GHAZIABAD: The cumulative ridership of the Namo Bharat trains running on the countrys first rapid rail corridor after the first week of passenger operations is nearly 48,000, with a low average daily ridership of 6,800.The Namo Bharat trains are now running within Ghaziabad, between Sahibabad and Duhai, which comprises a small 17km section of the Delhi-Meerut line.The entire corridor will likely open in 2025, when the ridership might increase.While 10,211 commuters took the trains on opening day, the maximum ridership during the week was 10,223 on last Sunday, the second day of the trains commercial runs.The average occupancy of seats in the standard and premium coaches is 75% and 25%, respectively. More than 5,000 commuters have downloaded the RapidX (Namo Bharat) Connect app.On the first two days — Saturday and Sunday — of Namo Bharat operations, the daily ridership crossed 10,000 since it was a weekend and festive week, and commuters thronged to take their first rides. On weekdays, from October 23 to 27, the ridership was on expected lines. In the days to come, after last mile-connectivity options are in place and the remaining stations open, the use of the trains will grow as will ridership, said an official from NHAI.Each Namo Bharat trainset has six coaches, with a nearly 1,700 capacity, including seating and standing spaces. There are 72 seats available in standard coaches and 62 in premium coaches.More people will use the premium coaches after the entire corridor opens in 2025. On the currently operational 17km priority section, standard coaches are in demand because of the small distance in which the fare varies from Rs 20 to Rs 50. In premium coaches, it is between Rs 40 and Rs 100, added the official.From 6am to 11pm, there are 68 one-way trips between Sahibabad and Duhai daily, with the trains operating after a gap of 15 minutes. The fleet contains 11 trainsets running along the stretch.More people are now downloading the RapidX Connect App. The RapidX Connect App is available on Google Playstore. In just one week, over 5,000 people have downloaded the app. The app is handy as we have provided varied ticketing options and is growing more popular, said the official.On Saturday, Namo Bharat riders included 150 schoolchildren who travelled between Guldhar and Duhai stations. We heard a lot about Namo Bharat trains. So, the school took the children for a ride on Saturday. The journey was thrilling, the seats comfortable, and the speed convenient, said Som Sangwan, a Class 5 student.

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