2025 Marks a Year of Milestones and Momentum for Namo Bharat
Meerut.As 2025 draws to a close, Namo Bharat marks a major milestone, having crossed 2 crore commuter journeys in just two years of operations. The year began on a strong note with the Hon’ble Prime Minister inaugurating the 13 km additional section of the Delhi–Meerut Namo Bharat corridor on 5 January 2025, extending services up to New Ashok Nagar in Delhi and bringing key stations such as Anand Vihar, an important multimodal hub, into operation.
This significantly enhanced the system’s reach, unlocking a much larger commuter base. Monthly footfall climbed steadily to nearly 15 lakhs by mid-2025, more than double the ridership recorded during the same period in the previous year, with the highest-ever single-day ridership of over 81,500 commuters. The average daily ridership at present is 55,000–60,000 and Namo Bharat is ready to serve lakhs of commuters daily as full corridor operations approach.
At present, a 55 km stretch with 11 stations between New Ashok Nagar and Meerut South is operational. Trial runs on the remaining sections for both Namo Bharat and Meerut Metro are in advance stages, and the entire corridor will soon be opened for commuters. Once the remaining stretches—from Sarai Kale Khan to New Ashok Nagar in Delhi and from Meerut South to Modipuram in Meerut—become operational, the corridor will deliver full city-centre to city-centre connectivity.
NCRTC continued to strengthen commuter experience by enhancing first- and last-mile connectivity. Where the partnerships with service providers such as Uber and Rapido improved station access, electric buses under the DEVI Bus Scheme have been integrated at key stations in Delhi. Namo Bharat has become a landmark for the educational, healthcare and other professional organisations/institutes in the vicinity of the stations, many of which are flaunting of its proximity in their respective advertisements.
Further enabling seamless travel, integrated ticketing with Delhi Metro allows commuters to book journeys across both systems through the mobile application of either network. In mere past three months, more than 1 lakh new users downloaded and started using the Namo Bharat connect App and since the beginning of operations it has recorded about 7.5 lakh users of this app to date.
Over the year, NCRTC continued to consciously reimagine Namo Bharat spaces as places of connection and experience, transforming everyday travel into moments of culture, creativity and community participation. NCRTC hosted the StoryBox Book Fair, allowing commuters to browse and carry home books as part of their daily journeys. Music took centre stage with the Namo Bharat Unplugged: Musical Fridays – Season 2, which drew enthusiastic participation and concluded to wide appreciation. Building on its success, NCRTC introduced Namo Bharat Beats, a weekly solo live performance series that invites commuters to pause, listen and share a collective experience.
One of the most heart-warming initiatives unfolded on Children’s Day, when students stepped into the operational world of Namo Bharat for a day. Guided by NCRTC teams, children assumed various roles ranging from station controller and announcers to security staff. Their excitement and curiosity were palpable as they explored the system behind the scenes, bringing laughter, wonder and an infectious sense of joy to the space. Creativity and inclusion found meaningful expression through the exhibition ’Sitaare Namo Bharat Mein’, organised on World Photography Day. Featuring works by neurodiverse artists, the exhibition offered commuters a rare opportunity to see the world through their eyes, perspectives shaped by sensitivity, imagination and individuality.
NCRTC also announced and felicitated the winners of the Namo Bharat Short Film-Making Competition. The initiative invited young filmmakers and content creators to portray Namo Bharat trains and stations as an organic part of their narratives, drawing enthusiastic participation from across the country.
Several important national and social occasions, including Kargil Vijay Diwas, Kranti Diwas, Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas, Yoga Day, World Health Day and International Women’s Day, were also observed with commuters, alongside Nukkad Nataks that encouraged awareness on sustainability, wellbeing and community values. Educational visits by schoolchildren and technical interactions with college students further turned these spaces into informal learning environments, sparking interest in modern transport systems and careers in infrastructure.
Beyond curated events, a co-working space was also opened at Ghaziabad Namo Bharat station, enabling professionals and daily travellers to work, connect and manage schedules seamlessly while on the move, reflecting NCRTC’s approach towards designing transport spaces that support modern, flexible lifestyles. Many food outlets also opened across the corridor, providing a space for commuters to relax and rejuvenate themselves along the journey.
Commuter safety remains a key priority for NCRTC. NCRTC constructed police posts near many Namo Bharat stations including Anand Vihar, Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar and Duhai stations and handed them over to security agencies, enabling passengers to seek immediate assistance and register complaints related to station or train services. A similar facility at New Ashok Nagar is nearing completion, with police posts planned across all stations along the corridor in a phased manner.
NCRTC also advanced its sustainability initiatives through the pioneering ‘Solar on Track’ project at the Namo Bharat Depot in Duhai, a first-of-its-kind initiative for any RRTS or Metro system in India. Under this pilot, 28 solar panels of 550 Wp each, with a total capacity of 15.4 kWp installed across a 70-metre stretch on the Pit Wheel Track, will generate approximately 17,500 kWh of energy annually. It will result in an estimated reduction of 16 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year.
