Namo Bharat reaches capital as PM inaugurates 13-km section of Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor
New Delhi, Jan 5: The Namo Bharat train entered the national capital on Sunday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating a 13-km section of the Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor from Sahibabad in Ghaziabad to New Ashok Nagar here.
Modi also took a ride on a Namo Bharat train from Sahibabad to New Ashok after purchasing an NCMC (National Common Mobility Card) using the UPI payment system.
During his journey, the prime minister interacted with people, including children.
With the inauguration of the Delhi section of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor, Meerut city is now directly connected to Delhi and the commuters can reach Meerut South in just 40 minutes.
The 55-km RRTS corridor between New Ashok Nagar and Meerut South with 11 stations has become operational. Passenger operations will commence from 5 pm onwards and the trains will be available every 15 minutes.
The fare from New Ashok Nagar station to Meerut South station is Rs 150 for standard coach and Rs 225 for premium coach.
The Namo Bharat train has served more than five million passengers so far.
The construction of other sections -- New Ashok Nagar-Sarai Kale Khan and Meerut South-Modipuram -- is progressing at a rapid pace, according to an official.
Of the newly-inaugurated 13-km section, 6 km is underground, including Anand Vihar station.
This is the first time that Namo Bharat trains will operate in an underground section.
Anand Vihar underground station is one of the biggest on the Namo Bharat corridor. New Ashok Nagar is the first elevated Namo Bharat station to become operational on the Delhi section.
The official said that Namo Bharat stations are designed and constructed to provide seamless connectivity with other modes of public transport such as buses and metro, wherever possible.
One coach in each train is reserved for women and other coaches have reserved seats for women, the elderly and 'Divyangjans'.
Each train has designated space for wheelchairs and stretchers, and a train attendant to assist and ensure the convenience of passengers.
Modi inaugurated the 17-km priority section of the RRTS corridor between Sahibabad and Duhai Depot on October 20 last year.
The 82-km RRTS corridor originates at Sarai Kale Khan in New Delhi and terminates at Modipuram in Meerut.
It has 16 stations along with nine additional stations for the Meerut metro, making it a comprehensive and transformative regional transit solution.
The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), which is constructing the RRTS corridor, later in a statement said that the prime minister also interacted with women train operators and station controllers, commending their pivotal roles in operations.
During the journey, Modi interacted with various set travellers, showcasing the diverse social impact of the corridor.
The women beneficiaries of the NCRTC's vocational training program, supported by the JFPR (Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific) grant, shared their inspiring journeys of employment, the NCRTC said in the statement.
The engineering students discussed their aspirations and the corridors technological advancements, while the school students showcased their creativity through artwork, poetry and songs inspired by the project, it said.
नमो भारत ट्रेन के साहिबाबाद-अशोक नगर के नए कॉरिडोर में सफर के दौरान मेरे युवा साथियों की अद्भुत प्रतिभा ने नई ऊर्जा से भर दिया। pic.twitter.com/ov7eUOFKpp
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 5, 2025
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TN Governor was sent to trouble govt, insult Tamil, Kanimozhi says at DMK protest
Chennai (PTI): DMK deputy general secretary Kanimozhi alleged on Tuesday that the BJP government at the Centre had made R N Ravi Governor of Tamil Nadu only to give trouble to the DMK government and to insult Tamils.
Stating that the Gubernatorial position was not meant to do politics, she said the Governor was free to go on leave if he wasn't keen on addressing the Legislative Assembly.
“Why play politics? There's no need for the Governor to do politics. He can take leave and refrain from attending Assembly,” the MP from Thoothukudi said while addressing the party members at a massive protest here seeking the Governor’s recall.
The protest -- which held in the district headquarters across the state too -- was also to condemn Ravi for choosing not to read out the address prepared by the state government at the commencement of the maiden Assembly session for this year.
On Monday, Ravi walked out of the Legislative Assembly without reading out the customary address. The Raj Bhavan later said that the Governor left the House in “deep anguish” as the constitution of Bharat and the national anthem were once again “insulted” in the Assembly.
“This was the third time the Governor has disrespected the Assembly,” Kanimozhi said at the protest. She emphasised that the DMK members groomed by leaders like C N Annadurai and M Karunanidhi, would under the leadership of Chief Minister and party president M K Stalin soon overcome all hurdles posed by the BJP government through the Governor,
"There's a limit to our leader Stalin's patience... the day is not far off when the Governor would be sent back," Kanimozhi said.
Participating in the protest, DMK organisation secretary R S Bharathi alleged that the Governor wanted to break five decades of practice in the state by deciding to boycott the customary address.
“He is giving lame excuses for not reading the government's address in the Assembly. He has no valid reason to boycott. He is jealous because the states ruled by his party are not performing like Tamil Nadu is under Stalin’s DMK,” Bharathi later told reporters.
BJP Mahila Morcha president and legislator Vanathi Srinivasan condemned the DMK for posting posters condemning the Governor and said it has become the habit of the ruling dispensation to undermine the position of the Governor.
“Whenever he comes to the Assembly, they try to enact a drama as if he is disrespecting Tamil Nadu,” Vanathi Srinivasan told reporters here.
Yesterday, the Governor insisted upon playing the national anthem that was also followed in West Bengal or Kerala, ruled by the DMK’s allies, she said.
“The national anthem is sung whenever the Governor arrives. But here, the DMK thinks that Tamil Nadu has a separate procedure,” Vanathai said slamming the DMK.
