Namo Bharat train begins trial runs on Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor

• TNN

• Updated On Apr 14, 2025 at 11:32 AM IST

The Sarai Kale Khan station is expected to be one of the busiest commuter transit hubs along the corridor.

“>

The trial run on the 4.5 km stretch between New Ashok Nagar and Sarai Kale Khan Namo Bharat stations began on Saturday night.

The Namo Bharat train crossed the Yamuna for the first time, continuing its journey over the Barapullah flyover and Ring Road before entering Sarai Kale Khan station.

At present, the Namo Bharat train runs on a 55 kilometre stretch between New Ashok Nagar in Delhi and Meerut South. The third station on this route is Sarai Kale Khan.

‘The Namo Bharat train was operated manually to test the compatibility of the signalling system. As the trials progress, we will conduct a comprehensive evaluation to assess the integration and coordination of the train with various subsystems, including the track, platform screen doors (PSDs), and the overhead power supply system. In the coming days, extensive trial runs, featuring high-speed tests, will also be carried out,’ said an official of the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), which is executing the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor.

The Namo Bharat train also crossed the Yamuna bridge of the RRTS on Saturday night. ‘Constructing this 1.3-km bridge over the Yamuna to enable this crossing was a complex and challenging task, but NCRTC overcame all challenges and completed it as per the scheduled timeline,’ the official said.

Supported by 32 pillars, about 626 meters of this bridge lies over the Yamuna, and the remaining portion extends into the floodplain on both sides. This bridge has been built parallel to the existing DND Yamuna Bridge.

‘Similarly, reaching Sarai Kale Khan station required the construction of a viaduct over the congested Barapullah flyover and Ring Road, another complex task completed by NCRTC. Once operational, this stretch will enable comfortable, reliable and fully air-conditioned train service from Sarai Kale Khan to Meerut city seamlessly,’ said the official.The Sarai Kale Khan station is expected to be one of the busiest commuter transit hubs along the corridor. As an intersection of multiple public transport modes, it experiences high commuter footfall. The station will offer connectivity to Delhi Metro’s pink line, Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station, Veer Haqiqat Rai ISBT, and the Ring Road bus stand under the multi-modal integration plan.Of the total 82-km Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor, the Delhi section spans 14 km and includes three stations: Anand Vihar (underground), New Ashok Nagar, and Sarai Kale Khan.