NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News): NCRTC (National Capital Region Transport Corporation ) is nearly done with the civil work for the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project, which spans 82 km and connects Delhi, Ghaziabad, and Meerut. According to officials, the work in Meerut has been finalized, leaving just 2 per cent of the work pending for the Anand Vihar-Vaishali section.
Puneet Vats, chief PRO of NCRTC, mentioned that the underground civil construction of tunneling work for the RRTS project is expected to be finished in about a week. The remaining work is specifically in the Anand Vihar to Vaishali section. This means that the tunneling work is around 98% done. After the tunnels are ready, they will move on to laying tracks, setting up signals, and installing overhead equipment.
The underground tunnels for the RRTS project are wider than typical Metro systems, measuring 6.5 meters in width compared to the usual 5.8 meters. This is to accommodate the larger RapidX trains that will travel at a speed of 180 km/h. The tunnels also have cross-passages every 250 meters for easier maintenance and passenger evacuation in case of emergencies.
The NCRTC has already finished the first section of the RRTS project, a 17 km stretch in Ghaziabad from Sahibabad to Duhai Depot, which includes five stations and is awaiting inauguration.
Once this section is open for passengers, operations will continue from Duhai to Meerut in the next phase and then to Delhi. The final plan includes the metro module in Meerut.
The elevated corridor’s track laying is progressing quickly, with about 50% complete from Duhai to Meerut (south). Most of the viaduct is also done, with around 15 km remaining in different areas of Delhi and Meerut.
The RRTS project, costing around ₹30,274 crore, is expected to start operations in March 2025. The route covers 82 km and has 25 stations, with three in Delhi, eight in Ghaziabad, and the rest in Meerut.
