Kolkata: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 17-kilometer extension of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) corridor on Wednesday. The inauguration took place remotely via video conference from Kolkata.

During the event, PM Modi also flagged off the Namo Bharat train from the Muradnagar RRTS station. This new section, spanning from Duhai to Modi Nagar North on the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor, adds 17 km to the operational route. The extension includes three stations - Murad Nagar, Modi Nagar South, and Modi Nagar North.

The foundation stone for India's first RRTS corridor, linking Delhi to Meerut, was laid by Prime Minister Modi in March 2019. Since then, the project has made significant strides, with passenger operations commencing in October 2023.

The Make in India initiative has contributed to the development of the Meerut Metro trainsets. These trains boast modern design features, energy efficiency, lightweight construction, and are equipped with a regenerative braking system compatible with Automatic Train Protection (ATP), Automatic Train Control (ATC), and Automatic Train Operations (ATO). With a maximum operational speed of 120 kmph, these trains aim to offer a safe, rapid, and contemporary transportation solution for Meerut residents in Uttar Pradesh.

This marks the first instance in India where both Namo Bharat trains and the Meerut metro will operate on the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS infrastructure. To facilitate this operation, the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) has implemented cutting-edge European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 signaling with Hybrid Level 3 over Long Term Evolution (LTE), marking a significant advancement in global rail transportation technology.

The Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor spans 82 km and is projected to reduce travel time between Delhi and Meerut to less than an hour.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, who attended the event in Muradnagar, Ghaziabad, commended the RRTS project's high quality, emphasizing its world-class standards. He highlighted the impressive progress in India's metro network, with operational lines totaling approximately 906 km and another 940 km under construction. Upon completion, India will boast the second-largest metro system globally.

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