NCRTC to develop urban centres along the Namo Bharat corridor

The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) is exploring the possibility of developing urban centres along the recently operationalised Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor and the proposed Delhi-Gurugram-SNB-Alwar and Delhi-Panipat-Karnal corridors, according to people aware of the matter.

As part of the exercise, NCRTC, in collaboration with the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB), is consulting senior government officials, real estate developers, consultants and industry representatives on the planning, regulatory and financial frameworks required to make transit-oriented development (TOD) viable across NCR.

The feasibility and policy requirements for such developments were discussed at a recent consultative workshop organised by NCRTC.


D Thara, secretary in the department of capital development, which is under the housing and urban affairs ministry, said a key focus of the deliberations was the policy and institutional support required to encourage private developers to invest in TOD zones.

Developers highlighted the need for measures such as flexibility in deciding the mix of use of such developments to be market-driven, higher floor area ratio (FAR), increased ground coverage, flexible development and delivery models, greater tenure security, streamlined land assembly and single-window clearances. Discussions also covered land pooling, government land monetisation and public-private partnership frameworks that distribute risks equitably over long concession periods.

The proposed redevelopment project at Sarai Kale Khan emerged as a key focus area of the plan, given that it offers connectivity between Namo Bharat, Delhi Metro, the railways and the inter-state bus terminus (ISBT). Its multimodal integration offers potential for developing an employment-led commercial, retail and institutional hub.

The proposed TOD framework seeks to integrate transport infrastructure with land-use planning, bringing residential, commercial and institutional developments closer to transit stations. The approach envisages compact, high-density urban centres supported by safe pedestrian infrastructure, feeder services and accessible public spaces.

The consultations are expected to transform the subsequent policy design and implementation approach for TOD in NCR, with NCRTC and NCRPB exploring development models that link transport infrastructure with planned urbanisation.

For property development along the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor, NCRTC had engaged a project management unit (PMU).

This initiative aims to monetise land parcels, generate non-fare box revenue and create commercial, residential and service hubs around Namo Bharat stations. The identified plots will be developed into retail spaces such as malls, Retail-Dining-Entertainment (RDE) hubs, integrated parking units with offices, rental housing, studio apartments, hospitals, and theme parks.

The identified land parcels include plots in Ghaziabad, Duhai Depot, Bhaisali (Meerut) and Modipuram Depot. Smaller land parcels are available at Sarai Kale Khan, New Ashok Nagar, Anand Vihar, Guldhar, Duhai, Muradnagar, Modinagar South and North, Meerut South, Shatabdi Nagar and Modipuram.

Cities like Hong Kong, Singapore, and Tokyo have successfully implemented TOD strategies to finance public transportation while improving urban planning. In India, the National Metro Rail Policy of 2017 encourages transit agencies to adopt TOD and value capture financingmodels to generate crucial revenue.

International agencies such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank are supporting NCRTC in implementing these initiatives.