On Friday (20th October), Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the priority phase of the 82-kilometer-long Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS). The project is being developed at a cost of more than Rs 30,000 crore. The Prime Minister flagged off the first RAPIDX train from Sahibabad station in Uttar Pradesh, the video of which has been going viral on the social media platform.
VIDEO | PM Modi flags off a RAPIDX train connecting Sahibabad and Duhai Depot stations, marking the launch of the RRTS in India. pic.twitter.com/bzlDFYrjJE
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 20, 2023
He boarded the train and interacted with the RRTS staff members. He also addressed the masses on the occasion and said that the Namo Bharat Train is defining the new journey and new resolutions of the New India.
VIDEO | PM Modi interacts with schoolchildren and RRTS staff members as he takes a ride on RAPIDX train, connecting Sahibabad and Duhai Depot stations. pic.twitter.com/0Vv652dUZJ
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 20, 2023
“Today is a historic moment for the entire country. Today India’s first rapid rail service ‘Namo Bharat Train’ has been dedicated to the nation. Its Meerut part will be completed after 1-1.5 years, at that time also I will be present at your service,” PM Modi added.
PM Shri @narendramodi flags off 1st NAMO BHARAT Train. #NaMoBharat https://t.co/q21V5q70lx
— BJP (@BJP4India) October 20, 2023
The priority segment is 17 kilometres long and comprises five stations: Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar, Duhai, and Duhai Depot. It will connect Sahibabad to ‘Duhai Depot’ with stations at Ghaziabad, Guldhar, and Duhai on the way. The foundation stone was laid for the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor on March 8, 2019, by the Prime Minister.
The RAPIDX passenger train service is said to begin on Saturday (21st October) at 6 a.m. What exactly is RRTS? What will it mean to the commuters? Let us look into more details
RRTS explained
RAPIDX, or Regional Rapid Transit System, is India’s first semi-high-speed regional rail service. The entire Rs 32,724-crore corridor in Uttar Pradesh, covering Delhi, Ghaziabad, and Meerut, is projected to be finished by June 2025.
As per the reports, the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), a joint venture between the Centre and the governments of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, is in charge of the RRTS project. The airconditioned RAPIX trains, billed as India’s fastest inter-state transit system, will travel at a top speed of 160 kilometers per hour.
The RAPIDX trains’ average speed of 100 kmph distinguishes them from Metro and Indian Railways trains. These RRTS trains have been given the name ‘Namo Bharat’.
Structure of the RAPIDX train
Each RAPIDX train will consist of six coaches, including a luxury class, with seats arranged in a 2 by 2 layout. The coach next to the premium coach has especially been reserved for ladies.
Other coaches have allocated seats for women, those with disabilities, and senior persons. As per the official information, the ordinary coach has 72 seats while the premium coach has 62 seats.
A single quick rail can supposedly carry 1,700 passengers both seated and standing. As per the reports, the seating capacity of the rail is 400 while other thousand passengers can travel standing. On the priority portion of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor, ordinary coaches cost Rs 30-50, while premium coaches cost Rs 60-100.
What will be inside the RAPIDX train?
On the priority portion of the RRTS corridor, a one-way ticket from Sahibabad station to Duhai Depot station costs Rs 50 for regular coaches and Rs 100 for premium classes.
Each seat will feature a charging station for a laptop or mobile device. The coaches also have luggage racks, CCTV cameras, emergency talkback buttons, information panels for passengers, and Wi-Fi.
According to officials, the CCTV system would monitor the RAPIDX stations 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and will issue alarms for any unauthorized access, unclaimed luggage, or overcrowding. The premium coach is only accessible via the platform’s premium lounge.
Wheelchairs and stretchers will be accommodated on the train’s final coach. All RAPIDX stops will have a first-aid station, as well as additional facilities such as drinking water and restrooms.
About the premium coach
The first coach going from Delhi towards Meerut and the last coach coming from Meerut towards Delhi will be the premium coach. It will be separated from the adjacent coach by a sliding door. Along with this, the colour code of the seats in the premium coach will be different from the colour of other coaches.
Along with this, the luxury coaches have a variety of passenger-friendly features such as comfy padded reclining seats, coat hooks, magazine holders, and footrests. A premium coach seat will also offer more leg space as mentioned in a report.
Further, this coach can only be boarded through the premium lounge. There are also plans to build a vending machine in the near future. So that snacks and beverages can be purchased inside the coach.
India’s first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS): Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor
— PIB India (@PIB_India) October 19, 2023
▪️ Prime Minister @narendramodi to inaugurate the priority section of Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS Corridor at Sahibabad RapidX Station, Uttar Pradesh on October 20, 2023
▪️ 17 Km priority… pic.twitter.com/hOtHVseKMV
How will the tickets be issued?
One need not stand in a queue to purchase tickets for the Rapid X train because a digital QR code-based ticketing system has been devised in this case. ‘RAPIDX Connect’ is a smartphone app that can be used to quickly purchase tickets.
Travel tickets based on paper QR codes may additionally be purchased. These can be purchased at ticket vending machines (TVMs) or station ticket counters.
In addition to cash payment mechanisms, TVM cards are equipped with credit/debit/prepaid card readers compliant with RuPay/Master/Visa standards. NCRTC has built four TVMs in Sahibabad and Ghaziabad, as well as two TVMs in Guldhar, Duhai, and Duhai depots. RAPIDX also accepts the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) or any card that is compatible with the NCMC.
These cards can be purchased at the station ticket counter for the Rapid X train. This card can be refilled for as little as Rs 100 and as much as Rs 2000. The NCMC is an open-loop card developed as an element of the ‘One Nation, One Card’ concept. As a result, this card is valid in all of the country’s transport networks.
Why travel using RAPIDX?
Once completed, the 82-kilometer segment will reduce travel time from Delhi’s Sarai Kale Khan station to Meerut’s Modipuram to less than an hour. A mail express train takes one and a half hours to travel between Meerut and Delhi, whereas a local train takes two hours.
The RAPIDX trains are meant to provide a comfortable alternative to driving and to relieve congestion on Delhi’s roadways. Initially, these trains will run every 15 minutes along the 17-kilometer priority corridor. The distance between Sahibabad and Duhai Depot will also be covered in 15 minutes. According to Puneet Vats, Chief Public Relations Officer, NCRTC, once fully operational, the RRTS project might remove one lakh passenger vehicles from the road. According to Vats, RRTS will not only relieve congestion on Delhi’s roadways but also on the city itself. “People will be able to rent or own properties in low population density areas and commute to work to Delhi, without having to compromise on the kind of space they want to inhabit,” he said.
As per ANI inputs, RRTS is a cutting-edge regional mobility solution that is equivalent to the best in the world. It will provide the country with safe, dependable, and contemporary intercity transportation solutions. The RRTS network will include substantial multi-modal integration with railway stations, metro stations, bus services, and so on, in accordance with PM GatiShakti’s National Master Plan.
Such transformative regional transportation solutions will promote regional economic activity, improve access to jobs, education, and healthcare opportunities, and significantly reduce traffic congestion and air pollution in the city.
