Delhi-Meerut RRTS: PM Modi to inaugurate India's first RapidX, here's all you need to know

Delhi, India

India's first regional train service, RapidX is all set to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (Oct 20). The priority section of Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System will be thrown open between Duhai and Sahibabad, covering 17-kilometres. PM Modi is expected to flag off the first RAPIDX RRTS train in Ghaziabad. 

Ahead of the project inauguration, here are some details you need to know, that will help you travel from Delhi to Meerut in just 60 minutes. 

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1. The Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS is the first of the three prioritised corridors planned for implementation in Phase 1 in India, which is closely followed by the Delhi-Gurugram-SNB-Alwar and Delhi-Panipat corridors. 

2. The total length of Delhi-Meerut corridor is 82 kilometres which will be covered in an hour. The first phase will cover five stations- Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar, Duhai and Duhai Depot. 

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3. The project was built for a total of $20,274 billion (Rs 30,274 crore). This project has also received funding from the Asian Development Bank, New Development Bank, and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

4. The RapidX train will look similar to metro trains, but according to a document shared by the NCRTC, the RRTS is completely different from Metro rail. 

5. The project is developed by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), a joint venture of the Government of India and the governments of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

6. The RRTS trains will have premium-class cars with wider seats, more legroom, and coat hangers. The trains will also be equipped with features such as luggage carriers, mini-screens, Wi-Fi, mobile and laptop charging facility at every seat. 

7. The RRTS trains are designed to run at a speed of 180km/h, which makes it the quickest urban transit system in India. Each train will consist of 407 seats arranged in a 2X2 layout. An RRTS can travel 100 kilometers in just one hour, whereas a Metro train needs three hours to do the same.

(With inputs from agencies)