Gujarat plans Regional Rail Transit System to link satellite towns, ease urban pressure

The Gujarat government has drawn up plans to develop a Regional Rail Transit System (RRTS) to improve connectivity between major cities and five proposed satellite towns, to ease pressure on rapidly expanding urban centres, reports suggested.

The state Urban Development department is currently preparing technical details for the project, which will connect Sanand with Ahmedabad, Savli with Vadodara, Kalol with Gandhinagar, Bardoli with Surat and Hirasar with Rajkot.

Officials said the first RRTS corridor is proposed between Ahmedabad and Sanand, with technical bids expected to be invited shortly.

With cities witnessing rapid population growth, urban infrastructure has come under increasing strain. To address this, the state government has decided to develop five satellite towns. 

At present, RRTS is operational only in the National Capital Region (NCR), where the first corridor to Meerut was inaugurated two years ago. Gujarat is set to become the second state in the country to develop such a network.

The initiative comes as the Centre has allocated funds to states for infrastructure development, with the current year designated as ‘Urban Year’.

While Ahmedabad and Surat already have metro rail networks, these services operate within city limits. The proposed RRTS will provide high-speed connectivity beyond municipal boundaries, facilitating easier travel between cities and surrounding satellite towns.

Officials reportedly stated that the project is also aligned with Gujarat’s ambitions to host major international sporting events such as the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics. The RRTS is expected to stimulate economic activity, improve access to employment and education, and help reduce vehicular pollution.