PM green flag today to Namo Bharat'; Cong sees red Trains of the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) ahead of the inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on Thursday.
Credit: PTI photo
New Delhi: The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) has expressed willingness to prepare detailed project reports (DPRs) for semi-high-speed Namo Bharat rail corridors between Bengaluru and nearby cities.
The Karnataka government has been holding discussions with the NCRTC to develop a regional rapid transit system (RRTS) to decongest Bengaluru.
The NCRTC is the developer of the partially operational Delhi-Meerut RRTS, also called Namo Bharat rapid rail.
The joint-venture company has proposed four corridors: Bengaluru-Hoskote-Kolar (65 km), Bengaluru-Mysuru (145 km), Bengaluru-Tumakuru (60 km) and Bengaluru-Hosur-Krishnagiri-Dharmapuri (138 km).
The average speed of trains on this network will be 85 km/hr. While the travel time between Bengaluru and Mysuru will be 1.40 hour, the train will take 42 minutes to travel from Bengaluru to Tumakuru.
The NCRTC has also expressed its willingness to prepare detailed project reports (DPRs) and execute and operate these corridors.
"Recently, a team of officials from Karnataka visited the NCRTC headquarters here and held discussions. The team also visited India's first rapid rail corridor, Sarai Kale Khan (Delhi) to Meerut (Uttar Pradesh), and personally experienced the system," sources said.
The NCRTC has offered a similar equity for the joint venture for Karnataka on the model of Delhi–Meerut corridor, which has 60% funding from multilateral agencies, 20% funding each from the Government of India and the state government.
Confirming the development, Heavy Industries and Infrastructure Development Minister M B Patil told DH that the state government is keen on decongesting Bengaluru by providing seamless transportation to neighbouring cities.
"Under the decongestion plan, this project is also under discussion. I will hold discussions with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and take a concrete decision soon," Patil said. "Though the state is developing a suburban railway network, if Namo Bharat corridors offer a better alternative, we may also consider this seriously," he added.
Namo Bharat is India’s first RRTS, with maximum operational speeds of up to 160 kmph, offering a fast, comfortable, reliable and safe mode of transport.
This system is different from the conventional railway as it does not operate on a fixed timetable or require a seat reservation. It is also different from the metro transit as it caters to passengers travelling relatively longer distances with fewer stops and at a higher speed.
"NCRTC also suggested planning TOD or transit-oriented development around the proposed corridors to support structured urban growth and decongest Bengaluru," the sources said.