NCRTC began procuring power through power exchanges, with drawl points added at the Ghaziabad and Muradnagar Receiving Sub-Stations (RSS) in Uttar Pradesh, enabling reliable and cost-effective electricity supply for train operations and station infrastructure. This move is expected to save over ₹3 crore annually from the Ghaziabad drawl point and further savings anticipated with the Muradnagar integration. It supports NCRTC’s sustainability goals, with nearly 15% of power procured annually targeted from green energy sources. NCRTC has also taken a major step towards long-term clean energy adoption by awarding work for the development of a 110 MW captive solar power plant in Uttar Pradesh to NLC India Limited. To be developed through a joint venture, the project will supply power through the state grid and is expected to meet nearly 60% of the corridor’s total electricity requirement, while reducing carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 1.77 lakh tonnes annually.
NCRTC also continued to scale in-house solar energy generation with Rooftop* solar power plants now operational at seven Namo Bharat stations, two RSS and the Duhai Depot buildings*. These installations are collectively generating 5.5 MWp solar power out of a targeted 15 MW, contributing to an annual reduction of approximately 5,700 tonnes of CO₂ emissions. NCRTC’s sustainability efforts received national recognition, with the Anand Vihar Namo Bharat (Underground) Station being awarded the Platinum Rating by the Indian Green Building Council, the highest rating under IGBC’s Green Certification.
NCRTC also organised distribution drive for assistive aids and entrepreneurial equipment under JFPR, to enhance the mobility, independence, and access to opportunities for the beneficiaries. As part of this initiative, wheelchairs, smart canes, crutches and hearing machines were distributed to differently-abled individuals. Additionally, sewing machines were provided to women from economically weaker sections to encourage self-employment and skill-based livelihoods.
Throughout the year, NCRTC actively engaged with industry professionals and peers through participation in key national and international conferences and expos. At the 18th Urban Mobility India (UMI) Conclave and Expo 2025, NCRTC showcased key advancements of the Namo Bharat project, including ETCS Hybrid Level-2/Level-3 signalling and the Meerut Metro model. NCRTC’s Managing Director, Shalabh Goel, also chaired a special session highlighting the role of high-capacity public transport in sustainable urban development, while the organisation received the ‘Best Exhibitor’ award for its exhibition. NCRTC also presented India’s first Namo Bharat at the Tomorrow Mobility World Congress 2025 in Barcelona, engaging with global mobility experts and policymakers. In addition, the Managing Director addressed UITP Regional and Suburban Railway Committee meeting in Newcastle, United Kingdom, sharing perspectives on emerging trends in regional and suburban rail systems.
NCRTC's efforts were widely acclaimed, earning the organization numerous prestigious awards and accolades. NCRTC was conferred the prestigious UITP Award in the Public and Urban Transportation Strategy category at UITP Global Public Transport Summit 2025 held in Hamburg, Germany. The organisation also received the Gold Award at the e-Governance 2025 National Awards in the Best e-Governance Practices/Innovation in Cybersecurity category. In addition, NCRTC was recognised in three categories at the Economic Times Infra Rail Show Awards 2025 for its contributions to the railway sector.
To experience the state-of-the-art infrastructure and services of Namo Bharat, the corridor witnessed visits by several influential figures and international delegations. These included President of the Asian Development Bank, Masato Kanda, along with delegation of transport experts from various Asian countries and Spain. Visiting dignitaries commended the quality of services and the seamless multimodal integration being planned.
Strengthening system reliability through advanced technologies, NCRTC introduced drone-based Overhead Equipment (OHE) inspection on Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor, marking a significant advancement in maintenance practices for the railway and metro sector. The system deploys drones equipped with high-resolution cameras, thermal sensors and AI-powered analytics to conduct precise, non-intrusive inspections of overhead lines. This data-driven, predictive monitoring enables early detection of issues, enhancing asset health, improving safety and ensuring uninterrupted services for commuters.
The operationalisation of Namo Bharat has emerged as a catalyst for transit-oriented urban development across the region, with Meerut and Ghaziabad delineating areas into TOD zones and SDAs along the Namo Bharat corridor. In Delhi, Influence Zone Plans (IZPs) prepared by NCRTC for Sarai Kale Khan and Jangpura have also been approved by the Delhi Development Authority. NCRTC played a key role supporting the Governments in TOD policy formulation, delineation of TOD zones, and identification of Value Capture Financing instruments. The foundation stone has been laid for Uttar Pradesh’s first integrated transit-oriented development township in Meerut, while a similar development the Harnandipuram Township is planned in Ghaziabad.
Building on the milestones achieved in 2025, NCRTC is looking ahead to the coming year with a clear focus on expansion and consolidation. The proposed Delhi–Panipat–Karnal and Delhi–Gurugram–Bawal Namo Bharat corridors are expected to receive approval soon, while discussions are underway for the Ghaziabad–Jewar and Gurugram–Faridabad–Noida corridors. Several other states have also shown interest in adopting similar regional rail systems, and NCRTC is in talks with state governments to take this vision forward. As the network continues to grow, NCRTC remains committed to building fast, reliable and inclusive mobility systems that respond to evolving regional needs. With a strong foundation in place, the journey ahead is focused on shaping connected regions and a more sustainable future for public transport in India.
No comments:
Post a Comment