Delhi–Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System
The Delhi–Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System is an long, under-construction, semi-high speed rail corridor connecting Delhi, Ghaziabad, and Meerut. It is one of the three rapid rail corridors planned under Phase I of the Regional Rapid Transport System (RRTS) project of National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC). With a maximum speed of , the distance between Delhi and Meerut will be covered in less than 60 minutes. The project will cost and will have 24 stations including two depots at Duhai and Modipuram. History. On 8 March 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi  laid the foundation stone of the corridor. Local transit services will also be provided on the Delhi-Meerut RRTS network in Meerut with a span of for local transit needs. NCRTC initiated the civil construction work on the long priority section between Sahibabad and Duhai to meet the target of opening it for regular operations by March 2023. The civil construction work was initiated within three months of the foundation stone ceremony. The entire long Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor, however, will be operational by June 2025. Following the Galwan Valley skirmish on 15 June 2020, there were calls by  Swadeshi Jagran Manch for the Government to cancel the bid of a Chinese company related to the transit system. The trains are being built by Alstom's manufacturing plant in Savli, Gujarat. Route. Length of the corridor: No. of stations: 14 Names of stations: Sarai Kale Khan, New Ashok Nagar, Anand Vihar, Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar, Duhai, Muradnagar, Modinagar South, Modinagar North, Meerut South, Shatabdi Nagar, Begumpul and Modipuram. No. of depots: 2 Names of depots: Duhai and Modipuram. 8 stations constructed exclusively for local transit services in Meerut: Partapur, Rithani, Brahmapuri, Meerut Central, Bhaisali, MES Colony, Daurli and Meerut North . 4 stations where both RRTS and local transit services in Meerut will be provided: Meerut South, Shatabdi Nagar, Begumpul and Modipuram. Of the entire length, is elevated, is underground. and will be at grade for connections to two depots that will come up at Duhai and Modipuram. In densely populated areas of Delhi and Meerut, the route will be underground, including that of the river Yamuna. The entire route is designed for a maximum speed of and the operating speed will be . Average speed (including all the stops) will come around . The Delhi-Meerut corridor starts from Sarai Kale Khan  station in Delhi. The corridor will pass through areas of Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut, terminating at Modipuram in Meerut. Sarai Kale Khan will also become a transit hub with the presence of Sarai Kale Khan - Nizamuddin metro station, Sarai Kale Khan ISBT and the Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station in vicinity. The long Sahibabad - Meerut South section, including Duhai Depot, is expected to become operational by January 2023, the Hazrat Nizamuddin - Sahibabad in January 2024 and the remaining Meerut South - Modipuram in July 2024. There will be a total of 16 stations Multimodal transport hubs for integration with existing transportation such  as Delhi Metro, Indian Railways, Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) bus terminals are planned at Anand Vihar, Sahibabad and Shaheed Sthal stations. Signalling and train control system. National Capital Region Transport Corporation has decided to equip the line with European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 signalling solution. Tenders for its procurement were invited on 17 April 2020. Rolling stock. On 1 May 2020, Alstom emerged as the lowest bidder among a group of three bidders to supply and maintain 210 coaches. The coaches will be built in Alstom's plant in Gujarat. The RRTS rolling stock will  be first of its kind in India with a design speed of . The entire rolling stock for Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor will be manufactured in India. NCRTC recently unveiled the first look of the RRTS trains.