PM Modi to inaugurate RRTS: What is this mass transport system, how it can benefit NCR

What is the RRTS project?

With semi high-speed rail connectivity at its core, the RRTS is an integrated, mass transit network which aims to ensure “balanced and sustainable urban development” through better connectivity and access across the NCR.

RRTS is supposed to serve the region around Delhi and enhance inter-state connectivity.

The idea of such a network lies in a study which the Indian Railways was commissioned to carry out in the year 1998-99. The study identified the possibility of an RRTS network to connect various locations in the NCR through fast commuter trains. The proposal was re-examined in the year 2006 with the extension of the Delhi Metro lines to some NCR towns such as Gurgaon, Noida and Ghaziabad.

It was soon taken up by the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) while developing its “Functional Plan on Transport for NCR-2032”. The NCRPB identified and recommended eight RRTS corridors to connect NCR towns with high speed rail-based commuter transit services.

Who built the Namo Bharat, which PM Modi will inaugurate?

The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), which is a joint venture company of the Central government and the governments of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, has constructed the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) also known as Namo Bharat.

The body, under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, is mandated with implementing the RRTS project across the National Capital Region, which is spread across an estimated 55,000 square kilometres and is home to a population of over 46 crore with a combined GDP of an estimated $370 billion.

How is the RRTS different from existing metro or railways systems?

When compared with metros, the RRTS network is faster. It will cater to commuters who want to travel relatively longer distances across the NCR in a short time.

Compared with the Indian Railways, though the RRTS train will cover relatively smaller distances, it will do so at higher frequency and provide relatively more comfort than the average Railways coach.

The RRTS is modelled on systems such as the RER in Paris, Regional-Express trains in Germany and Austria as well as the SEPTA Regional Rail in the United States, among others.

What is the objective behind the RRTS project?

The RRTS seeks to “unlock the entire potential” of the NCR in various ways in addition to enhancing multi-modal connectivity at the existing transportation hubs within it. One of the most significant aims of the project is to nudge commuters towards public transportation and have a positive impact on relieving the congestion both on its road/highways as well as existing metro and railway networks.

In terms of the economy, the project aims to give a push to employment generation and the opening up of newer commercial hubs along the current contours of the NCR. This is expected to allow more citizens residing in regional centres located in Delhi’s suburbs to be a part of economic activity in the capital, and vice versa, without the necessity to relocate near their workplace or place of business.

Shorter travel times are expected to increase the overall economic productivity of the region and allow more economic activity to spring up in and around suburban locations spread across the states of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana.

How fast can RRTS trains travel?

RRTS trains will travel significantly faster than metro trains. These will operate at a speed of 160 km/hour but are designed to be able to run at speeds up to 180 km/hour. Delhi Metro trains can operate at 100 km/hour to 120 km/hour, at the most, depending on the line. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s fastest line, the Airport Express Line, for example, operates at a speed of 120 km/hour.

Which corridors are being developed under the RRTS project?

Eight corridors will be developed under the project, of which three are being constructed under phase I: the 82-km Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut, the 164-km Delhi-Gurugram-SNB-Alwar, and the 103-km Delhi-Panipat corridors. The corridors to be developed in future include Delhi – Faridabad – Ballabgarh – Palwal; Ghaziabad – Khurja; Delhi – Bahadurgarh – Rohtak; Ghaziabad-Hapur; and Delhi-Shahadra-Baraut.

The RRTS station at Sarai Kale Khan in the heart of the capital will form the backbone of the entire project with all three corridors being constructed under phase I – connecting the city to U.P, Haryana and Rajasthan – converging at it.

What part of the RRTS is being thrown open? How long will it take for the entire project to be operational?

The Prime Minister will inaugurate a 17-km stretch classified as the ‘priority section’ of the 82-km-long Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor. It has 16 stations, of which the priority section has five: Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar, Duhai and Duhai Depot. The entire corridor is expected to be operational by 2025.