New Delhi [India], November 8 (ANI): Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs and Power, Manohar Lal, inaugurated the National Capital Region Transport Corporation’s (NCRTC) Namo Bharat exhibition stall at the 18th Urban Mobility India (UMI) Conference and Expo 2025, being held at Hotel Hyatt Regency, Gurugram, from November 7 to 9.

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini also visited the exhibition on the second day of the three-day conference.

Speaking at the inaugural session, Manohar Lal underlined the growing need for faster regional connectivity across the country.

“After a distance of about 50-60 km, the metro becomes unviable - not in terms of fare, but in terms of time. Because travelling 50-60 km by metro takes around one to one and a half hours. Since everyone wants to save time, a new system, the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), is being developed,” the minister said.

He explained that, “Unlike the metro, which has stations every 2 kilometres, RRTS stations are spaced approximately 8 kilometres apart. As demand increases, we will develop RRTS not only in the NCR but also in other major cities where people commute daily over distances of around 100 km, such as Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru. For this, we are preparing a new policy. The Cabinet note is ready, and once approved, RRTS will also be implemented in these major cities.”

The minister further informed that following the successful operation of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor, two new Namo Bharat corridors - Sarai Kale Khan to Bawal and Sarai Kale Khan to Karnal - will commence soon.

Currently, a 55-km section of the 82 km long Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor, between New Ashok Nagar and Meerut South, with 11 stations, is operational for the public, and the remaining section is expected to be commissioned soon.

At the NCRTC stall, Manohar Lal and other dignitaries, including Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu, were received by NCRTC Managing Director Shalabh Goel, who showcased the new-age commuter-centric features of Namo Bharat, such as ETCS Level 2 (Hybrid Level 3) signalling over LTE and the Meerut Metro – India’s first metro to operate on Namo Bharat infrastructure.

The exhibition highlights how India’s first semi-high-speed regional rail network is reshaping regional mobility, driving economic growth, and realising the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’. Visitors can see firsthand how the commuter-centric amenities of Namo Bharat are transforming regional travel and unlocking the development potential of the National Capital Region.

This year’s UMI event is being jointly organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Government of India, and the Government of Haryana. The 2025 edition focuses on the theme ‘Urban Development and Mobility Nexus’, highlighting the interlinkages between urban planning and mobility systems and their impact on economic growth, environmental sustainability, social equity, and public health.

NCRTC’s stall, featuring interactive models and detailed information panels, is drawing strong visitor engagement as it showcases the transformative design and commuter-centric innovations of the Namo Bharat system. (ANI)