The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) has won the prestigious UITP Award in Hamburg, Germany, under the ‘Public and Urban Transport Strategy’ category. It got the recognition for the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor and their precise strategy behind it. It showcases the NCRTC’s efforts towards enhancing urban mobility, sustainable transportation and equipping advanced technologies in the first regional rapid rail network of India.
Introduction:
The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) has been honoured with the UITP (International Association of Public Transport) Award under the ‘Public and Urban Transport Strategy’ category at the UITP Global Public Transport Summit 2025 in Hamburg, Germany. This award recognizes outstanding strategies and systems that accelerate urban mobility through innovation and inclusivity.
NCRTC’s ambitious project, the Delhi–Ghaziabad–Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor, was recognized for its forward-looking approach in solving the National Capital Region’s (NCR) most pressing mobility challenges. NCRTC’s regional rapid transit system will play a vital role in reducing congestion, lower carbon emissions and improving travelling convenience.
Key Features that Earned Global Recognition:
- Commuter-Centric Strategy- The Namo Bharat corridor is designed for the commuters so they can travel conveniently, it will let people go for public transport rather than private one. The reduction in traffic and air pollution will be the best for all the commuters.
- Advanced Technology- In the RRTS corridor ETCS Level 2 Hybrid Level 3 signalling is used, a top-class technology in train control systems. The traditional LTE communication backbone is not used, instead they go for modern technology.
- Operational Excellence- The trains manufactured have 180 kmph design speed and 160 kmph operational speed, it is now setting new standards for rapid urban transit in India.
- Gender Inclusivity and Accessibility- Women were hired for operational and maintenance roles, more than 40% of staff are women there. The coaches and stations are designed according to universal accessibility, ensuring comfortable travel, safety for children and elders and differently-abled passengers.
Sustainable & Future-Ready Development:
NCRTC has fully focussed on sustainability when strategizing the corridor. They used sustainable technologies and components for the engineering including traction energy derived from renewables, regenerative braking, and installed solar rooftops in several places. The corridor also has deployed rainwater harvesting systems.
The project has a proper Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) framework due to which the real estate development took place. The TOD areas were designed with the city master plans to ensure compact, walkable communities around transit hubs.
Operational Impact and Future Plans:
Currently, 55 km of the 82 km-long corridor—from New Ashok Nagar to Meerut South, with 11 operational stations—is already operational and thousands of daily commuters are using it. The successful operation of this section shows the scalability of NCRTC’s model across other Indian metros and regions.
The UITP Award follows another significant international recognition—the UIC Sustainability Impact Award 2024, where NCRTC was named the ‘Seamless Connectivity’ winner and the ‘Overall Winner’ across all categories, strengthening its global leadership in sustainable transport.
Conclusion:
NCRTC’s win at the UITP Summit in Germany is a significant achievement, it showcases the capability of the organization in public transport development. It promotes high-speed, inclusive, and green transit systems in transportation, and it aligns with India’s goal of enhancing sustainable transport in the country. NCRTC has shown how innovative strategy and sustainability can redefine urban mobility for future generations.
Source: NCRTC – Press Release | Image Credit: NCRTC
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