Delhi–Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System

The Delhi–Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (Delhi–Meerut RRTS) is a partially operational 82.15 km (51.05 mi)-long rapid rail that will connect the National Capital Region (NCR) cities of Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut. It is the first of the four rapid rail corridors envisioned under the first phase of the RapidX project managed by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC). Designed to allow a maximum speed of 180 km/h (110 mph), the distance between Delhi and Meerut will be traversed in less than 60 minutes. The project is being developed at a cost of ₹30,274 crore (US$3.5 billion). Originating from Jangpura, the corridor runs through Sarai Kale Khan, the terminal for the three planned corridors, both in Delhi, and concludes at Modipuram in Meerut. It will comprise 16 stations and two depots at Duhai and Modipuram.
The foundation stone for the project was laid in March 2019, and construction began in June 2019. The project's first phase—the priority corridor spanning 17 kilometres (10.56 mi) from Sahibabad to Duhai Depot—was expected to become operational by March 2023. However, owing to ongoing work at certain stations, particularly in Ghaziabad, it exceeded its planned timeline. It was eventually inaugurated on 20 October 2023. The entirety of the corridor running from Sarai Kale Khan to Meerut will become operational by June 2025. The operational span of the corridor was extended in stages. On 6 March 2024, it was extended to Modinagar North from Duhai Depot, increasing the total length to about 34 km (21.13 miles)). The extension reached Meerut South on 18 August 2024, bringing the operational length to around 42 km (26.10 miles). Eventually, the corridor was extended to New Ashok Nagar on 5 January 2025, increasing the total operational length to approximately 55 km (34.18 miles). The ownership of the corridor and its trains is vested with the National Capital Region Transport Corporation, under whose aegis the construction is also underway. DB RRTS Operations India, a subsidiary of Germany's Deutsche Bahn, is the corridor's operator. Upon inauguration, the RRTS became the first regional transit system of India, and has also been designated the fastest rapid transit train in the nation with an operational speed of 160 km/h (99 mph).
Owing to burgeoning population, traffic, congestion, pollution, and risk of accidents and mishaps in the National Capital Region, the Planning Commission constituted a task force in 2005 under the chairmanship of the secretary of the Ministry of Urban Development to develop a multi-modal regional transit system for the NCR. This was included in the Integrated Transport Plan for NCR 2032, with special emphasis on a Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) connecting regional centres. In 2013, the Government of India and the Government of Delhi decided to create a comprehensive plan for developing a regional railway that would connect Delhi directly with the adjoining cities and regions of the NCR and beyond. Consequently, the National Capital Region Transport Corporation was established in July 2013 as a joint venture between the Government of India and the governments of the states of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. The objective of this organisation is to reduce the reliance of commuters on road-based transportation and enhance regional connectivity within the NCR and beyond, and construct, own and operate the Regional Rapid Transit Systems (RRTS). Within Delhi, the RRTS systems will largely run underground, connect to the Delhi Metro and provide commuters with a faster alternative option as a last-mile connectivity avenue to reach their respective destinations. These systems will be similar to other regional transit systems in the world, like London's Crossrail, Paris' RER, and Munich's S-Bahn. Eight corridors traversing the NCR of at least 1,000 km (620 mi) were initially planned to be implemented, which subsequently swelled to nine. Of the nine, four corridors are slated for implementation in the coming years, namely the Delhi–Meerut, Delhi–Alwar, Delhi–Panipat and Ghaziabad–Jewar corridors. The Delhi–Meerut corridor was chosen to be developed first on account of high frequency of travellers and traffic between Delhi and Meerut: the Government of India, the respective state governments, and the NCRTC commissioned feasibility studies and subsequently approved the corridor's construction.
The feasibility study and the detailed project report prepared by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation were approved by the Government of Uttar Pradesh in May 2017. In February 2019, the Government of India approved the project's implementation, and also approved the funding of ₹30,274 crore (US$3.5 billion). On 8 March 2019, the foundation stone for the corridor and the Meerut Metro project were laid: construction for both the projects commenced in June 2019. The metro has been tacked along the RRTS route in Meerut to provide local connectivity, covering 21 km (13.0 mi). The NCRTC planned for the 17 km (10.6 mi)-long priority section between Sahibabad and Duhai Depot to begin regular operations by March 2023. However, due to pending work at certain stations, especially in Ghaziabad, the project faced delays. As a result, it was inaugurated and opened on 20 October 2023. In July 2022, the NCRTC selected Deutsche Bahn, the national railway company of Germany, to operate and maintain the corridor for twelve years with a further five years' option, as part of the contract. Hence, after the inauguration of the corridor, the company formed a subsidiary named DB RRTS Operations India. The NCRTC christened the provider of the services and trains RapidX and Namo Bharat respectively.
