Surge in RRTS rides after one-way scheme on NH58
Puneet Vats, chief public relations officer of NCRTC, told TOI, "Ridership was about 45,000 until June, but surged to nearly 69,000 after road closures for the kanwar yatra. Stations like Meerut South, Ghaziabad, and Anand Vihar see the highest number of commuters." To manage the demand, NCRTC reduced train intervals from 15 to 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, NH-58 is now one-way, and the Delhi-Meerut expressway will be closed in two phases starting July 19, with heavy vehicles already banned, to make way for the pilgrims.
Since its launch, RRTS has recorded 1.2 crore rides. However, reaching Meerut South station remains difficult due to kanwariya crowds on Delhi Road.
Anand Harit, a commuter, said, "Travelling by car is tough with road closures. RRTS is easier, but I still need three auto rides to reach the station." Notably, NH-58 has seen conflicts and accidents involving kanwariyas in the past years. As a precautionary measure, the route diversion dedicates one lane to light vehicles and the other to pilgrims.
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