ETCS, ATO & PSD: Meerut Metro and RRTS to share tracks for the first time in rail history

The upcoming Meerut Metro and RRTS, also called Namo Bharat, runs from Delhi's New Ashok Nagar to Meerut South in Uttar Pradesh and will share tracks up to Modipuram

- SIMONTINI BHATTACHARJEE

NEW DELHI/MEERUT: For the first time in Indian Railways history, metro rail services and regional rapid rail will operate on the same track. The upcoming Meerut Metro and Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS), also called Namo Bharat, runs from Delhi's New Ashok Nagar to Meerut South in Uttar Pradesh and will share tracks up to Modipuram.

Namo Bharat trains will stop at only three stations over a stretch of more than 20 kilometers, while the Meerut Metro will have 13 stations along the same route, ensuring extensive connectivity.

However, this integration raises important questions about train scheduling and signaling systems, both vital for passenger safety and operational efficiency. Officials from the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) told Millennium Post that Namo Bharat trains will use a hybrid Level 3 signaling system based on the European Train Control System (ETCS), leveraging Long-Term Evolution (LTE) radio technology, one of the most advanced signaling frameworks in the world.