New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the Delhi section of the Namo Bharat corridor between Ashok Nagar and Sahibabad. Of the 13-kilometre section, six kilometre is underground and includes a prominent station on the corridor, Anand Vihar.

PM Modi purchased a smart ticket and interacted with passengers during his ride on the Namo Bharat Train.

He was also seen interacting with school children, who gifted him sketches and recited poems.

#WATCH | Sahibabad, UP: Prime Minister Narendra Modi to undertake a ride in Namo Bharat Train from Sahibabad RRTS Station to New Ashok Nagar RRTS Station.

(Source: DD News) pic.twitter.com/CBRIF5Nj94

— ANI (@ANI) January 5, 2025

With this inauguration, Namo Bharat trains will now arrive in the national capital. PM Modi inaugurated the 17 km priority section between Sahibabad and Duhai Depot in October last year.

This also marks the first time that Namo Bharat trains will operate in an underground section, the officials said.

The passenger operations will commence from 5 pm today and trains will be available to the public at a frequency of 15 minutes. The fare from New Ashok Nagar RRTS station to Meerut South is Rs 150 for standard coach and Rs 225 for premium coach.

Currently, a 42-km stretch of the corridor between Sahibabad and Meerut South, featuring nine stations, is operational. With this inauguration, the operational stretch of the Namo Bharat corridor will expand to 55 km, with a total of 11 stations.

Delhi-Meerut Travel Time Reduced

With the commencement of operations on this section, Meerut is now directly connected to Delhi. This will reduce travel time by one-third, enabling commuters to travel from New Ashok Nagar to Meerut South in just under 40 minutes.

Anand Vihar underground station is one of the largest stations on the Namo Bharat corridor. Commuters will be able to travel from here to Meerut South in just 35 minutes.

As a special arrangement for the movement of vehicles and pedestrians at this station, three bridges have been built over the Ghazipur drain. Two of these bridges are to be used for vehicle entry and exit, while one is exclusively for pedestrians, they said.

New Ashok Nagar is the first elevated Namo Bharat station to be operational on the Delhi section. Here, the corridor crosses the New Ashok Nagar metro station at a height of 20 meters.

Along with train services, a commercial centre has also been planned at the station for the convenience of commuters. This station is being connected to the Blue Line of Delhi Metro through a 90-meter-long foot over bridge, the officials said.

To date, Namo Bharat trains have served over 50 lakh commuters.

Further construction in other sections — New Ashok Nagar-Sarai Kale Khan and Meerut South-Modipuram — is underway.

Once the entire Delhi-Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor becomes operational, it is projected to remove over one lakh private vehicles from the roads and reduce carbon emissions by 2.5 lakh tonnes annually.

Covering 82 km, the Namo Bharat corridor originates at Sarai Kale Khan in New Delhi and terminates at Modipuram in Meerut.

It features 16 Namo Bharat stations along with nine additional stations for the Meerut Metro, making it a comprehensive and transformative regional transit solution. 

New Delhi:

Passengers travelling on Namo Bharat trains can now rent a power bank with the rental plans starting at Rs 50, the NCRTC said in a statement.

The first such service is now available at Sahibabad RRTS station, it said.

In addition, there are plans to introduce electric vehicle charging facilities at various stations, and preparations are underway, the statement said.

The rental power bank comes equipped with three types of charging pins to accommodate different devices, including iPhones, micro USB, and C-port connections. The rental plans start at just Rs 50, with an annual plan available for Rs 1,199, it stated.

The commuters can rent a power bank and take it with them during their journey. Special automated machines are being installed at RRTS stations to facilitate this service, the statement said.

Passengers can rent a power bank from these machines and return it at any similar machine across the NCR. This facility addresses the growing need for mobile phone charging, providing a convenient solution for today’s commuters, it stated.

The service will soon be expanded to other RRTS stations as well, the statement said.

The operation and management of the Namo Bharat train are handled by ‘DB-RRTS Operations India’. Special attention is given to the comfort and facilities for passengers on the Namo Bharat train and at RRTS stations, it said.

As part of these initiatives, a rental power bank facility has now been introduced at RRTS stations, it stated.

“People can charge their mobile phones by renting a power bank from designated machines. Various rental plans are available, allowing you to choose the one that best suits your needs. Power bank machines have already been installed at many locations, and they will soon be fully operational at the designated sites,” the statement said.

The rental power bank facility is currently available in the unpaid area of Sahibabad station, making it accessible to everyone without the need to purchase a train ticket. Anyone can visit the station and take advantage of this service. To use the facility, people need to install the ‘A3 Charge’ mobile app on their phones. Registration is done using a phone number. After registration, the app will guide users to the nearest power bank machine, where they can scan a QR code to access a power bank, it stated.

Various rental plans are available, allowing users to choose a plan that best suits their needs. Depending on the chosen plan, the power bank can be swapped daily for a fully charged one. The app also provides real-time information on the availability of power banks and slots at each machine, ensuring a seamless experience for users, it said.

The passengers also have access to mobile charging facilities, with charging ports installed at every seat in every coach. The premium coach also offers charging ports for laptops, it said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)