In December 2023, after conducting trials runs on another 25 km (15.5 mi)-long section between Duhai Depot and Meerut South, the NCRTC announced that the section would likely be opened by March 2024, thereby taking the operational length to about 42 km (26.1 mi). The section was later extended to Modinagar North on 6 March 2024, to Meerut South on 18 August 2024, and to New Ashok Nagar on 5 January 2025, gradually increasing the operational length to around 34 km (21.1 mi), 42 km (26.1 mi), and finally 55 km (34.2 mi). The final 16.6 km (10.3 mi)-long section from Sarai Kale Khan to New Ashok Nagar, which traverses the Yamuna river, is scheduled for completion by June 2025.
In November 2021, the NCRTC decided to build a station in Jangpura, Delhi, to serve as the terminating station of the corridor. Per the original plan, it was envisioned to establish a stabling yard and operations control centre at Sarai Kale Khan, thence managing the three corridors originating there. However, the Jangpura station was floated to provide connectivity to the RRTS for residents of Jangpura and nearby areas, more so owing to the congestion along Mathura Road. With this addition, the total number of stations on the corridor increased to 16. The station will be at grade and is expected to be completed and opened after the rest of the corridor. The rest of the corridor till Modipuram is expected be operational by June 2025.
Following the Galwan Valley skirmish on 15 June 2020, there were calls by the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch for the government to cancel the bid of a Chinese firm involved in constructing and manufacturing the trains of the RRTS. Although the Chinese company did not abstain from constructing a tunnel segment of the RRTS, it was determined that the trains would be constructed by another firm. On this account, a fresh bid was conducted by the NCRTC: Bombardier Transportation, a Canadian-German rolling stock manufacturer, won the bid to make the trains for the RRTS and the Meerut Metro. The company will supply 210 coaches consisting of 30 trainsets with six coaches each, which could be extended to eight coaches based on demand. The trains are being manufactured at the company's plant in Savli, Gujarat.
Of the entire length, 68.03 km (42.27 mi) will be elevated, 14.12 km (8.77 mi) will be underground and the remaining 1.45 km (0.90 mi) segment will be at-grade for connections to two depots, located at Duhai and Modipuram. In the densely populated suburbs of Delhi and Meerut, the route will run underground. The entire route is designed for a maximum speed of 180 km/h (112 mph), with an operating speed of 160 km/h (99 mph). The average speed is approximately 100 km/h (62 mph).
The corridor will begin at Jangpura and follow its main route from Sarai Kale Khan station, which will serve as the terminal station for all the planned corridors, located in Sarai Kale Khan, Delhi. The corridor will pass through various suburbs of Delhi and Ghaziabad before terminating at Modipuram in Meerut. The Sarai Kale Khan station will be the largest of all the stations, featuring three levels, six platforms, and six tracks to serve the three corridors to Meerut, Panipat and Alwar. Due to its terminal status and location, it will serve as a multi-modal transport hub by facilitating direct connectivity with the adjoining transport systems and facilities in its vicinity—like the Sarai Kale Khan-Nizamuddin metro station of the Delhi Metro, the Sarai Kale Khan Inter-State Bus Terminus, and the Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station—to oversee a smooth and hassle-free movement of commuters. The Anand Vihar station of the corridor will also boast of a similar strategic value owing to its adjacency to the Anand Vihar Terminal railway station, whereas the Ghaziabad station will serve as another hub for interconnectivity with three more proposed corridors–Ghaziabad–Jewar, Ghaziabad–Bulandshahr–Khurja and Ghaziabad–Hapur.
Since January 2025, the 55 km (34.18 mi)-long New Ashok Nagar–Meerut South section is operational. The section spanning from Sarai Kale Khan to New Ashok Nagar will likely become operational by June 2025.
