India's first semi-high speed urban transit system, the Namo Bharat train, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who also declared that several regions of Rajasthan and Haryana will be connected to the network in its initial phase.
He stated that the regional rail corridor stretching from Delhi to Meerut is only the start and that other regions of the nation will see the creation of similar systems.
The PM said the launch of the Namo Bharat train (earlier known as RapidX) on the 17-km priority stretch between Sahibabad and Duhai in Ghaziabad is only a “glimpse of India of the future” and exemplifies the country's transformation with growing economic muscle. The priority stretch becoming operational comes years after it was first planned to provide fast connectivity to Meerut in a bid to decongest the national capital. Addressing a public meeting after launching the train, which has the maximum operational speed of 160 kmph, the PM indicated how it’s another building block in India’s growth story, underlining the development plank of BJP in the run-up to impending state polls and next year’s Lok Sabha elections.
Modi reaffirmed the government's pledge to finish projects on schedule and mentioned that he had only set the RRTS (Regional Rapid Transit System) foundation stone four years prior. "We will initiate projects for which we lay the foundation stone, and in the next one or one and a half years, this entire corridor will be completed, and I will be there at your service," he stated, repeating what he had said previously and today. This time, the PM asked for everyone's support in keeping the trains spotless and free of scratches, as well as their individual indulgence.
