Delhi to Meerut in 60 minutes: Nod to rapid rail transit corridor

Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Rapid Rail Transit Corridor will bring down travel time between Delhi and Meerut to 60 minutes by a normal train.
The project is a segment of a larger plan to connect important towns in the NCR region with Delhi.

NEW DELHI: The Board of National Capital Region Transport Corporation has cleared the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Rapid Rail Transit Corridor (RRTC) that will enable travel at the rate of 160 kmh. The 92km-long corridor, with a capital investment of Rs 21,902 crore, will bring down travel time between Delhi and Meerut to 60 minutes by a normal train.

The project was conceived more than 10 years ago and is a segment of a larger plan to connect important towns in the NCR region with Delhi through a high speed based commuter transit system. The entire corridor is expected to be completed by 2024.

The corridor will originate at the Sarai Kale Khan bus terminal and pass through Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut regions before terminating at Modipuram. Of the 92.05 km-long stretch, 60.354km will be on an elevated viaduct, 30.245km will be underground, while 1.451km will be at grade for connections to two depots, one each at Duhai and Modipuram. In Delhi and Meerut the RRTC will be underground, including the stretch where the line will cross the Yamuna. The section running along the median of the Delhi-Meerut highway will be elevated. The line will have 17 stations.

Sources said that the Delhi-Meerut RRTC is expected to carry about 7.91 lakh passengers in 2024, 9.20 lakh in 2031 and 11.40 lakh passengers by 2041. The peak hour peak day traffic has been estimated at 18,224 in 2024, 22,215 in 2031 and 26,462 in 2041.

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“This corridor will be de signed for a maximum speed of 180 kmh with an operating speed of 160 kmh. The coaches will have a 2×2 seating system, like in aircraft. Each train will have one business class coach, beside 11 others,” said a source. “On completion of this corridor, travel time between Delhi and Meerut will come down to 48 minutes by express trains and 60 minutes by normal trains,” he added.

As per the project report, the 38.05km Sahibabad-Meerut south section, including the Duhai depot, is likely to commence revenue operations in January 2023, the 16.60km Sarai Kale Khan-Sahibabad in January 2024 and the remaining 37.40km Meerut South-Modipuram in July 2024.