Travel between Meerut and Rishikesh could soon become much faster, as the Namo Bharat regional rail service is set to extend to Uttarakhand city.
The proposed 150-km expansion, which was approved by the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments along with the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), is expected to reduce travel time between the two cities to about three hours.
According to an official statement, the existing 82-km-long Namo Bharat corridor between Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi and Modipuram in Meerut will be extended by another 150 km to Lakshman Jhula in Rishikesh, news agency PTI reported.
The semi-high-speed train, capable of traveling at speeds of up to 160 kilometers per hour, will cover the journey of about 230 kilometers in about three hours. This is almost half the time it currently takes to travel from Delhi to Rishikesh by road via Meerut.
The statement said the agreement follows Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s proposal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
A survey to prepare a detailed project report for the proposed 150-km extension will begin soon, the agency said.
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An extension of 150 km is planned
The Namo Bharat service began operations between Delhi and Meerut in January 2025.
To expedite the extension process, the Uttarakhand government has appointed Additional Chief Secretary Reena Joshi as nodal officer. The NCRTC has also appointed its nodal officer, while the Uttar Pradesh government has given its formal approval.
Under the proposed alignment, the new corridor will start from Modipuram station in Meerut, pass through Muzaffarnagar, and enter Uttarakhand via Roorkee. It will then pass through Har ki Pauri in Haridwar before ending at Lakshman Jhula in Rishikesh.
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Of the proposed 150 km stretch, 72 km will be in Uttar Pradesh and the remaining 78 km in Uttarakhand.
The extension is expected to provide a modern transit option for pilgrims traveling to Uttarakhand as well as residents commuting to Delhi.
Prime Minister Dhami said the expansion of Namo Bharat service would herald a new era of connectivity in Uttarakhand by providing fast, safe and modern transportation to tourists, pilgrims and locals.
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(With inputs from PTI)
