Imagine travelling from Alwar to Delhi in less than two hours, 104 minutes to be precise while sitting in the air-conditioned comfort of a high-speed train tearing down the track at 160 kmph.
In a couple of years, the scenario could become a reality with the much-hyped and much-delayed Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) — that will connect the Capital to satellite cities like Meerut, Panipat and Alwar — finally getting on track.
In an attempt to fast-track rail-based RRTS in Delhi-NCR, NCR Planning Board Member Secretary BK Tripathi on Saturday held a meeting of all stakeholders to review progress of Delhi-Alwar rapid rail transit system project.
According to National Capital Region Transport Corporation ( NCRTC) Managing Director VK Singh, a detailed project report (DPR) would be ready in the next two months. After that, it will take another three months to get approval from Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan Governments. The project work on the ground could be started within one year.
He also made a detailed presentation wherein he claimed that no land acquisition would be required for this line.
According to the presentation, the 180.50-km-long project would cost Rs 37,539 crore. Between Delhi and Alwar, there would be 19 stations on the proposed alignment with the first 56 km involving nine stations from ISBT Kashmeri Gate in Delhi to Cyber City in Haryana being underground and the remaining stretch of 124.50 km with 10 stations being elevated.
According to the draft DPR, with a design speed of 180 kmph, operating speed of 160 kmph and average speed of 105 kmph, the journey between Delhi and Alwar could be completed in just 104 minutes.
“Frequency of services would be every five to ten minutes depending on the time of the day. With six car combinations to begin with, each train could carry 1,154 passengers. There will be no land acquisition issues since the entire corridor is underground and elevated,” it said.
The alignment of Delhi-Alwar RRTS covers the stations include ISBT Kashmere Gate-New Delhi Railway Station-Sarai Kalekhan-INA-Dhaula Kuan- Mahipalpur-Cyber City-IFFCO Chowk-Kherki Daula (all underground)-Manesar-Panchgaon-Dhauruhera-BTK-MBIR-Rewari-Bawal-SNB-Khairtal-Alwar (all elevated)
NCRTC, a joint venture of Governments of India, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, is executing the prioritized 3 RRTS corridors viz,, Delhi-Alwar, Delhi-Meerut and Delhi-Panipat while eight such corridors have been identified under the Integrated Transportation Plan 2032 prepared by the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB).
The other RRTS corridors are Delhi-Baraut, Delhi-Hapur, Delhi-Khurja, Delhi-Palwal and Meerut.
The RRTS — a brainchild of the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) — was first mooted more than four years ago to de-congest the roads and bring down pollution in Delhi while ensuring high-speed connectivity between the Capital and its satellite towns Panipat in Haryana, Meerut in Uttar Pradesh and Alwar in Rajasthan.
