NEW DELHI: To expand the reach of India’s first regional rapid transit system, several states, including Karnataka have requested the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) to carry out detailed studies for new semi‑high speed Namo Bharat corridors, aimed at enhancing intercity connectivity. The Karnataka government has asked the NCRTC to develop four semi‑high speed Namo Bharat routes from Bengaluru, an official told news agency PTI. These proposed corridors are:
- Bengaluru–Hoskote–Kolar (65 km)
- Bengaluru–Mysuru (145 km)
- Bengaluru–Tumakuru (60 km)
- Bengaluru–Hosur–Krishnagiri–Dharmapuri (138 km), which extends into Tamil Nadu
In Uttar Pradesh, the government has granted in-principle approval for the NCRTC to prepare the detailed project report (DPR) and alternative analysis for a proposed 70‑km high-speed corridor between Lucknow and Kanpur. Once operational, the corridor is expected to cut travel time from 90 minutes to about 50 minutes, significantly boosting regional mobility. “The Uttar Pradesh government has granted in-principle approval to the NCRTC for the preparation of an alternative analysis report and detailed project report for the proposed Namo Bharat Corridor between Lucknow and Kanpur,” Puneet Vats, Chief PRO of NCRTC, told PTI. These measures represent a major push to modernize intercity travel in India, emulating the success of the first Namo Bharat corridor between Delhi, Ghaziabad, and Meerut. The Delhi–Meerut line, spanning 82 km, has been partially operational (55 km) since October 2023 and has served more than 10 million commuters so far. Designed for speeds up to 160 km/h, the corridor has shown how high-speed regional rail can reduce road congestion and support sustainable economic growth, Vats added. The NCRTC is also advancing plans for the Delhi–Gurugram–Shahjahanpur–Neemrana–Behror–Alwar corridor. Once fully operational, it is anticipated to increase public transport usage along the route from 37 per cent to 63 per cent, while removing over one lakh private vehicles from roads each day — improving air quality and shortening travel times, according to the official. Vats asserted that the success of the Delhi–Meerut line is inspiring other states to consider similar corridors to foster balanced urban development and seamless regional mobility.(With agency inputs)
