The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) has issued civil tender for first underground section between Anand Vihar to Vaishali of Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS Corridor on Monday. Tender floated are for design and construction of tunnels of Delhi portion by Tunnel Boring Machine from New Ashok Nagar Ramp, New Delhi to Sahibabad Ramp of Ghaziabad Uttar Pradesh.

The civil construction for Package I (Vaishali to Ghaziabad) and Package II (Ghaziabad RRTS station to Duhai) have been already started.

"This will be the first project and once constructed Delhi will have its first rapid rail services. The project will have an underground station at Anand Vihar. The Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) station will be made by Cut and Cover Method," said a NCRTC official.

According to the officials, around 11.53 km stretch of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor will be underground in which 5.8 km long section will start from New Ashok Nagar RRTS station (Elevated) to stretch before BEL, Ghaziabad will be underground. While, the remaining 5.73km long section after Brahmapuri Meerut Metro Station (Elevated) to Begumpul RRTS station (before MES Colony Metro Station -Elevated) will be underground.

The work on the multi modal integration (MMI) model for the national capital's upcoming three RRTS stations have been started as the implementing agency has engaged Detailed Design Consultant (DDC) for the two elevated rapid rail stations i.e, Sarai Kale Khan and New Ashok Nagar. NCRTC will set up Master Operation Control Centre for the entire Phase I RRTS project at Delhi's Jangpura.

"Jungpura will also have the Master Operation Control Centre of the Phase-I RRTS corridors for all the three initial corridors of NCRTC. The works of Utility diversions in the Delhi portion of Delhi - Ghaziabad - Meerut RRTS Corridor near Sarai Kale Khan, including shifting/diversion of existing water supply pipelines, sewer and stormwater drains, shifting/modification of electric lines and relocation of various telecom utilities are in progress," said the official. 

The total length of the entire Delhi Ghaziabad Meerut corridor is 82 km. However, the NCRTC is currently working on the 17 km priority section between Sahibabad to Duhai Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) including Duhai Depot, which is expected to be operational by March 2023.

While the officials said the full 82km long corridor from Delhi's Sarai Kale Khan to Meerut's Modipuram will be operational for public by March 2025.

Besides, the three RRTS station that will be constructed in the city will make travel easy for the commuters as the station will be integrated with all the modes of transport such as Delhi Metro, Anand Vihar Inter State Bus Transit (ISBT), railway station, Kaushabmi Bus Terminal to facilitate seamless travel.

"The opening of this section will seamlessly connect the Ghaziabad RRTS station with New Bus Adda Station metro station, while Sahibabad RRTS station will integrate with proposed Vasundhara Sector 2 Metro station and Bus Terminal," said the official.

Further all the rapid stations that will be come up in Delhi will have interconnection facility with Delhi metro station.

The speed of rapid rail is 100 kmph per hour and the commuters travelling from Delhi to Meerut will reach in one hour instead four hours.

The 17 km priority section of will have a total number of 14 RRTS stations at Sarai Kale Khan (Elevated Station),New Ashok Nagar (Elevated Station), Anand Vihar (Underground Station), Sahibabad (Elevated Station), Ghaziabad (Elevated Station), Guldhar (Elevated Station), Duhai (Elevated Station), Muradnagar (Elevated Station), Modi Nagar South (Elevated Station), Modi Nagar North (Elevated Station), Meerut South (Elevated Station), Shatabdi Nagar (Elevated Station), Begumpul (Underground station), and Modipuram (Elevated Station).  The corridor will also have two Depot-cum-Stations at Duhai and Modipuram.