Trial Runs Begin on Delhi Meerut RRTS Line’s Priority Corridor

So it begins! National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) on Friday afternoon officially started trial runs (train testing) on a 1.5 km portion of the 82.15 km Delhi–Meerut RRTS project’s Priority Corridor.

The team manually operated their prototype Alstom train, the 1st of 4 semi high-speed trains received so far, between Duhai Depot – Depot Station – Duhai RRTS Station. This train-set arrived at Duhai Depot in June 2022 and had since been performing tests on the depot’s testing line.

As always, the sole objective of the first run was to check for Schedule of Dimensions (SOD) clearances and observe the train’s interaction with the civil structure to ensure there are no physical obstructions along the way.

A majority of the 1.5 km portion the train traversed on was on the depot-line which runs parallel to the Eastern Peripheral Expressway.

This milestone was recorded just 30 months after APCO-CRFG JV launched 10.3 km Package 2’s first precast segment in July 2020. They’re the civil contractors for the line’s viaduct from Ghaziabad Station to the Duhai Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) crossing consisting of 2 elevated stations at Guldhar and Duhai.

The line’s 25kV AC overhead equipment (OHE) system has been installed and energized by IRCON International as part of Package 19. A full list of contractors can be viewed here.

In the coming months, various subsystems along with the train’s response to being operated at different speeds & braking, and the behavior of the track system, OHE system and platform screen door system will be monitored.

NCRTC is publicly chasing a March 2023 deadline to complete and open the project’s 18 km elevated Priority Corridor between Sahibabad – Ghaziabad –  Guldhar – Duhai (EPE).

That’ll be quite an achievement as there’s far too much station architectural and finishing works pending across all stations, notably at the mammoth Ghaziabad Station which’ll allow users to interchange with Delhi Metro’s Red Line. With this being India’s first semi high-speed rail line, I expect testing and statutory approvals to take at least 6 months.

Here’s a cool video compilation on YouTube of the train shot from various angles:

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– TMRG