Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the final leg of the Delhi–Meerut Namo Bharat corridor on Sunday, February 22, 2026, completing an 82 km Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) that cuts travel time between Sarai Kale Khan, New Delhi, and Modipuram, Meerut, to under 50 minutes. Once open end-to-end, the line will be India’s first fully operational RRTS, designed for high-speed, high-frequency regional travel across the National Capital Region (NCR).
Two final sections-the 5 km stretch between Sarai Kale Khan and New Ashok Nagar in Delhi and the 21 km segment from Meerut South at Partapur Tiraha to Modipuram-bring the corridor to full continuity. Trains on the corridor are built to run at speeds up to 160 km/h on a dedicated alignment, reducing Delhi–Meerut commuting times to under an hour and offering a predictable alternative to road travel.
Stations on the route resemble metro hubs: enclosed platforms with baggage scanners, electronic fare gates that accept QR tickets and NCMC cards, and platform screen doors. Onboard, coaches are spacious and well lit, with ample legroom, charging ports and vending machines. Standard coaches balance seating and standing room; business-class coaches offer a premium layout. A media preview found the ride stable with smooth acceleration and low vibration even at higher speeds.
Digital integration is central to operations. The Namo Bharat Connect app provides real-time tracking, instant ticketing and journey planning. In Meerut, metro services will run on the same infrastructure-marking the first instance in India where regional rapid transit and metro trains share tracks-allowing seamless transfers without changing stations.
Accessibility and safety have been emphasised: stations include drinking water, wheelchair-accessible washrooms, baby-changing facilities, lifts, dedicated wheelchair spaces and priority seating, and one coach is reserved for women. CCTV surveillance and platform screen doors are installed across stations and trains.
Fares for standard class are reported at roughly ₹20 to ₹150, with premium fares from about ₹30 to over ₹200; children under 90 cm travel free. The project is implemented by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), a joint venture of the Government of India and the states of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
Beyond faster commutes, the corridor aims to ease road congestion, lower pollution and improve access to jobs and education across the NCR. With the Delhi–Meerut line complete, the RRTS model is intended as a template for future high-speed regional corridors.
Original Source: https://www.firstpost.com/lifestyle/delhi-to-meerut-in-50-minutes-on-namo-bharat-inside-indias-first-fully-operational-rrts-13981991.html
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Publish Date: 2026-02-20 17:12:00
