.
The transport body said the additional services are also intended to encourage more people to use public transport amid rising air pollution and help ease road congestion across the region.
(With inputs from PTI)