The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), responsible for constructing the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) in Delhi, is venturing into a pioneering initiative in India by seeking partners for the development of multi-level commercial spaces, including hotels and offices, above its Sarai Kale Khan and Anand Vihar stations. This marks a significant step forward in transit-oriented development (TOD) as NCRTC has obtained air rights and issued an expression of interest (EOI) to explore the feasibility of constructing various facilities, such as high-rise residential flats, above the RRTS stations.
In its endeavor, NCRTC aims to identify and select an appropriate partner through an open competitive bidding process for the proposed Transit-Oriented Development at Sarai Kale Khan under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. The EOI released for the Sarai Kale Khan station outlines NCRTC’s intention to solicit industry input for the successful commercial development, encompassing retail, offices, hotels, and more. This process aims to establish a shared understanding of the contract agreement’s terms and conditions based on industry feedback. A separate EOI has also been issued for the Anand Vihar station.
The Anand Vihar station is part of the upcoming Delhi-Meerut line, slated for operation in 2025. Additionally, three priority RRTS corridors—Delhi-Meerut, Delhi-Panipat, and Delhi-Alwar—will converge at the Sarai Kale Khan station. This station is being transformed into a transit hub with seamless multimodal integration, facilitating commuters’ easy transitions between RRTS, the existing Metro station, the bus stand, and the Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station.
The RRTS trains that will ply on these lines have been christened as “RapidX.” This strategic move towards TOD aligns with the vision of integrating diverse amenities and services at a single location, enabling people to travel, shop, and stay conveniently in one place. Currently, the Gandhinagar railway station in Gujarat is the sole rail station in India with a commercial establishment constructed above it, hosting a five-star hotel.
Uttar Pradesh chief secretary Durga Shankar Mishra, instrumental in the approval of the TOD policy in 2017, emphasized the importance of efficient project implementation. While the framework is in place, agencies need to expedite project execution, especially regarding more residential and commercial development projects.
In 2019, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) approved 12 TOD nodes in the capital, but progress has been sluggish. Only the Karkardooma TOD node on the Blue and Pink metro lines has gained traction, albeit with multiple delays in completion.
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