Once ready, the 14km stretch in the Capital will be linked to the Ghaziabad section of the corridor, which is already operational, the officials said.

The Delhi leg of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor between the Capital and Meerut may be ready by the end of 2024 or the start of 2025, officials from the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), the agency executing the project, said on Tuesday.

Once ready, the 14km stretch in the Capital will be linked to the Ghaziabad section of the corridor, which is already operational, the officials said.

“The work for laying of tracks on the Delhi section is getting expedited at a fast pace. This section also includes about 5.5km of underground section which has been completed,” said an official aware of the development, requesting anonymity.

The section in Delhi has three stations — Sarai Kale Khan, New Ashok Nagar and Anand Vihar — along with a stabling yard in Jangpura, which RRTS may convert into a station.

The remaining 21 stations are in Uttar Pradesh, including the five stations in Ghaziabad along the 17km priority section of the corridor, which was made operational on October 21.

Officials familiar with the matter said that the corridor between Ghaziabad and Meerut is likely to be made operational by March.

“… The work on other sections in Delhi and Meerut is also progressing fast,” said chief PRO of NCRTC Puneet Vats.

The trial runs from Duhai in Ghaziabad to Meerut (south) are witnessing trains running at a speed of about 40-50kmph while the trains will speed up to design speed of 180kmph next month, the officials said.

Once done, the NCRTC will invite the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety for final clearances before the start of 25km section.

The RRTS has four stations at Meerut (south), Shatabdi Nagar, Begum Pul and Modipuram in Meerut and also nine stations for local metro module for use of commuters.

The officials said that the nine local metro stations are getting constructed so that the RRTS passengers get access to nearby areas as RRTS stations are constructed at a distance of about 5kms and trains cannot stop in between. So, the local metro module trains will come in handy for local passengers.

The entire 82km RRTS project is likely get operational by June, 2025.

The country’s first 82km RRTS project has 70km of elevated section in three cities, and the rest is underground in Delhi and Meerut.