Namo Bharat to run 32 extra trips for Bhai Dooj, with trains every 10 minutes

The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) announced on Monday (November 9) that 32 additional Namo Bharat trips will run on the Delhi-Meerut corridor for Bhai Dooj on November 11, bringing waiting times at stations to under 10 minutes. Bhai Dooj falls on a working Wednesday this year, and a sharp rise in people travelling to visit relatives is expected to add to road congestion across Delhi-NCR. (Image: file image of a Namo Bharat train.)

Trains every 10 minutes

NCRTC said the 32 extra trips come on top of the regular timetable, cutting headways on the Namo Bharat line to under 10 minutes, close to metro-level frequency. The additional services cover the full Delhi-Meerut corridor, making it easier for people to travel to meet family and reducing private-car use.

Transit measures amid pollution pressure

The extra trips build on anti-pollution measures already in place: since November 4, NCRTC has been running 20 additional trips a day to encourage commuters to switch to public transport and cut highway traffic, while Delhi Metro has added 40 trips. Air quality in Delhi has stayed poor, the second stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is in force, and restrictions on the entry of certain categories of vehicles into the capital took effect on November 1.

About the corridor

Namo Bharat is India's first high-speed regional rail system (RRTS), running 82.15 km from Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi to Modipuram in Meerut at speeds of up to 160 km/h, connecting with Delhi Metro, Indian Railways, inter-state bus terminals and city buses. Bhai Dooj is a Hindu festival in which sisters pray for their brothers' long life, and families gather to celebrate.