Travelling between Meerut and Rishikesh could soon become significantly faster, with the Namo Bharat regional rail service set to be extended to the Uttarakhand town.
The proposed 150-km expansion, agreed upon by the governments of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand along with the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), is expected to cut travel time between the two cities to around three hours.
According to an official statement, the existing 82-km Namo Bharat corridor between Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi and Modipuram in Meerut will be extended by another 150 km to Lakshman Jhula in Rishikesh, news agency PTI reported.
The semi-high-speed train, capable of running at up to 160 kmph, will cover the nearly 230-km journey in about three hours. This is almost half the time it currently takes to travel from Delhi to Rishikesh by road via Meerut.
The agreement follows Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami's proposal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, the statement said.
A survey for preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the proposed 150-km extension will begin soon, the agency reported.
{{/usCountry}}A survey for preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the proposed 150-km extension will begin soon, the agency reported.
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150-km extension planned
The Namo Bharat service began operations between Delhi and Meerut in January 2025.
To fast-track the extension, the Uttarakhand government has appointed Additional Secretary Reena Joshi as the nodal officer. The NCRTC has also designated its nodal officer, while the Uttar Pradesh government has given its formal consent.
Under the proposed alignment, the new corridor will start from Modipuram station in Meerut, pass through Muzaffarnagar, and enter Uttarakhand via Roorkee. It will then pass through Har ki Pauri in Haridwar before terminating at Lakshman Jhula in Rishikesh.
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Of the proposed 150-km stretch, 72 km will be in Uttar Pradesh and the remaining 78 km in Uttarakhand.
The extension is expected to provide a modern transit option for pilgrims travelling to Uttarakhand as well as residents commuting to Delhi.
Chief Minister Dhami said the expansion of the Namo Bharat service would usher in a new era of connectivity in Uttarakhand by offering fast, safe and modern transportation to tourists, pilgrims and local residents.
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(With inputs from PTI)