New Delhi: German envoy to India, Dr Philip Auckermann, on Wednesday shared a video of his riding the Namo Bharat train from Meerut to Delhi. Sharing the video on X, the envoy said that the Delhi-Meerut Rapid Transit System is a testament to the successful collaboration between India’s NCRTC and Germany’s Deutsche Bahn.
“The train where I am now is a very special project of the Indian Railways. It’s a new corridor from Meerut to Delhi. Trains in India are an iconic means of transport. They have also been modernised over the last couple of years impressively. One special thing with this train is it is managed by Deutsche Bahn,” he is heard saying in the video.
‘The project is fantastic’
He added, “Deutsche Bahn is the German Railway company. This is the first time that Deutsche Bahn outside Europe is engaging in such a project. I am very proud of it. This is a fantastic train. It’s a fantastic project. It will make the lives of many people easier and nicer. I hope that this fabulous project of the Indo-German project will continue and we will have other corridors. It’s a great achievement”
Thrilled to experience the Delhi-Meerut Rapid Transit System on its first anniversary!
A testament to the successful Indo-German collaboration between NCRTC and Deutsche Bahn. This modern, efficient system is a game-changer for urban mobility in the region. 🚆🇩🇪🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/IYdX53iEDM
— Dr Philipp Ackermann (@AmbAckermann) October 23, 2024
Deutsche Bahn has been given the contract for 12 years
It may be noted that in July 2022, the NCRTC selected Deutsche Bahn (DB), to operate and maintain the corridor for 12 years. There was an option for the extension of the project for five years. After the contract, the company formed a subsidiary named DB RRTS Operations India Pvt. Ltd and started looking after the operations.
Soon, the NCRTC named the provider of the services as RapidX. It also named the trains Namo Bharat, which are the fastest rapid transit trains in India. The trains run at an operational speed of 160 km/h (99 mph).