The National Capital Region Transport Corporation has divided the civil construction work of the RRTS project into eight packages and 30 packages for all stations, ramps, tunnel sections and technical facilities, consisting of 16 stations and two depots. Of the eight packages, two packages in the Meerut section are also part of the Meerut Metro project. The list of all packages, their contractors, and statuses is as follows:
Note: Package-1 and Package-2 are part of the priority section of the RRTS, and Package-7 and Package-8 are part of the Meerut Metro.
All stations and trains of the RRTS have facilities and provisions similar to that of an airport. They have several facilities to fulfil the requirements of travellers and on-board passengers to ensure smooth and hassle-free experience, like booking counters, ticket and food vending machines, on-board catering and washrooms, check-in kiosks, baggage checking counters, CCTVs, platform screen doors, washrooms, retiring rooms, restaurants, retail stores, free WiFi, child care facilities, emergency and medical facilities, facilities for physically challenged passengers like wheelchairs, escalators, elevators and connecting facilities to other existing transport modes like Delhi Metro stations in the Delhi section, inter-state bus terminals of the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation at Anand Vihar, Sahibabad and Shaheed Sthal at Ghaziabad, Indian railway stations, Meerut Metro stations in the Meerut section, cabs, auto-rickshaw stands, parking spaces, etc. All services are provided to passengers on-board the trains and travellers in the stations by RapidX.
In November 2023, the National Capital Region Transport Corporation introduced a mobile app called RRTS Connect that allows passengers to book tickets. The NCRTC introduced a "one-tap ticketing" feature through the RRTS Connect app. This provision allows commuters to generate a QR code from anywhere within 300 meters of an RRTS station, without needing to select a destination. It eliminates the need for advanced ticket bookings, offering a more efficient method of accessing tickets. In line with the NCRTC’s efforts to ensure a seamless and hassle-free travel experience, this initiative lets commuters travel with spontaneity and allows flexibility in changing destinations during the journey.
In May 2024, NCRTC announced plans to install electric vehicle charging points at all stations along the entire corridor, with the first charging points being launched at the Sahibabad station.
After commencing operations in October 2023 on the 17 km (11 mi) stretch from Sahibabad to Duhai Depot, the initial ridership of the RRTS ranged between 2,500 and 3,000 passengers per day. In May 2024, after the extension of the corridor by 17 km (11 mi) from Duhai Depot to Modinagar North in March 2024, bringing the total operational length to about 34 km (21 mi), ridership increased to around 12,000 passengers per day, nearly five times the previous figure. The corridor also surpassed one million passengers since its opening in October 2023 in the same month. In December 2024, following the opening till Meerut South in August 2024, this record surpassed 5 million, with a daily ridership of almost 22,000 passengers. It is expected to soar to 800,000 per day after the entire 82.15 km (51.05 mi)-long corridor from Sarai Kale Khan to Modipuram becomes operational by June 2025.
Source: RRTS official website
Source: RRTS official website
The RRTS corridor will originate from Jangpura—where construction is currently underway—and take its course from Sarai Kale Khan: both stations are located in Delhi. Thereafter, it will run through Ghaziabad—whence three more corridors to Jewar, Hapur, and Khurja have been proposed to connect the nearby towns and cities lying in Uttar Pradesh with the National Capital Region—and terminate at Meerut. The corridor will include 16 stations, with 9 additional stations serving as intermediate stops for the Meerut Metro, where the RapidX services will not stop. However, there will be four stations—Meerut South, Shatabdi Nagar, Begumpul, and Modipuram—where the RRTS and Meerut Metro will be integrated, allowing stops for both services. The corridor currently has 11 stations and one depot functional, with 5 more along the Meerut Metro and another depot under construction. The stations' exterior designs are inspired by the hue of the plumage of the peacock, the national bird of India. The following list outlines the stations, their integration with existing transport modes and their statuses.
On 1 May 2020, Bombardier Transportation, a Canadian-German rolling stock firm, emerged as the lowest bidder amongst a group of three bidders to supply and maintain 210 coaches for a period of fifteen years, with a price bid of ₹2,577 crore (US$300 million). The 210 coaches include 180 coaches, comprising 30 six-car trains for the RRTS, and 30 coaches consisting of 10 three-car trains for the Meerut Metro.
