Deutsche Bahn plans to extend Namo Bharat RRTS with two new projects
Rail transport major Deutsche Bahn (German Railways), which manages the operation and maintenance of India´s first regional rapid transit system (RRTS) or now called Namo Bharat located in the national capital region, is targeting to bag at least two more projects in the country during the next five years.
Speaking to businessline, DB E.C.O. Group’s Chief Executive Niko Warbanoff said these projects will span both RRTS and metro rail line projects.
Expansion
“We are not here just for one project and one operation. I have an interest in expanding the business and contributing to the development of the country with our know-how and with our teams involved,” Warbanoff told Businessline, adding that expanding corridors around the National Capital Region is a priority.
“So, I am really interested in expanding our business with further Namo Bharat/RRTS projects. But also, once we have the chance to operate, we are looking to enter the metro line business in India as well.”
According to Warbanoff, administrations of other jurisdictions are discussing implementing RRTS-type projects.
“I think it is the right thing to do to establish multimodal connectivity, seamless connectivity, and offer people different modes of transport, where RRTS plays an important role.”
Infrastructure development
Besides, Warbanoff cited the importance of having metro services and bus systems accessible to commuters for short distances. Similarly, commuters should be provided with an option to use an RRTS or Namo Bharat-type system that provides very fast connectivity for longer distances.
“Infrastructure like RRTS or Namo Bharat systems and metro systems are a top priority for the federal government as well as for individual state governments here in India. I am very excited about the growth in that business (metro service), which is already happening, and I am absolutely convinced that this will continue in the future because it is a prerequisite for the development of society,” Warbanoff said.
“It provides people access to education, access to workplaces, and, hence, it is also crucial for the further development of India’s economy.”
In terms of the RRTS project or Namo Bharat commuter train project, he said that currently, the company is operating 55 kilometres, which will be expanded to 82 kilometres during the course of this year.
“It is cutting down travel time from two to three hours to 40 minutes, which is a huge advantage for passengers. And I think that speaks for itself.”
The Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat’s priority stretch was commissioned for public use by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Oct 2023. In 2022, DB International Operations, which is a part of the DB E.C.O. Group, was awarded a contract to manage the operation and maintenance of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat project by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC).
The s concession for running the system is of 12 years for ₹1,493.08 crore. The German company expects to run 40 RRTS trains on the network.
