Nearly 2,900 kilometres of potential Namo Bharat Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridors have been identified across major regional clusters in India, signalling a strategic push towards developing mega-regions as new engines of economic growth, according to the Economic Survey 2025–26.
The Survey notes that the proposed RRTS network spans key high-growth corridors, including Bengaluru–Mysuru–Tumakuru–Hosur, Chennai–Vellore–Villupuram–Chengalpattu, and Hyderabad–Warangal, among others. With modest and predictable central support, the RRTS model has the potential to deliver high economic multipliers while significantly strengthening inter-city and regional connectivity.
Strong employment and accessibility impact
Highlighting the performance of the Delhi–Meerut Namo Bharat RRTS, the Survey states that the project generated around 166 lakh mandays of employment during its construction phase between 2019 and 2025. Once fully operational, the corridor is expected to support approximately 12 lakh mandays annually, creating sustained employment opportunities across the region.
Early accessibility assessments indicate substantial gains in job reachability within a one-hour travel window:
-
6.9–7.6 lakh job opportunities accessible to residents of Meerut
-
Around 1 lakh job opportunities accessible from Sarai Kale Khan
Inclusion, skill development, and local participation
The Survey highlights notable progress on workforce inclusion, with over 35 per cent of train operators and station controllers being women, many recruited from nearby towns and villages. This has been supported by targeted community-based skill development programmes, strengthening local participation in high-tech transport operations.
Transit-Oriented Development and polycentric growth
On the urban development front, the Economic Survey notes that the Delhi–Meerut RRTS corridor has been integrated into India’s first statutory implementation of Transit-Oriented Development (TOD). Meerut and Ghaziabad master plans have formally notified TOD zones, including large greenfield townships such as New Meerut and New Ghaziabad, planned around RRTS stations.
These TOD initiatives aim to promote higher-density, mixed-use development, encourage decentralisation of employment, reduce pressure on Delhi’s urban core, and support polycentric regional growth.
Environmental and digital governance benefits
Partial operations of the RRTS have already helped avoid around 25 lakh vehicle trips, resulting in a reduction of nearly 69 lakh kg of carbon dioxide emissions, the Survey notes. A significant share of the corridor’s energy requirements is being met through renewable sources, reinforcing the system’s sustainability credentials.
The Survey also highlights the use of digital systems for project management, asset maintenance, and workforce training, which have improved execution efficiency and created replicable institutional capacity for future urban and regional rail projects across India.
