Namo Bharat crosses Yamuna for first time during trial runs

IANS April 14, 2025 128 views

The Namo Bharat train has achieved a significant milestone by completing its first trial run across the Yamuna River. This groundbreaking journey marks an important step in the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor development. The new transit system promises to revolutionize transportation by integrating multiple modes of travel and reducing travel time between Delhi and Meerut. With an estimated daily ridership of eight lakh passengers, the Namo Bharat represents a major leap in India's urban transportation infrastructure.

"The RRTS will integrate four modes of transport" - NCRTC Official
New Delhi, April 14: The Namo Bharat train from Meerut crossed the Yamuna for the first time and reached the multi-modal transit hub at Sarai Kale Khan in southeast Delhi during trial runs conducted over the weekend, a precursor to the station's inauguration in June, said an official on Monday.

Key Points

1

- First trial run crosses 1.3 km Yamuna bridge successfully

National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) conducted the first trials on the 4.5 km stretch from New Ashok Nagar to Sarai Kale Khan over the weekend, marking the maiden entry of Namo Bharat train into the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor's biggest station.

During the trial runs, the Namo Bharat train crossed the river for the first time on a 1.3 km bridge and travelled over the Ring Road and Barapullah flyover before reaching Sarai Kale Khan station, which is scheduled for an inauguration in June.

The entire 82-km corridor of the RRTS is expected to be operationalised this year. At present, trains run on a 55-km section between New Ashok Nagar and Meerut South

The ongoing trial runs involved manually controlling the engine and wagons, moving them on track at slow speed to check the overhead power supply system, signalling system and platform screen doors.

The RRTS will have four stations in Delhi with about 3.8 km of the corridor, out of the 14 km in the national capital, under the ground. A two-km extension has been proposed for RRTS from Sarai Kale Khan to Jangpura.

At the Sarai Kale Khan station, the roof is currently being installed over the platforms while work on four elevators, 12 escalators and five exits is also nearing completion, an official said.

The start of Namo Bharat service from Sarai Kale Khan station will mark the integration of four modes of transport in the hub, including Indian Railways, Delhi Metro, and Inter-State Bus service. City public transport buses will also be available within the complex.

The RRTS station at Sarai Kale Khan is 215 metres long and 50 metres wide. To ensure seamless connectivity between the four modes of transport, a network of pedestrian bridges has been planned to link the Namo Bharat station with Northern Railway's Hazrat Nizamuddin station, Metro station and Inter-State Bus Terminal.

The 84-km Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor from Delhi to Meerut is being built at a cost of Rs 30,274 crore to reduce the travel time between Jangpura in Delhi and Modipuram in Meerut to one hour.

As per studies by the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB), the Namo Bharat RRTS between Delhi and Meerut is likely to have an estimated daily ridership of eight lakh. It will have 25 stations. A total of 68 km of the corridor will be elevated, 13 km underground, and 3 km at-grade. The full operation from Delhi to Modipuram is expected to be completed in 2025.

Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
This is such an exciting development! Can't wait to see how much time this will save on my Meerut-Delhi commute. The integration with other transport modes is especially smart planning 👏
P
Priya M.
The trial runs seem promising, but I hope they've considered the environmental impact of crossing Yamuna. We need more green initiatives alongside infrastructure projects.
A
Amit S.
Finally some progress on this corridor! My office is near Jangpura and this will be a game-changer. Hope they maintain the promised frequency of trains though.
S
Sunita R.
The pedestrian bridge network sounds excellent for accessibility. My elderly parents will find it much easier to change between transport modes. More projects should think about all age groups!
V
Vikram J.
While I appreciate the development, I'm concerned about the ₹30,274 crore cost. Hope this investment translates to long-term benefits for commuters and not just a prestige project.
N
Neha P.
The 1-hour travel time promise is amazing! Currently takes me 2.5 hours by road. Just hoping the fares will be reasonable 🤞

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Your email won't be published

Tags:
Namo Bharat RRTS Delhi Transit Regional Rapid Transit System Yamuna Bridge Indian Infrastructure
You May Like!