Updated 23 June 2025 at 13:41 IST
Delhi to Meerut in Minutes? Namo Bharat Timetable Trials Now Complete
NCRTC has finished the timetable trial run of Namo Bharat trains across the full Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor, paving the way for faster, smoother travel between the two cities.
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The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) has completed a successful full-length timetable trial of the Namo Bharat trains along the entire 82-kilometre Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor, marking a significant milestone in the rollout of India’s first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS).
During the high-speed trial run, the train covered the stretch from Sarai Kale Khan in New Delhi to Modipuram in Meerut in under an hour—stopping at every station along the way.
While talking to reporters, RRTS officials maintained that the trains attained their permissible operational speed of 160 kmph while adhering strictly to the scheduled timetable.
According to NCRTC, the trial validated the integrated performance of key technologies and infrastructure. The corridor is equipped with advanced European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 3 Hybrid signalling over an LTE communication backbone — a first in India — along with platform screen doors at every station.
“This trial showcases the system’s maturity and preparedness,” an NCRTC spokesperson told reporters, adding that the corridor is now “one step closer to full commissioning.”
Notably, the trial also involved the Meerut Metro, which is being developed on the same tracks as the RRTS. As a result, a local metro service operated on infrastructure shared with a regional rapid rail system for the first time in the country. The 23-kilometre Meerut Metro section, which includes 13 stations, comprises both elevated (18 km) and underground (5 km) stretches.
Currently, 55 kilometres of the rapid rail corridor—featuring 11 stations—are open to the public.
Final trials and system works are ongoing on the remaining segments: a 4.5-kilometre stretch in Delhi (between Sarai Kale Khan and New Ashok Nagar) and the last 23 kilometres in Meerut (between Meerut South and Modipuram).
It may be recalled that the Namo Bharat corridor, developed at a cost of over Rs 30,000 crore, is the first of several RRTS lines planned to connect parts of the National Capital Region (NCR). Once fully operational, the system is expected to reduce travel time and ease congestion between Delhi and nearby urban cent
Published 23 June 2025 at 13:41 IST