Soon, Meerut 45 mins away on rapid transit

If all goes according to plan, Meerut would soon be less than an hour's ride from the Capital.

Officials of the National Capital Region Planning Board and the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) have surveyed the region between Anand Vihar and Meerut to check the viability of a Rapid Railway Transit System (RRTS).

According to GDA chief architecture planner G S Goyal, the NCR Planning Board is currently preparing a feasibility report of the project. While the board is the nodal agency for the RRTS project, the GDA would provide the technical support.

Stating that the system would cure the city of traffic snarls, the official said, "Most of the commuters from Meerut take city roads. High-speed RRTS trains will cut the distance between Meerut and Anand Vihar to just 50 minutes."

The official added that there would two categories of RRTS services — one that has a dedicated route and stops nowhere between Anand Vihar and Meerut, and another that halts at a few spots in Ghaziabad before reaching its destination.

"The express category, with no stops, would reduce the journey time between Meerut and Delhi to 45 minutes, as the distance between the two places is just 58 kilometres," GDA chief engineer Anil Garg said.

Officials said a joint venture company would be formed to initiate the project, in which the state would be a stakeholder.

"The company is yet to be formed. RRTS would be an independent project like the Metro, and the Railways would have no role to play in it," Goyal said.

"The project, to be completed in three years, could cost over Rs 1,000 crore. The project is still in the initial stages, where officials are surveying the areas. There is one consultant who will be chalking out details needed to start the project," he added.

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