NEW DELHI: In a vibrant celebration of World Environment Day, the National Capital Region Transport Corporation hosted a drawing competition at the Ghaziabad Regional Rapid Transit System station.
The event, centered around the theme “Namo Bharat – New Age Transit for a Greener Future,” invited the children of NCRTC employees and operators to unleash their creativity.
This initiative aligned with NCRTC’s ongoing efforts to promote the use of the RRTS as a sustainable public transport mode in the NCR.
The drawing competition wasn’t the only highlight. In collaboration with the National Book Trust (NBT), NCRTC organized captivating storytelling sessions and interactive games centred around the theme “Our Land, Our Future.” Activities like biodiversity dart games, origami workshops, puzzles, quizzes, and a snake and ladder game aimed to educate and engage students on environmental issues, fostering a sense of partnership for conservation and empowering them to actively participate in preserving the planet.
Adding to the event’s allure, an exhibition at the Ghaziabad RRTS concourse level showcased artworks by school children from Ghaziabad, Sahibabad, and nearby areas. These artworks beautifully reflected the sustainability and green aspects of the Namo Bharat Trains and the RRTS system.
In another significant stride towards environmental sustainability, NCRTC is also implementing an extensive rainwater harvesting system along the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor. This project aims to construct over 900 rainwater harvesting pits across elevated viaducts, stations, and depots, stretching from Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi to Modipuram in Meerut. According to reports, over 75% of these systems are already operational, with the remainder nearing completion.
“These efforts are expected to recharge millions of cubic meters of groundwater, significantly enhancing local water tables,” said an NCRTC official. The rainwater harvesting pits, strategically designed for maximum efficiency, are integrated within the viaduct spans, enabling direct rainwater capture. Given that the RRTS corridor predominantly traverses central road medians, the pits are primarily located in these medians to ensure optimal water management.
Each RRTS station includes two pits near every entry and exit gate. The initiative also extends to the depots, with the Duhai depot in Ghaziabad already hosting over 20 rainwater harvesting pits, and additional pits under construction at the Modipuram depot.