Delhi – Meerut RapidX: Trials Begin on Duhai – Modinagar Section

National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) today started trial runs (train testing) on the 12.7 km Duhai – Modinagar South section of the 82.15 km Delhi – Meerut RapidX (RRTS) project.

This development comes less than 2 months after the inauguration of this semi high-speed rail line’s 17 km elevated Priority Corridor connecting Sahibabad – Ghaziabad – Guldhar – Duhai.

The Duhai – Modinagar South section consists of 2 new stations at Muradnagar and Modinagar South, and was built by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) as part of the project’s 15.84 km Package 3 Lot-1.

NCRTC’s team operated one of their 40 Alstom trains, nicknamed Namo Bharat, at a speed of 10 kmph from Duhai to Modi Nagar South. 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.

National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) had awarded 33 km Package 3’s Lot-1 and Lot-2’s construction contracts to L&T in March 2020 with a 910 day (2.5 year) deadline.

L&T had cast their final of 5593 box segments for Lot-1’s viaduct in April 2023, and IRCON International in May 2023 charged its 33 kV Muradnagar RSS – Duhai ASS electric cables for supplying power to the line’s stations.

The line’s viaduct on this section runs along NH-34’s median with just 2 notable crossings over the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) and Upper Ganga Canal, north of Muradnagar.

In the coming weeks, NCRTC plans to extend trial runs another 12.1 km further north to Meerut South station via Modinagar North Station.

All 4 stations (Muradnagar, Modinagar South, Modinagar North and Meerut South) are in various stages of completion with architectural finishing, PEB roof work and station entry/exit work underway. I reckon we’ll see them opening up in the run up to the 2024 General Elections whether they’re completely ready or not.

Here are a couple videos showing latest progress, uploaded by Detox Traveller on YouTube 11 days ago.

Meerut South to Modinagar South

Modinagar South to Duhai

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– TMRG