Table of Contents
Introduction
The Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) is a semi-high-speed, high-capacity commuter rail service, which aims to connect key areas within the National Capital Region (NCR) of India.
The Beginning of RRTS
The RRTS Project was proposed in 2005 by a Task Force from the Planning Commission, chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD), with the goal of improving regional transportation through an integrated transit network.
RRTS was incorporated in the Integrated Transport Plan for NCR 2032, which focused on connecting regional centers. The appointed Task Force identified eight corridors and prioritised three corridors for implementation in the first phase:
- Delhi-Meerut RRTS
- Delhi-Panipat RRTS
- Delhi-Alwar RRTS
Features of RRTS
| Design Speed | 180 km/h |
|---|---|
| Operation Speed | 160 km/h |
| Average Speed | 100 km/h |
| Time to Travel 100 km | 60 minutes |
The implementing authority of RRTS is the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC). NCRTC is a joint venture between the central and state governments of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan.
Funding of the RRTS Project
The partial financials of the RRTS are being handled through an official development assistance (ODA) loan from the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
The Need for RRTS in India
- Rapid Urbanisation: The rapid population growth in the National Capital Region (NCR) has resulted in severe traffic congestion and increased pollution levels, which necessitated a robust public transportation system.
- Environmentally Beneficial: RRTS would help shift many people from private vehicles to public transportation. This would help to reduce the traffic on roads. It will also be environmentally sustainable as a large population will be shifted to public transport.Â
- International Model: The design and operational strategy of the RRTS drew inspiration from successful global transit systems, such as the RER in Paris and the Regional-Express trains in Germany.
- Economic Development Goals: The National Capital Region (NCR) serves as a major hub for economic activities. The Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) is designed to enhance economic productivity by improving access to jobs and services throughout the NCR. By enabling faster commutes, the RRTS is expected to stimulate economic growth in suburban areas, contributing to more balanced regional development.
Corridors in RRTS Project
RRTS is different from conventional Railways as it will provide reliable, high-frequency, and point-to-point regional travel at high speed along a dedicated pathway.
There are 8 corridors in the RRTS project:
| Being Developed Under Phase 1 | Other Corridors |
| Delhi – Ghaziabad – MeerutDelhi – Gurugram – SNB – AlwarDelhi – Panipat | Delhi – Faridabad – Ballabgarh – PalwalGhaziabad – KhurjaDelhi – Bahadurgarh – RohtakGhaziabad – HapurDelhi – Shahdara – Baraut |
Priority Corridors
Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS Corridor
DPR Approval: Uttar Pradesh State government approved the DPR in May 2017 and and Government of India approved it in February 2019.
Foundation Stone: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of this line in March 2019.
Commercial Operations: The 17 km priority stretch of the Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor, which spans from Sahibabad to Duhai Depot, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi on October 20, 2023. In March 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated an additional 17.1 km of the RRTS route, extending between Duhai and Modinagar North.
Delhi – Meerut RRTS Route Information
- Length: 82. 15km
- Type: Elevated and Underground
- Depot: Duhai EPE and Modipuram
- Total Stations : 22
- The RRTS has a total of 22 stations: Nizamuddin / Sarai Kale Khan, New Ashok Nagar, Anand Vihar, Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar, Duhai (EPE), Murad Nagar, Modi Nagar South, Modi Nagar North, Meerut South, Partapur, Rithani, Shatabdi Nagar, Brahmapuri, Meerut Central, Bhaisali, Begum Pul, MES Colony, Daurli, Meerut North, and Modipuram.
