New Delhi, Jan 5 (IANS): As Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a 13-kilometre stretch of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor, locals, especially those from Vikaspuri, expressed their excitement, saying the new corridor would save significant time and reduce travel difficulties.
Speaking to IANS, Pradeep Thakur from Vikaspuri shared his enthusiasm, stating, "This will surely benefit us. We will face less difficulty now while travelling. We are very happy to receive this New Year gift from PM Modi. This will certainly help reduce traffic. Moreover, PM Modi is also inaugurating the monorail. We used to face a lot of challenges, with travel times exceeding 4 to 5 hours. But now, it will take only 40 minutes. I want to thank PM Modi for this. He is making us proud on the world stage. I wish to see him as my Prime Minister till my last breath."
Amarjeet Singh Talvar, also from Vikaspuri, echoed similar sentiments, saying, "I am happy with this development. It will save our time. Earlier, we faced many problems due to traffic. But now, we won’t have to face these issues. There is no Prime Minister like him. He gives us gifts almost every month. We want to see him continue as our Prime Minister. The metro will truly help in reducing travel time."
Prime Minister Modi's inauguration of the 13-kilometre stretch of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor between Sahibabad and New Ashok Nagar has fulfilled the long-awaited dream of millions in the region for fast, safe, and non-road transportation.
The Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), which is part of this initiative, is designed based on the Central Place Theory, which suggests that settlements grow around central locations offering services to surrounding suburbs. This project is set to revolutionise travel between urban centres and their suburbs, helping alleviate congestion in major cities.
The full 84-km RRTS corridor from Delhi to Meerut, which is being developed at a cost of Rs 30,274 crore, will reduce travel time between Jangpura in Delhi and Modipuram in Meerut to just one hour. According to studies by the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB), the Namo Bharat RRTS is expected to attract an estimated daily ridership of 8 lakh people. The corridor will have 25 stations, with 68 km elevated, 13 km underground, and 3 km at ground level. The full operation, extending from Delhi to Modipuram, is slated for completion by 2025.