New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate a 13-kilometre stretch of the Namo Bharat corridor, connecting Sahibabad and New Ashok Nagar, on Sunday, PTI reported, citing officials.

The ceremony will take place at around 11 am.

PM Modi is expected to travel between Sahibabad and New Ashok Nagar.

Passenger services will begin at 5 pm, offering trains every 15 minutes.

The fare for travelling from New Ashok Nagar to Meerut South is Rs 150 for standard coaches and Rs 225 for premium ones.

This newly inaugurated stretch includes a 6 km underground section featuring the significant Anand Vihar station.

This marks the debut of Namo Bharat trains operating in an underground section.

Following this launch, Namo Bharat trains will officially arrive in Delhi.

Previously, PM Modi inaugurated the 17-kilometre priority section from Sahibabad to Duhai Depot on October 20, 2023.

Currently, the operational portion of the corridor spans 42 kilometres with nine stations, connecting Sahibabad to Meerut South.

With this expansion, the corridor will now cover 55 kilometres and feature 11 stations.

This inauguration links Meerut city directly to Delhi, reducing travel time by a third.

Commuters can now journey between New Ashok Nagar and Meerut South in under 40 minutes. To date, Namo Bharat trains have served over 50 lakh passengers.

Construction is advancing rapidly on the New Ashok Nagar-Sarai Kale Khan and Meerut South-Modipuram sections.

Anand Vihar underground station, one of the largest on the corridor, allows travel to Meerut South in just 35 minutes.

Special infrastructure includes three bridges over the Ghazipur drain—two for vehicles and one for pedestrians.

New Ashok Nagar station is the first elevated station to become operational on the Delhi section.

The corridor here crosses the New Ashok Nagar Metro station at a height of 20 metres.

A 90-metre foot overbridge connects it to the Delhi Metro’s Blue Line.

Passenger-centric features at Namo Bharat stations include free drinking water, washrooms, a reserved coach for women, and designated spaces for elderly, disabled passengers, and wheelchair users.

Trains are equipped with panic buttons, and attendants are on board to assist passengers.

When the entire 82-kilometre Delhi-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor becomes operational, it is expected to eliminate over one lakh private vehicles from the roads and cut carbon emissions by 2.5 lakh tonnes annually.

The corridor, originating at Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi and terminating at Modipuram in Meerut, comprises 16 Namo Bharat stations along with nine additional stations for the Meerut Metro, providing a comprehensive regional transit solution.