The first regional rapid train service in India, "Namo Bharat," was inaugurated by PM Modi

 

Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated 'Namo Bharat,' which is India's inaugural semi-high-speed regional railway service, connecting the Sahibabad and Duhai Depot stations in Uttar Pradesh. This signifies the official launch of the Regional Rapid Train Service (RRTS) in the country. 

'Namo Bharat' is a significant regional development initiative aimed at providing high-speed train services for intercity commuting, as stated by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). In addition, PM Modi personally experienced a journey on this train and interacted with schoolchildren during the event.

Notably, the name of the rail service was recently changed from RapidX to 'Namo Bharat.' The 17-kilometer priority section of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS Corridor is set to open for passengers the day after its inauguration. This section, running between Sahibabad and Duhai Depot, includes five stations: Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar, Duhai, and Duhai Depot.

The RRTS trains have been designed with a focus on passenger comfort, featuring amenities like overhead storage, Wi-Fi, and charging facilities at each seat. Furthermore, there will be a premium-class carriage with spacious seating, generous legroom, and coat hangers, according to a press release. The safety features of these trains include CCTV cameras, an emergency door-opening mechanism, and a button for communicating with the train operator. 

The development of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor comes with an estimated cost of over ₹30,000 crore and is expected to provide a travel time of less than an hour between Delhi and Meerut, passing through urban centers like Ghaziabad, Muradnagar, and Modinagar, as announced by the PMO.