Ghaziabad: National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) will run 47 additional Namo Bharat train trips on Thursday and Friday to handle the Raksha Bandhan rush on the Sarai Kale Khan-Modipuram corridor, with trains available every eight minutes during the period. UPSRTC has also made additional arrangements to ferry commuters during the festival.“The decision has been taken so that festive journeys are more convenient and comfortable for commuters during Raksha Bandhan. These additional trips will cater to a significant increase expected in commuter footfall during the festival,” said an official from NCRTC.“With these additional trips, Namo Bharat services will be available every 8 minutes on both days. The additional trips will operate across the entire Delhi-Meerut, providing commuters with more frequent travel options during the festive period,” added the official.Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) has also made provisions to ferry commuters on Raksha Bandhan. “According to the directions of chief minister Yogi Adityanath, female passengers and one companion will be allowed to travel free of charge on UPSRTC buses from Thursday to Friday night,” an official said. While the bus fleet makes 800 trips daily, the number is expected to reach 1,200 on Thursday and Friday, he added.On Aug 3, the Delhi-Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor recorded its highest-ever daily ridership, with more than 1,50,000 commuters.Sarai Kale Khan, New Ashok Nagar and Anand Vihar in Delhi, and Ghaziabad and Begumpul in Uttar Pradesh are among the busiest stations on the corridor and together, these stations account for more than 40% of the total ridership.Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the service and said more than four crore passengers have travelled on it till date. “Delhi–Meerut Namo Bharat is setting a mark in world punctuality standards. It is an example of positive governance and reliable public transport,” he said.