- Out of these, eight stations—Partapur, Rithani, Brahmapuri, Meerut Central, Bhaisali, MES Colony, Daurli, and Meerut North—are dedicated to MRTS metro-only services.
| The civil construction of the viaduct in the Delhi Section is nearly complete. The NCRTC is likely to conduct trial on Delhi Section in the last quarter of 2024. |
| Operations and Management | DB RRTS Operations India Pvt Ltd. is responsible for operating and maintaining the line for 12 years through a Rs. 1493.08 crore contract awarded in May 2022. |
| Rolling Stock | Alstom |
| Estimated Cost | Rs. 30,274 crore |
| Entire Corridor Deadline | The entire corridor is expected to open by mid-2025. |
| Recent Update | NCRTC has planned to install environmental control systems on the RRTS corridor. It is done to regulate the temperature and circulation of fresh air in the underground stations. |
Delhi – Gurugram – SNB – Alwar RRTS
The Delhi-Gurugram-Shahjahanpur-Neemrana-Behror (SNB)-Alwar RRTS corridor is one of the three corridors being developed under Phase I of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) to improve connectivity in the National Capital Region (NCR) of India.
This line will start from Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi, and reach Alwar while connecting Munirka, Aerocity and move via Gurugram, Sotanala and Rewari.
| Operational: 0 km | Under Construction: 0 km | Approved: 96 km | Proposed: 93 km |
- Total Length: 199 km
- Length of Mainline (Delhi – SNB – Alwar): 164 km
- Length of Spur Line (SNB – Sotanala): 35 km
- Type: Elevated and Underground
- Depot: Dharuhera, Alwar
- Stations on Mainline (18): Sarai Kale Khan, Jor Bagh (INA), Munirka, Aerocity, Udyog Vihar, Gurgaon Sector 17, Rajiv Chowk, Kherki Daula, Manesar, Panchgaon, Bilaspur Chowk, Dharuhera Depot, MBIR, Rewari, Bawal, Shahjahanpur-Neemrana-Behrod (SNB), Khairthal, Alwar
- Stations on Spur Line (4): Shahjahanpur, Neemrana, Behror, Sotanala
| DPR Approved | Approved by NCRTC’s board in December 2018, the Haryana Government in February 2019, and the Rajasthan Government in June 2019. | |
| Estimated Cost | Rs. 37,000 crore | |
| Expected Daily Ridership | 8.5 lakh passengers | |
| Deadline | Not yet announced | |
| Phases | Phase 1: Sarai Kale Khan – Gurgaon – Dharuhera | 70.72 km |
| Phase 2: Dharuhera – SNB | 36 km | |
| Phase 3: SNB – Behror – Sotanala | 35 km | |
| Phase 4: SNB – Alwar | 58 km | |
Delhi – Sonipat – Panipat RRTS
This RRTS line will originate from Sarai Kale Khan, and connect to Kashmere Gate ISBT. It will continue to head north along National Highway 44 through Sonipat, Gannaur, and Samalakha to connect Panipat in Haryana.
| Operational: 0 km | Under Construction: 0 km | Proposed: 103 km + 25 km |
- Length: 103 km
- Type: Elevated and Underground
- Depots: Gannaur & Panipat
- Stations (17): Sarai Kale Khan, Indraprastha, Kashmere Gate, Burari Crossing, Mukarba Chowk, Alipur, Kundli, KMP Interchange, RGEU, Murthal, Barhi, Gannaur, Samalkha, Panipat South, Panipat North, Panipat Depot
- Stations on Proposed Karnal Extension (3): Gharunda, Madhuban and Karnal
| DPR Approved | Haryana Government approved the DPR of this project in December 2020. |
| Estimated Cost | Rs. 21,627 crore |
| Estimated Daily Ridership | 7.79 lakh passengers |
| Deadline | Not yet announced |
| In January 2020, the Haryana government decided to extend the line from Panipat to Karnal, covering a distance of approximately 25 kilometers from the Panipat Depot Station. However, the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for this extension is still awaiting approval. |
Future Extension Plans for RRTS
| Route | Length | Recent Updates |
| Delhi – Jewar Airport | 72 km | In April 2024, Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Ghaziabad – Jewar Airport RRTS was submitted to Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA). |
| Delhi – Faridabad – Ballabgarh – Palwal | 60 km | |
| Ghaziabad – Bulandshahr – Khurja | 83 km | |
| Delhi – Bahadurgarh – Rohtak | 70 km | A future extension is planned for Hisar. |
| Ghaziabad – Hapur | 57 km | |
| Delhi – Shahdara – Baghpat – Baraut | 56 km |
Delhi – Jewar Airport RRTS
| Deadline | It is expected to be completed by 2041. |
| Estimated Cost | Rs. 20,043.6 crore |
