Meerut: Come 2024, and city residents will be able to travel to Delhi in just 50 minutes. The proposed Rs 31,632-crore Regional Rapid Transit System ( RRTS ) project, which is expected to greatly improve commutation between Delhi and Meerut, will be completed by 2024. This was revealed at a high-level review meeting, attended by divisional commissioner of Meerut zone Anita Meshram and senior functionaries of NCRTC (National Capital Regional Transport Corporation), which will implement the project.The 90-km-long Delhi-Meerut RRTS will have 22 stations, and trains will run at a speed of 180 km per hour. This means one can commute from one city to the other in just 50 minutes. According to group managing director (Planning) of NCRTC, Sudhir Kumar Sharma, 80% of the project will be on elevated platform and 20% will be underground.Divisional commissioner of Meerut zone, Anita Meshram, said, “The detailed project report (DPR) was made by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and it was approved by the UP government in May 2017. Now, it has been sent to the central government for its approval. The meeting for the same is scheduled to take place in the first week of August. After getting the Centre's approval, NCRTC will begin work on the project within 45 days.”According to Sharma, “There will be two corridors in Meerut: The first will be from Modipuram to Partapur (18 km) and the second will be from Shradhapuri to Begum Bridge (20 km). These two corridors will almost cover the entire city. In all, 386 trees will be cut to make way for the project.”DM Anil Dhingra, who was also present in the meeting, said, “In all, 135 hectares of land will have to be acquired for the project in UP. Of these, 35 hectares will be acquired in Meerut and 100 hectares will be acquired in Ghaziabad.”Besides, 20% of the entire project cost will be borne funded by Delhi and UP governments. Another 20% will be funded by the central government and the remaining 60% will procured as loan from financial institutions.NCRTC has elaborate plans to create a web of RRTS in the entire NCR. According to officials, the first corridor is Delhi-Meerut, which will cover 90 km. The second corridor will be Delhi-Gurgaon-Alwar, covering 180 km, and the third one will be from Delhi to Panipat, covering 111 km.“The entire plan has been made keeping in mind the traffic situation for the next 50 years,” Sharma said.

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