Train design unveilled for India’s first semi-high-speed RRTS corridor

NCRTC's modern RRTS trains designed locally in India by Bombardier's engineers and designers. Credit: Bombardier Transport

The train design was unveiled by Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India, in the presence of Vinay Kumar Singh, Managing Director leading the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) team and Rajeev Joisar, Managing Director leading the Bombardier Transportation team in India.

Bombardier was awarded the contract by NCRTC in May 2020 to design, build and deliver the regional commuter and intracity transit trains with comprehensive maintenance services for the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut semi-high-speed rail corridor under RRTS Phase 1. The fresh, modern and advanced nature of the new train design is inspired by Delhi’s iconic monument, The Lotus Temple, resonating a unique amalgamation of sustainability and India’s rich heritage.

Vinay Kumar Singh, Managing Director of NCRTC, said: “These energy-efficient trains with exceptional ergonomics and low lifecycle costs will contribute towards making India’s first RRTS futuristic and sustainable. Clubbed with state-of-the-art commuter centric features, RRTS is going to transform the way people travel in NCR and set a new benchmark for similar projects in the future.”

Rajeev Joisar, Managing Director leading the Bombardier Transportation team in India, said: “Bombardier is proud to be partner for NCRTC’s flagship project to deliver the new RRTS trains. These trains are being designed locally and incorporate latest technologies and features. Bombardier will deliver and maintain RRTS trains in accordance with our country’s ‘Make in India’ guidelines. These energy efficient semi-high-speed trains will enhance passenger experience in terms of comfort, safety, journey time and will be a game-changer in the regional rail segment in India benefitting millions of people and contributing towards socio-economic development.”

Feature-packed train design

The RRTS feature-packed train design, developed in collaboration with NCRTC’s experienced team, will offer a host of safety, security and environmental benefits while keeping passenger comfort at the forefront. The semi-high-speed aerodynamic trainsets will have a 2+2 transverse seating arrangement with comfortable seat pitches, standing spaces and automatic plug-in type sliding doors. The air-conditioned trains will also provide space for luggage, CCTV cameras for enhanced security and offer the choice of business class seating as well as a car designated for women in the six-car trainsets for regional services. The interior of the new trains will offer an accessible and welcoming environment for passengers.

The new trains will accommodate around 900 passengers in the three-car train configuration for the Meerut local transit services. When configured into six-car trainsets for RRTS, the trains will be able to accommodate as many as 1,790 passengers to significantly increase public transport capacity between Delhi and Meerut. With their modular design, the RRTS trains can be expanded to nine-car trainsets.

The design takes inspiration from The Lotus Temple which was developed for sustainability with its natural lighting and natural air circulation to keep the building cool. This sustainable design flows into the new trains as Bombardier’s engineers have designed efficient lighting and temperature control systems that will enhance the passengers’ experience and reduce energy consumption.

The 82km-long Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS boasts a 180km/h design speed, one of the fastest in India and it will have 24 stations. The trains will reduce travel time from Meerut to Delhi to less than 60 minutes and expected ridership is around 800,000 passengers daily. Local transit services between Meerut South and Modipuram Depot Station with 13 stations over 21km on the RRTS infrastructure will provide local mobility services for Meerut’s citizens and deliver efficient regional connectivity.

RRTS is India’s first project to include maintenance services as part of the rolling stock tender process and Bombardier local teams will provide maintenance services for a period of 15 years through two maintenance depots established by NCRTC in Duhai and Modipuram.