In September 2020, the National Capital Region Transport Corporation unveiled the design of the RRTS trainset, which is inspired by the Lotus Temple. Designed in Hyderabad, the trains have a design speed of 180 km/h (110 mph) and an operational speed of 160 km/h (99 mph), making them the fastest rapid transit trains in India. Each fully air-conditioned, six-car trainset, which could be extended to eight coaches based on demand, consists of one premium coach and one coach reserved for women, and has a capacity of 1,750 passengers. It is compatible with a host of train protection systems like automatic train protection and automatic train control systems, and also features regenerative braking.
The trains are the first-ever rapid transit trains in India to have an aerodynamic and sleek design and ergonomically designed seats. They have several facilities and amenities to cater the needs of the passengers, such as on-board catering, ticket scanners, food vending machines, information display systems, armrests, window blinds, charging points, fire alarms, washrooms, CCTVs, and dedicated seats for physically-challenged passengers. The trains were named Namo Bharat after the inauguration of the corridor.
The rolling stock are manufactured in India at Alstom's plant in Savli, Gujarat, and the first trainset was delivered to the NCRTC in May 2022. As of January 2025, of the 30 trains of the RRTS, more than 15 trains have been received and are in operation.
The RRTS, after originating from Jangpura, will be connected to the Delhi Metro's Pink Line at Sarai Kale Khan before taking its course towards Meerut. Thereafter, it has an interchange with the Blue Line at New Ashok Nagar, a second connection to the Pink Line and Blue Line at Anand Vihar, and a third interchange with the Red Line at Ghaziabad. Thereafter, the RRTS boasts of three stations in the Meerut section—with interchanges with the Meerut Metro at Shatabdi Nagar, Begumpul and Modipuram—whereafter it will share its trains with that of the Meerut Metro at Modipuram depot. In the metro's first phase, the first line will run parallel to the RRTS tracks on both sides. Four of its 13 stations—Modipuram, Begumpul, Shatabdi Nagar, and Meerut South—will be integrated with the RRTS, allowing seamless connections between the metro and Namo Bharat trains. This will provide commuters with easy travel within Meerut and connections to Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, and other parts of the National Capital Region. This makes the metro the first metro in India to run along and directly integrate with a regional transit system.
The corridors of the RRTS and the Meerut Metro are equipped with ETCS L2 signalling, a signalling system ubiquitous in Europe. Tenders for its procurement were invited in April 2020: Alstom was awarded the contract worth approximately ₹937 crore (US$110 million) in January 2021. All operations and trains are controlled by RapidX from its operations control centre at Duhai Depot. After the completion of the second OCC at Jangpura, the corridor will have two OCCs to look after the operations.
Nokia partnered with Alstom to implement the 4.9G/LTE private wireless network to support the ETCS L2 signalling. This is the first instance globally of an LTE network being integrated with ETCS L2 signalling. In July 2024, the ETCS L3 signalling as its hybrid form was commissioned along the corridor, making it the world's first such deployment.
In January 2024, the National Capital Region Transport Corporation drafted a plan to extend the RRTS corridor from its terminating point in Meerut to Haridwar via Muzaffarnagar. NCRTC officials stated that, if the plan is implemented, the travel time from Delhi to Haridwar would be reduced to just 2 hours, compared to the current 3-4 hours by road and 5-6 hours by rail. The officials decided to conduct a physical survey of the proposed section to assess the feasibility and execution of the project. A detailed project report will be prepared to further analyse the practicality of the corridor.
During construction, the pace of work on the RRTS has been managed to ensure it remains one of the fastest infrastructure projects in India. Extensive pollution control measures have been implemented at the construction sites, with a dedicated team regularly monitoring their effectiveness and adjusting activities as needed. Construction is taking place within barricaded zones, maintaining cleanliness on-site. Anti-smog guns and water sprinklers are used to control dust, and raw materials and debris are covered with thin sheets at designated areas. Additionally, the NCRTC is repairing and improving the roads beneath the viaduct sections after construction to maintain smooth traffic flow.
The project will install 25,000 solar panels on station and depot rooftops, generating 11 MW of electricity and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 615 tonnes annually, totalling 15,375 tonnes over 25 years. Of the 25,000 panels, 16 stations in the Meerut Metro section will each receive approximately 1,100 panels, while the remaining nine stations will receive around 400 panels. The solar panels are expected to meet 70% of the energy demand. With reduced friction and reliance on rail-based transit, the corridor will consume one-fifth the fossil fuel of road vehicles. Water recycling, rainwater harvesting, and sewage treatment systems are also being implemented to promote conservation. These measures will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 250,000 tonnes annually and conserve water.