India’s first high-speed Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), connecting Delhi and Meerut, is nearing full operational status and is expected to be nearly complete by the end of June, according to officials from the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC). Once fully functional, the corridor will allow passengers to travel from Delhi’s Sarai Kale Khan to Modipuram in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, in just 45 minutes.

The 82-kilometre corridor, known as the Namo Bharat corridor, is being developed to significantly enhance regional mobility across the National Capital Region. Of the total length, 55 kilometres with 11 stations are already operational. Work on the remaining 27 kilometres is progressing quickly, officials said.

A two-kilometre extension between Sarai Kale Khan and Jangpura is still under construction, but trial runs are ongoing across two critical stretches. These include a 4.5-kilometre elevated segment between Sarai Kale Khan and New Ashok Nagar in Delhi, and a 23-kilometre section between Meerut South and Modipuram in Meerut. Trains have been running across the full corridor as part of operational testing, the official added.

Since the launch of the 17-kilometre priority section on October 21, 2023, and the Delhi segment between Sahibabad and New Ashok Nagar on January 5, the Namo Bharat trains have served over one crore passengers, according to NCRTC. Fare from New Ashok Nagar to Meerut South is set at 150 rupees for standard class and 225 rupees for premium class. From Anand Vihar to Meerut South, the fares are 130 and 195 rupees respectively.

To improve last-mile connectivity, NCRTC has partnered with Delhi Transport Corporation and other mobility providers. Some service operators are also offering fare discounts to Namo Bharat commuters.

The starting station in Delhi, Sarai Kale Khan, is nearly complete with 12 escalators, four lifts, platform screen doors, and five entry and exit points. In Meerut, the final leg of the project features three new stations. Shatabdi Nagar is elevated and has had its tracks and systems installed. Begumpul, a major underground station located in the city’s market area, will cater to both regional and local metro services. Modipuram, the final station along the national highway, includes a foot over bridge for safe pedestrian access.

Additionally, trial runs have begun for the Meerut Metro, a 23-kilometre local service that will run on the same infrastructure as the Namo Bharat trains. This is the first time in India that regional and metro rail services will share the same corridor. The Meerut Metro will include 13 stations, three of which are underground.