Namo Bharat Crosses 2 Crore Trips in Two Years, Emerging as a Preferred Transit Option

 Namo Bharat Crosses 2 Crore Trips in Two Years, Emerging as a Preferred Transit Option

Meerut.Crossing 2 crore commuter trips in two years of operations, Namo Bharat has firmly established itself as a preferred mode of commute in the region. Since the commencement of its operations in October 2023, the Delhi–Ghaziabad–Meerut Namo Bharat corridor has witnessed a continuous and consistent rise in the number of commuters, reflecting the growing trust of people in the system.

Operations on the corridor commenced on 21 October 2023, after the Hon’ble Prime Minister inaugurated the 17-km-long Priority Section a day before between Sahibabad and Duhai Depot. After its first full month of operations, the corridor recorded a monthly ridership of over 72,000 in November 2023. With phased expansion to Modinagar North in March 2024 and further to Meerut South in August 2024, ridership continued to rise steadily. By the end of 2024, with 42 km and nine stations operational, monthly ridership rose to about 7 lakhs in December, almost 10 times of the recorded ridership in December 2023, marking the growing popularity of this new-age mobility solution.

A significant jump in ridership was observed after the Hon’ble Prime Minister inaugurated the 13-km Delhi section from New Ashok Nagar to Sahibabad in January 2025. With this inauguration, two stations in Delhi became operational, including Anand Vihar, a crucial multi-modal hub. This not only connected Delhi to Meerut but also unlocked a much larger commuter base, with passengers from across the National Capital and adjoining states able to seamlessly access the system. Following this expansion, monthly ridership was inching towards 15 lakhs by mid-2025 i.e. July, more than double of the previous year, and the system recorded a highest-ever single-day ridership of over 81,550 commuters. At present, the average daily ridership is being recorded at 55000-60,000 and with the inauguration of the entire corridor soon, Namo Bharat is going to serve lakhs of commuters daily. 

The steady rise in commuter numbers has been driven by reduced travel time between Delhi and Meerut, a comfortable travel experience, consistent train operations, and predictable journeys during peak hours. NCRTC, considering the increasing commuter demands, reduced the frequency of Namo Bharat Trains from 15 mins to 10 mins and has the system in place to further reduce it up to 3 mins. 

Ashok Rana from Meerut said that Namo Bharat has allowed him to use his time more productively. The time earlier wasted in commute only to Anand Vihar in Delhi, is now being saved with Namo Bharat. He said, “now I don’t have to get stuck in traffic jams or wait for the bus. I simply sit in Namo Bharat and reach my destination comfortably. I am eagerly waiting for the day I will be able to travel to Modipuram.”

Extreme summer heat, monsoon rains, and high-demand festive periods, when road-based travel was affected by congestion and delays, people turned to Namo Bharat for respite. However, once they experienced the speedy, airconditioned, comfortable, value of money travel in Namo Bharat, they never went back. 

A government school teacher from Meerut sharing her experience, said “whenever there was a training or workshop, I used to have sleepless nights as often these were organised in Ghaziabad or similar areas. The time also used to be 8.30 or 9 o’clock in the morning. It was very difficult to travel by buses and reach another city from Meerut so early. Firstly, buses were never available on time, if you get lucky to catch them, they used to be too crowded it’s better if I don’t say anything about the seats. I thank the government from the bottom of my heart for Namo Bharat. It is safe, saves time and there is never a shortage of seats due to reserved women's coach.”

Alongside the phased expansion, NCRTC has been making continuous efforts to enhance the commuter experience. Efforts are being made to strengthen first- and last-mile connectivity to and from Namo Bharat stations. Various last-mile service providers such as Rapido and Uber are operating at stations, while electric buses under the DEVI Bus Scheme (Delhi Electric Vehicle Interchange Scheme) have been integrated with Anand Vihar and New Ashok Nagar Namo Bharat stations in Delhi. In addition, integrated ticketing with the Delhi Metro has been enabled, allowing commuters to book tickets through the mobile application of either system.

At present, a 55-km section with 11 stations between New Ashok Nagar in Delhi and Meerut South is operational. The commissioning of the remaining sections—from Sarai Kale Khan to New Ashok Nagar in Delhi and from Meerut South to Modipuram in Meerut—will complete the full city-centre to city-centre Delhi–Meerut connectivity, further strengthening daily regional mobility. Looking ahead, integration with Meerut Metro services on the Delhi–Meerut corridor will make journeys even more seamless. 

The crossing of 2 crore commuter trips indicates a sustained shift in intercity travel behaviour within NCR, with a growing number of passengers choosing Namo Bharat for regular work, education, medical, and personal travel. It also reflects the role of Namo Bharat in reducing dependence on road-based travel along one of the region’s busiest corridors.

This milestone marks a significant step forward in the implementation journey of Namo Bharat and underscores its increasing role as a dependable mode of daily regional transport in the region.