New Delhi/Ghaziabad: The country's first rapid rail 'Namo Bharat' was inaugurated on the Sahibabad-New Ashok Nagar route by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday.
The Prime Minister flagged off the train from Sahibabad RRTS station in Ghaziabad. The rapid rail service will operate from Sahibabad to New Ashok Nagar via Anand Vihar. Earlier, Namo Bharat operated from Sahibabad to Meerut South and now with the inauguration of the new phase, it will be easier for people to travel to Meerut South from New Ashok Nagar.
PM buys ticket
Prime Minister Modi reached Sahibabad RRTS station in Ghaziabad and bought a ticket from the ticket counter. He made the payment by scanning a QR code following which he boarded the train.
'Delhi-NCR has received significant gift from Central Govt'
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said, Delhi-NCR has received a significant gift from the Government of India and added that India's urban mobility has expanded further. Modi said that he interacted with many youngsters, who were filled with joy and hope. The Prime Minister emphasized that once the Namo Bharat project is completed, there will be a significant change in traffic on the Delhi-Meerut route. He extended his heartfelt congratulations to the people of Delhi-NCR.
“Today marks another significant milestone in India's modern infrastructure journey”, remarked the Prime Minister. He highlighted that India's metro network has now reached 1,000 kilometers and lauded it as a remarkable achievement. He noted that in 2014, when the country gave them the opportunity, India was not even in the top ten globally in terms of metro connectivity and however, over the past ten years, India has become the third-largest country in the world in terms of metro network. The Prime Minister emphasized that during the current tenure of their government, India will have the second-largest metro network in the world.
The Prime Minister remarked that before 2014, India's metro network was only 248 kilometers and limited to just five cities. He highlighted that in the past ten years, over 752 kilometers of new metro lines have been inaugurated in India. He further added that today, metro services are operational in 21 cities across the country, with over 1,000 kilometers of metro routes currently under rapid development.
Noting the expansion of the Delhi Metro, with the inauguration and foundation laying of two new routes, Modi emphasized that after Gurgaon, another part of Haryana is now being connected to the metro network. He added that the Rithala-Narela-Kundli corridor will be one of the largest sections of the Delhi Metro network, strengthening connectivity between key industrial centers in Delhi and Haryana, and making commuting easier for people. The Prime Minister was pleased that due to the continuous efforts of the Government of India, the metro routes in Delhi are steadily increasing and remarked that in 2014, the total metro network in Delhi-NCR was less than 200 kilometers, and today it has more than doubled.
Namo Bharat will be operated for the general public from 5:00 pm and the journey from New Ashok Nagar in Delhi to Meerut South will be completed in 40 minutes. There are a total of three stations on the route.
With the new phase, Namo Bharat will be operated on a corridor of 55 km. It is believed that the service will lead to a reduction in traffic in the National Capital and its adjoining regions.
New Ashok Nagar Station
It is the first elevated Namo Bharat to be operated on the New Ashok Nagar section. Here, the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor crosses the New Ashok Nagar Metro Station at a height of 20 metres. Construction at such a height over an existing and operational metro station, without disrupting the service, is a remarkable achievement from the engineering point of view. This station has been connected with the Blue Line of Delhi Metro through a 90-metre-long foot-over bridge. With this, passengers will be able to reach the New Ashok Nagar station of the metro without having to go outside the station.
Role of Anand Vihar station
The Anand Vihar station will play an important role in the journey from Meerut to Noida. Passengers will be able to reach Meerut South in just 40 minutes from the station. Two entry-exit gates have been constructed for the convenience of passengers from areas around this station like New Ashok Nagar, Mayur Vihar, Vasundhara and Chilla village. To ensure the convenience of passengers and the use of public transport, two parking lots have also been constructed here, whose total vehicle capacity is more than about 500.
Dedicated pick and drop points
Apart from this, dedicated pick-up and drop-off areas have been created at the stations. Ramps and special, large lifts have been installed at the stations to easily transport wheelchairs and stretchers. For the convenience of visually impaired passengers, tactile paths have been included in the station design, which helps in navigation as well as ensures their safety.
The fare
For travelling from New Ashok Nagar to Meerut South, passengers will have to pay a fare of Rs 150 in standard coach, while the fare from Anand Vihar will be Rs 130. In premium coach, the fare between New Ashok Nagar to Meerut South will be Rs 225 and from Anand Vihar Rs 195.
The Prime Minister also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth over Rs 12,200 crore in Delhi.