| Construction in 2 Phases | Phase 1:Line: Ghaziabad – Kasna Distance: 39.39 km Stations: 7 RRTS and 11 Metro Stations Vishvakarma Road (Sidharth Vihar/Pratap Vihar in Ghaziabad), Taj Highway, Char Murti Chowk, Greater Noida Link road (Knowledge Park-V), and then turns onto Surajpur-Kasna Road, ending at Ecotech VI in the Kasna Phase 1 will integrate with the Delhi Metro at Ghaziabad, the Aqua Line at Char Murti Chowk, and the Alpha I station of the Aqua Line near Pari Chowk to enhance connectivity across the region. |
| Phase 2:Line: Kasna – Jewar Airport Distance: 32.9 km Stations: 4 RRTS; Provision of 1 RRTS and 9 Metro Stations Dankaur, Dhanauri, Kanarsi, Bhatta, Parsaul, Rabupura, Dayanatpur, and Kishorpur, Ground Transport Center near Terminal 1 of Noida International Airport. |
Namo Bharat Trains:
The Namo Bharat train (formerly known as RapidX) is an Indian Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) designed specifically for the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS).
Key Specifications of Namo Bharat:
| Design Speed | 180 km/h |
| Operational Speed | 160 km/h |
| Average Speed | 100 km/h |
| Track Gauge | Standard Gauge: 1435 mm |
| Rolling Stock | Alstom has got a contract to supply 210 coaches for the Delhi – Meerut line |
| Signalling | European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 of ERTMS |
| Traction | 1 x 25 KV AC overhead catenary (OHE) |
| Seating Arrangement | Transverse |
| Classes | Economy and Business (1 coach per train) |
Challenges faced by RRTS
Land Acquisition
Due to the high population of Delhi and Meerut, it became difficult for the NCRTC to acquire land for the construction of RRTS. Compensation and negotiations created a delay in the construction and completion of the RRTS project.
Pollution Control
As the pollution in Delhi NCR is rising rapidly, smog mitigation became a huge challenge during the construction of the Delhi-Merut RRTS. Several measures like sprinkling of water and deployment of anti-smog guns were done to ensure a reduction in dust.
Advantages of RRTS
Rise in Economic Activities
RRTS focuses on improving the pattern of movement and development across different regions. As RRTS offers travel with high speed, the total time taken to reach the destination is reduced, enhancing the productivity and overall economic activities of the region.
Employment Opportunities
RRTS would open up new opportunities for the people in the country. With the development and commencement of the RRTS, new businesses and shops would open up in the regions, creating job opportunities for the people. It would improve the travel conditions for the people.
Reduction in Cost
A faster travel with RRTS would free up people’s time for productive activities. Offering travel at an affordable price would help people save, increasing their disposable income, and improving their quality of life.
Environmental Benefits
The majority of the energy requirement of the RRTS is met through renewable energy. Solar panels are being installed across the RRTS depots and station buildings, making it beneficial for the environment.
Improved Safety
RRTS is equipped with the best in class command and control systems, offering safe and reliable public transportation to move across Delhi and NCR.
Reduced Road Congestion
Compared to any other public transportation, RRTS helps a large number of people to travel every hour. RRTS aims to switch a large amount of traffic from road to rail, freeing up the space on the road and reducing the road congestion on the highways.
Conclusion
The Regional Rapid Transit System is a significant step to enhance the access of India’s public transportation infrastructure, aiming to reduce traffic congestion and enhance regional connectivity. By offering high-speed and reliable travel options, RRTS is set to transform commuter experiences and economic dynamics across the Delhi NCR region.
The development of RRTS promises reduced travel times and operational efficiency besides leading to economic growth and environmental benefits. As more corridors are completed, RRTS will play a crucial role in connecting metropolitan areas, supporting urban expansion, and improving the quality of life for millions of residents.
