The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) has signed a power purchase agreement for a 110 MW solar project that is expected to meet nearly 60 per cent of the electricity requirement of the Delhi-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor.
The solar facility, estimated to require an investment of around Rs 450 crore, will be developed at Jaulan in Uttar Pradesh and is targeted for commissioning within 24 months. Electricity generated by the project will be routed through the Uttar Pradesh state grid to NCRTC substations in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi before being distributed across the corridor.
Under the agreement, NCRTC will purchase electricity from the project at a fixed tariff for 25 years, providing greater certainty over long-term energy costs while reducing dependence on conventionally generated electricity.
Solar Power To Cut Electricity Costs
Electricity currently accounts for around 30-35 per cent of the Namo Bharat corridor's operating expenditure. The captive solar project is expected to lower annual electricity expenses by approximately 25 per cent.
The project is also projected to avoid around 1.77 lakh tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, alongside reductions in pollutants including nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide.
The agreement has been signed between NCRTC and NIRL NCRTC Renewables Ltd (NNRL), a joint venture between NCRTC and NIRL. NIRL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Neyveli Lignite Corporation.
Namo Bharat Ridership Crosses Four Crore
The Delhi-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor has recorded increasing passenger traffic since the entire corridor became operational in February 2026. Daily ridership currently stands at around one lakh passengers, while cumulative passenger journeys have crossed four crore.
The corridor registered its highest single-day ridership on August 28, when more than 1.68 lakh passengers used the service on Raksha Bandhan.
NCRTC Managing Director Shalabh Goel, NIRL Director Finance and CMD-designate Prasanna Kumar Acharya, NCRTC Director Finance Namita Mehrotra and Director Electricals and Rolling Stock Mahendra Kumar were present at the signing.
The project is being positioned as a model for integrating captive renewable energy into India's regional rapid transit and metro networks, potentially demonstrating how large urban transport systems can reduce both electricity costs and their dependence on conventional power.