Green Signal: Soon, Clean Energy To Fuel Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS Corridor

With a dual aim of reduction in expenditure on electricity and lesser CO2 emissions, the National Capital Region Transport Corporation would use clean energy for its Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS Corridor.

Use of clean energy is essential to make the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project financially as well as environmentally sustainable.

As part of an action plan, RRTS rolling stock will be provided with state-of-the-art regenerative braking system which converts train’s kinetic energy into electrical energy.

Finalising the blue print to make the project environment-friendly, NCRTC has signed an MoU with SECI (Solar Energy Corporation of India) to harness blended renewable energy for RRTS.

The MoU has provisions to explore possible opportunities in electric/ transformative mobility, Hydrogen-based economy and other alternative sources of fuels and energy.

As part of our Energy Management Policy, we would maximise the use of blended renewable energy such as solar power for meeting full energy requirements of the project, said a senior NCRTC official.

SECI, being an industry leader, will help in arranging blended renewable energy for NCRTC round-the-clock at affordable rates for Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Corridor and will extend cooperation for other future corridors as well.

NCRTC is adopting a series of measures also for energy efficiency in India’s first RRTS corridor equipping all elevated RRTS stations and depots with solar panels.

NCRTC is targeting generation of a minimum of 10 MWs of renewable energy while 40 per cent of the total energy requirement of the Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor is targeted to be procured/generated from renewable energy.

According to the official, the use of regenerative braking will result in reduced wear and tear of wheels, brake pads and other associated moving brake-gear parts of the rolling stock, resulting in significantly less consumption of these spare part/items during train maintenance life cycle, which again, will result in substantial reduction in CO2 emission, which otherwise, would have been generated in the manufacturing and supply chain process of these spare parts/items.

RRTS trains will have push buttons for selective opening of doors on need basis. This eliminates the requirement of opening all doors at every station, thus leading to energy saving.

RRTS rolling stock will have lighting and temperature control systems to enhance the passenger experience with less energy consumption.

All RRTS stations and their premises, depots, office spaces and trains will be equipped with energy-saving LED lights.

Platform Screen Doors will be installed at every RRTS station which will help in saving significant energy in underground stations.

An MoU was signed in the presence of SECI CMD Jatindra Nath Swain, NCRTC Managing Director Vinay Kumar Singh and NCRTC Director Mahendra Kumar in this regard.