PM Modi flags off 1st 'Namo Bharat' train

Shubhadeep Choudhury

New Delhi, October 20

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off the “Namo Bharat RapidX” train connecting Sahibabad to Duhai Depot, marking the launch of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) in India.

The Prime Minister also inaugurated the priority section of Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS Corridor at Sahibabad RapidX Station in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. This 17 km priority section will connect Sahibabad to Duhai Depot with stations at Ghaziabad, Guldhar and Duhai en route.

In line with the Modi government’s vision to create world-class transport infrastructure for regional connectivity, the RRTS, with a maximum speed of 180 kmph, is a transformational, regional development initiative designed to provide high-speed trains for intercity commuting every 15 minutes. The frequency can go up to trains leaving every five minutes.

A total of eight RRTS corridors have been identified to be developed in NCR, out of which three corridors have been prioritised to be implemented in Phase-I. These are Delhi–Ghaziabad–Meerut corridor, Delhi–Gurugram–SNB–Alwar Corridor, and Delhi–Panipat Corridor. The Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS, being developed at a cost of more than Rs 30,000 crore, will cut the Delhi-Meerut travel time to less than an hour while going through the urban centres of Ghaziabad, Muradnagar, and Modinagar. The Prime Minister also travelled on board the Regional Rapid Train named “Namo Bharat”. The foundation stone for the project was laid in March 2019.

The Prime Minister stressed that Namo Bharat was a glimpse of India of the future and exemplifies the nation’s growing economic muscle.