CMRS approves the operation of RAPIDX service on the Priority Section of Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor
India’s first regional train service, called RAPIDX, is all set to kick off operations this month with a 17-kilometer priority section. This particular section includes five stations: Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar, Duhai, and Duhai Depot.
According to a senior government official, all the work at these stations has been finished, and they are good to go now.. This priority section is a part of the larger Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project.
Recently, the safety approvals from the commissioner for Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) were obtained by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), the organization overseeing the development of this rapid rail service. Exciting news awaits as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to inaugurate the project, bringing its benefits to the public very soon. The trains on the RRTS will be whizzing along at an incredible speed of 160 kilometers per hour, marking a remarkable milestone as India’s first railway system to cover the entire distance at such high velocities.
CMRS approves the operation of RAPIDX service on the Priority Section of Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor
— PowerTrain (@PowerTrain_YT) June 27, 2023
Commissioner for Metro Rail Safety (CMRS), Government of India, has approved the operation of RAPIDX service on the Priority Section of Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor. . pic.twitter.com/SbkqLG3ikU
Apart from the priority section, a 42-kilometer viaduct connecting Sahibabad to Meerut South Station has also been completed. An official mentioned that the next section to be commissioned after the priority section will be a 25-kilometer stretch starting from Duhai Depot and comprising four stations: Muradnagar, Modi Nagar South, Modi Nagar North, and Meerut South.
The construction of the RRTS project commenced in June 2019, and the full 82.15-kilometer corridor, along with Metro services in Meerut, is scheduled to be operational by June 2025. The construction of this corridor comes with a price tag of 30,274 crore, and the funds for it have been secured through the generous support of various institutions such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and New Development Bank (NDB).
Internal estimates project a daily ridership of 800,000 passengers. However, despite the anticipated high number of commuters, revenue from the passenger segment is expected to be limited due to regulated fares. To overcome these financial challenges, the NCRTC is exploring advertising avenues to supplement fare income
