There is a new drive to pull in the kind of commuters who would otherwise be in their own cars. Starting Friday, the National Capital Region Transport Corporation is putting out an extra eight trips to handle the office rush on what is, after all, India’s first RRTS up and running.
Here are the headline developments NCRTC has announced:
– Eight extra peak-hour trips from Friday
– Four in the morning, four in the evening
– Two additional trains deployed
– Focused on Sarai Kale Khan-Meerut South
Why the NCRTC moved now
The 82.15-km line from Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi to Modipuram in UP has been no stranger to crowds. The agency says this is about giving you better access and heeding calls to step back on private vehicle use in light of the energy situation. And the numbers back it up: we’re looking at close to a lakh of people a day, which tells you there’s a good deal of trust in the system as a quick, dependable link.
What changes for commuters
We’ve made some changes to the timetable to put in more muscle during the Delhi-Meerut peaks. That means four extra trains in the morning from 8 to 11, and another four in the evening from 5 to 7.
For riders, the practical takeaways are straightforward:
– More options during 8:00 am-11:00 am and 5:00 pm-7:00 pm
– Unchanged fare range of Rs 20 to Rs 210
– Premium coaches priced at 20 percent above standard
Peak-hour windows and routes
All of these will be on the stretch between Sarai Kale Khan and Meerut South. It’s a corridor built for 160 kmph, but for now it’s about capacity.
Pricing and coverage
As for the cost, we want to stay in the running. A standard coach will run you anywhere from Rs 20 to a top of Rs 210. Go for the premium and you add 20 per cent to that. If you are making the whole way to Modipuram, you can expect to pay the maximum in a standard coach; in a premium one, it’s a bit more.
The train makes 14 stops in all, from New Ashok Nagar and Anand Vihar to Sahibabad and Ghaziabad before you get to your destination.
Strategic impact and competition for mode-share
This isn’t just a matter of shuffling the schedule. We are trying to build a habit with our daily riders at the times when they are most likely to consider a car. When you have nearly one lakh on board every day, you can see some real improvement in the flow by adding rolling stock and optimising the times.
What to watch next
NCRTC is touting this as part of a larger plan for mass transit in the NCR. Being the first of its kind in the country, how we perform here will set the tone for what comes next.
In the end, it’s about whether you can get from Delhi to Meerut with less of a wait and a little more room. With summer coming and the nudge to leave the car at home, we are in a good spot to pick up some extra riders.
