RAILWAYS: On a New Track

The launch of the Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor is set to redefine urban mobility in the country

- MANISH PANT

"THE DELHI-MEERUT Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) will have a long-term impact on India's railway industry," declares Vinay Kumar Singh, MD of National Capital Region Transport Corp. (NCRTC) emphatically, as the gentle winter sunlight filters in through the large windows of his very spacious cabin. An Indian Railway Service of Engineers officer, Singh, 55, is known for his no-nonsense approach.

The reasons behind Singh's confidence are many. For starters, trains on the Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor will run at an average speed of 90-100 km per hour. "It is an intercity train of high frequency and speed-its main USP. It is faster than even private cars that usually give an average speed of 40 km per hour in peak city traffic," says Singh.