The Union Budget 2026–27 has earmarked over ₹2,000 crore for the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), marking a reduction of nearly 25 per cent compared to the previous year’s allocation. The funding trend reflects a steady decline in budgetary support for the agency implementing the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project
For the upcoming financial year, NCRTC has been allocated ₹2,200 crore, down from ₹2,918 crore in 2025–26 and ₹3,855 crore in 2024–25. Although the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs had initially provided a budget estimate of ₹2,918 crore for FY26, revised estimates indicate actual expenditure of only ₹2,000 crore on the Namo Bharat train operator.
RRTS Gets ₹2,200 Crore in Union Budget 2025–26, Allocation Cut by 25%
Presenting the Budget on Sunday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman detailed that the allocation for FY27 includes ₹1,324 crore under revenue expenditure and ₹876 crore as capital expenditure. According to Budget documents, the investment aims to ease congestion in the Delhi–National Capital Region and reduce pollution by promoting faster and cleaner public transport options
NCRTC, a joint venture company set up to execute the RRTS project, is currently implementing Phase I, which includes three key corridors—Delhi–Ghaziabad–Meerut, Delhi–Panipat–Karnal, and Delhi–Gurugram–SNB. These corridors are designed to converge at the Sarai Kale Khan Namo Bharat station in the national capital. In addition, several future corridors are planned, such as Delhi–Faridabad–Ballabgarh–Palwal, Ghaziabad–Khurja, Delhi–Bahadurgarh–Rohtak, and Delhi–Shahdara–Baraut.
At present, a 55-km stretch of the 82-km Delhi–Meerut Namo Bharat corridor—from New Ashok Nagar in Delhi to Meerut South in Uttar Pradesh—is operational.
The Economic Survey described the Delhi–Meerut Namo Bharat RRTS as a structural shift in India’s regional mobility strategy, positioning high-speed commuter rail as a key economic infrastructure. Designed for speeds of up to 180 kmph, the corridor is expected to cut travel time between Delhi and Meerut to under an hour, compared to 1.5–2 hours by road.
The project follows a financing model under which 20 per cent of funds are contributed each by the Centre and participating states, while the remaining 60 per cent is financed by multilateral lenders such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and New Development Bank (NDB). The Survey highlighted this structure as a scalable template for future urban-regional connectivity projects.
Beyond transport benefits, the Namo Bharat RRTS is also expected to deliver significant employment and inclusion gains. Construction activities generated around 166 lakh mandays between 2019 and 2025, while operations are projected to support nearly 12 lakh mandays annually. Improved accessibility is expected to substantially expand labour markets, with estimates suggesting nearly 6.9–7.6 lakh additional jobs reachable within one hour for Meerut and about one lakh for Sarai Kale Khan.
Beyond transport benefits, the Namo Bharat RRTS is also expected to deliver significant employment and inclusion gains. Construction activities generated around 166 lakh mandays between 2019 and 2025, while operations are projected to support nearly 12 lakh mandays annually. Improved accessibility is expected to substantially expand labour markets, with estimates suggesting nearly 6.9–7.6 lakh additional jobs reachable within one hour for Meerut and about one lakh for Sarai Kale Khan.
