Passengers traveling between India’s capital Delhi and Meerut are soon going to get a new and faster option. The trial run of the “NaMo Bharat” train on the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor is in its final stages, which means the distance barrier can now be crossed in a matter of minutes. At present, the journey from Delhi to Meerut by road takes about two hours, but now this journey can be completed in just 40 to 45 minutes.
This trial run between Sahibabad and New Ashok Nagar is progressing rapidly. Anand Vihar and New Ashok Nagar stations are also expected to open soon, increasing the length of the corridor from 42 km to 54 km.
As a highly ambitious project of Delhi, New Ashok Nagar station has been designed as a multi-modal transport hub. This station will be connected to the Blue Line of Delhi Metro. Additionally, a 90-metre foot overbridge is under construction between New Ashok Nagar and Ashok Nagar metro station, which will help passengers move seamlessly on both sides.
The RRTS corridor will also have two parking areas with a combined capacity of 600 vehicles, including space for cars, motorcycles and cycles. The first 10 minutes of parking will be free, facilitating passengers using the “pick and drop” service.
Anand Vihar RRTS station is set to become the busiest transit hub on this corridor. This station will be connected to two metro lines, Anand Vihar Railway Station and ISBT. NCRTC is working to seamlessly integrate the RRTS station with these transportation modes.
Easy access to the station will be ensured through three newly built bridges on Ghazipur drain. With the completion of both the stations, New Ashok Nagar and Anand Vihar are expected to be operational by January 2025, improving connectivity for passengers between Meerut and Noida.
The entire RRTS corridor is expected to be completed by June 2025, reducing the travel time between Delhi’s Sarai Kale Khan and Meerut’s Modipuram to less than an hour.
