RRTS Project: In the year 2005, the Planning Commission formed a Task Force under the Chairmanship of the Secretary of the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) in order to develop a multi-modal transit system for Delhi National Capital Region (NCR). This was included in the Integrated Transport Plan for National Capital Region 2032 with special emphasis on Regional Rapid Transit System, linking regional centres. According to the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), the Task Force identified a total of eight corridors and prioritized three RRTS corridors namely Delhi – Meerut, Delhi – Alwar, and Delhi – Panipat corridors for implementation in phase 1.
What is RRTS?
With a design speed of 180 Km per hour and an average speed of 100 Km per hour, the RRTS is a rail-based, high frequency and high-speed transit system, aimed at bringing people and places closer in NCR. It is said that the system will provide fast, safe, reliable, comfortable, efficient, and sustainable transport solutions as well as connect the national capital to the urban centers of Ghaziabad, Modinagar, Muradnagar and Meerut. The corridor will encourage polycentric development in the National Capital Region as well as improve the quality of life of the people.
Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS Corridor:
- The length of the corridor is 82.15 kilometres, of which about 70 km will be elevated and 12 km will be underground
- There will be two maintenance Depots at Modipuram and Duhai
- The priority section is of 17 km between Sahibabad to Duhai, which is targetted for commissioning by 2023
- Full corridor commissioning from Delhi to Meerut is expected by 2025
- The cost of completion is Rs 30,274 crore
- The project is being developed with multilateral funding- about $1 billion from ADB, $500 million from NDB and $500 million from AIIB
- The contribution from the Centre is 20%; Delhi government is 3.22%; from Uttar Pradesh government is 16.78%
- There will be a total of 25 stations including two depot stations on the corridor
- The elevated stations include Jangpura, Sarai Kale Khan, New Ashok Nagar, Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar, Duhai, Muradnagar, Modi Nagar South, Modi Nagar North, Meerut South, Partapur, Rithani, Shatabdi Nagar, Bramhapuri, MES Colony, Daurli Metro, Meerut North, Modipuram; underground stations include Anand Vihar, Meerut Central, Bhaisali, Begumpul; Depot Stations are Duhai Depot and Modipuram Depot.
- For this corridor, Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) system will be adopted, which will enable QR Code based ticketing and Europay, Mastercard, Visa (EMV) as well as Rupay Open Loop contactless card based on NCMC standards.
- An MoU has been signed with Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to harness blended renewable energy for RRTS. The agreement has provisions to explore possible opportunities in electric/transformative mobility, Hydrogen as well as other alternative sources of fuels and energy.
- To design and develop indigenous Platform Screen Doors (PSDs), which were imported so far, NCRTC has partnered with BEL. These doors will be used at RRTS stations for the safety of passengers.
- The trainsets for RRTS are being manufactured under ‘Make in India’ at Alstom’s (formerly Bombardier) Savli plant in the state of Gujarat. As many as 40 trainsets (210 coaches) will be manufactured.
- Currently, the train-sets are under production at Savli, Gujarat and the first RRTS prototype rolling stock will be rolled out by early 2022, thereby, it will be put into public use after extensive trials.
Features for passengers:
- The coaches will have transverse 2X2 seats
- The RRTS will boast optimized aisle width with grab handles and rails for standing passengers, overhead luggage racks, adequate leg room, mobile and laptop charging sockets as well as on-board Wi-Fi
- It will also have double glazed, tempered large safety glass windows, offering passengers a panoramic view of the outside
- The RRTS will be equipped with public announcement and display system, infotainment display, dynamic route map display along with emergency communication facilities
- There will be automatic plug-in-type wide doors reducing air-friction as well as noise
- Besides, fire & smoke detector, fire extinguisher, CCTV, door indicator will be installed
- Dedicated wheelchair space near rain doorway provided for easy access
- Also, RRTS Trains and stations are designed to provide easy access to people on stretchers in case of medical emergencies
- It has proven light weight as well as compact propulsion system with high reliability and performance requirements
- It will boast TCMS technology along with predictive and condition-based monitoring features, which will enhance the performance of the fleet by providing extensive train-to-ground diagnostics
- The RRTS has been designed considering high acceleration and deceleration that the train needs to undergo given the maximum operational speed of 160 km per hour and RRTS stations at every 5 to 10 km
- To provide smooth ride with precise stopping accuracy and save energy, trains would run under Automatic Train Operation
- Trains will also have Premium class with comfortable, spacious and reclining seats which will be accessible through a special lounge at the platform-level
- In every train, one coach will be reserved for women passengers
Commuter Centricity:
- RRTS stations would be integrated with various transport modes such as Railway stations, Airports, Metro Stations, Bus depots, expressways, wherever possible
- RRTS corridors will be integrated with all Delhi Metro’s seven lines, wherever interconnecting
- The first corridor has as many as 25 stations and most of them will be interconnected with other public transport modes at Sarai Kale Khan, Anand Vihar, Ghaziabad, Sahibabad, New Ashok Nagar, Duhai, Muradnagar, Partapur, Meerut South and Bhainsali via FOB, underpass, lifts, escalator and other possible means
- Once fully completed, length of the Mass transit system of Delhi including Delhi Metro and RRTS network will be 743 Kilometres which is more than the length of London Cross rail, Hong Kong MTR, and Paris RER
- All the three priority corridors of Phase-1 will converge at Sarai Kale Khan and will be interoperable, allowing commuters to travel end to end from one corridor to another corridor without the need of changing the train
- All the stations will boast lifts/escalators, pedestrian friendly paths, sitting areas among other commuter-centric amenities and facilities facilitating ease of access
- The provision of RRTS Train’s Premium class coach is expected to encourage the affluent class to leave their Cars or Personal vehicles and travel through Public Transport
- The implementation of this corridor is likely to shift the modal share in favor of various modes of public transport from 37 per cent to 63 per cent in the region, thereby, helping in curbing pollution
- This will reduce dependence on private vehicles as well as lead to less congestion on roads resulting in reduction in road accidents
- It is being estimated that once the first RRTS corridor becomes operational, it will reduce one lakh vehicles from the roads as well as reduce 2,50,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year
Other RRTS Projects:
Delhi-Gurugram-SNB-Alwar RRTS Corridor: This RRTS Corridor will pass through the industrialized areas of Haryana and Rajasthan. In stage 1, the 107 km long stretch will start from Delhi’s Sarai Kale Khan to SNB Urban Complex i.e, just ahead of Bawal in the state of Haryana.
En route, the corridor will pass through various regional nodes such as Gurugram, Rewari, Panchgaon, Manesar, etc. Of this, 70.5 km will be elevated and 36.5 km will be underground.
Delhi-Panipat RRTS Corridor: This Corridor aims to link the national capital to towns such as Murthal, Samalkha, Gannaur and Panipat in Haryana.
According to NCRTC, populated with several educational and hospitality institutions, the Delhi-Panipat RRTS corridor would be the catalyst for growth and regional development. The corridor’s total length will be 103 kilometres with 17 stations including Murthal Depot Station.