Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the 17-km priority section of the country’s first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor and took a ride in a ‘Namo Bharat’ train running on the stretch.  Modi showed the green flag to the train connecting Sahibabad and Duhai Depot stations, marking the launch of the RRTS in India. Trains plying on this corridor can run at a speed of 180 kmph.

The prime minister inaugurated the priority section by unveiling a plaque at the Sahibabad station of the RRTS.

He also bought a smart card using UPI mode of payment to enter the concourse, thus becoming the first person to do so, a senior official of the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) said.

Prime Minister Modi also saw an exhibition put up at the station.

After flagging off the first ‘Namo Bharat’ train, Modi boarded a train from Sahibabad to travel on the corridor. During his travel, he interacted with some school students and the crew of the train.

“Many students from different schools of Ghaziabad were present on the platform during the flag off and some other school students were present in the train which the prime minister boarded,” the NCRTC official said.

The priority section between Sahibabad and Duhai Depot has five stations — Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar, Duhai and Duhai Depot. The segment from Duhai to Duhai Depot is a spur from the main corridor.

Prime Minister Modi travelled on the priority section from Sahibabad to Guldhar and then returned to the Sahibabad station, from where he exited, the official told PTI.

The Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor once fully completed will reduce travel time between Delhi and Meerut to a little less than an hour.

Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri were present at the inauguration ceremony at the Sahibabad station.

India’s first semi-high-speed regional rail service, trains of which are equipped with hi-tech features and a number of passenger amenities, will be opened for people from October 21.

The services will begin at 6 am and run till 11 pm, the NCRTC officials had earlier said.