The Haryana government has brought the 136.30-km Delhi-Panipat-Karnal Namo Bharat Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor under its Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Policy. The move will allow planned development to be undertaken around stations proposed along the corridor, according to a report by The New Indian Express.
The semi-high-speed rail corridor is being developed as part of Phase-I of the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) network. It will link Delhi with Sonipat, Panipat and Karnal along National Highway 44.
The project is estimated to cost between ₹33,000 crore and ₹34,740 crore. Haryana will contribute its approved share towards the project in phases.
Which areas will the corridor connect?
The corridor will begin in Delhi and run through Narela, Kundli, Sonipat, Murthal, Ganaur, Samalkha, Panipat, Gharaunda and Karnal, along with other proposed and future stations.
It will connect with the Sarai Kale Khan hub station in Delhi, providing an interchange with the wider regional transport network.
In Karnal, the proposed stations are Karnal ISBT, Sector 7, Gharaunda and Kohand. Karnal Bypass has been identified as a future station.
In the Sonipat region, stations are planned at Ganaur, Murthal, Bahalgarh Chowk and Kundli. Barhi and KMP have been identified as future stations.
Haryana amends TOD policy
The Haryana Town and Country Planning Department issued a notification on September 22, amending the state’s TOD Policy, which was originally notified in 2016.
According to the publication, the notification said, “With immediate effect, the Delhi-Panipat-Karnal Namo Bharat RRTS Corridor has been added to the list of Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) corridors eligible for TOD planning.”
It further stated that the corridor had already received approval from the state government following a recommendation from the Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC).
The alignment has now been formally included in the annexure of the existing TOD Policy after HMRTC requested its addition.
What does TOD mean for areas around stations?
The TOD framework is designed to guide development around mass transit corridors. It allows authorities to plan areas near stations with improved connectivity, mixed land use and higher-density development.
The policy move has also renewed expectations among residents that the long-pending RRTS project could progress towards the construction stage.
When was the Karnal extension announced?
Karnal became part of the National Capital Region on June 9, 2015, creating expectations of better regional connectivity.
The RRTS project was first announced in 2014. It was subsequently extended from Panipat to Karnal in January 2020 by then Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.The latest inclusion of the corridor in the state’s TOD framework marks another step in formally planning development along the proposed route.
