Delhi-Meerut Namo Bharat set to reach Rishikesh as 150-km extension gets approval

The Namo Bharat regional rail service will be extended from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh to Rishikesh in Uttarakhand after an agreement was reached between the two state governments and the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), officials said on Wednesday.

According to an official statement, the existing 82-km Namo Bharat corridor between Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi and Modipuram in Meerut will be expanded by another 150 km to Lakshman Jhula in Rishikesh.

With trains capable of running at speeds of up to 160 kilometres per hour, the extended corridor will cover a distance of about 230 km in nearly three hours. The travel time is almost half of what it currently takes to travel from Delhi to Rishikesh by road via Meerut.

The development follows a proposal submitted by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, the statement said.

A survey for preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the proposed 150-km extension will begin soon following the agreement between the stakeholders.

The Namo Bharat service officially started operations between Delhi and Meerut in January 2025 and is designed as a semi-high-speed regional transit system aimed at improving connectivity across the National Capital Region and adjoining areas.

To fast-track the extension project, the Uttarakhand government has appointed Additional Secretary Reena Joshi as the nodal officer. The NCRTC has also nominated its nodal officer, while the Uttar Pradesh government has provided formal consent for the project.

Under the proposed alignment, the new corridor will start from Modipuram station in Meerut and pass through Muzaffarnagar before entering Uttarakhand. The route will then run through Roorkee and Har ki Pauri in Haridwar before terminating at Lakshman Jhula in Rishikesh.

Of the proposed 150-km stretch, 72 km will fall within Uttar Pradesh, while the remaining 78 km will be located in Uttarakhand.

Officials said the extension is expected to provide a modern transit option for pilgrims travelling to Uttarakhand as well as residents commuting to and from Delhi.

Chief Minister Dhami said the extension of the train service will give a new direction to connectivity in Uttarakhand by providing fast, safe, and modern transport to tourists, pilgrims, and local residents.

He added that the state government is coordinating continuously with the Centre, the Uttar Pradesh government, and the NCRTC to ensure that improved rail and transport infrastructure creates new opportunities for development and employment in Uttarakhand.