Lakshay9887 at 05:52, 25 November 2025

2025-11-25T05:52:14Z

New page

{{Short description|Suburban railway service in India's National Capital Region}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox public transit
| name = Delhi Suburban Railway
| image = Indian Railways Suburban Railway Logo.svg
| imagesize = 75px
| image2 = Delhi emu and memu.JPG
| imagesize2 = 300px
| locale = [[National Capital Region (India)|National Capital Region]], [[India]]
| transit_type = [[Commuter rail|Suburban Rail]]
| lines =
| map = [[File:Delhi suburban rail network.svg|300px]]
| stations = [[List of railway stations in Delhi|46]]
| track_gauge = {{Track gauge|indian|al=on|lk=on}}
| operator = [[Northern Railway Zone (India)|Northern Railway]]
| annual_ridership =
| vehicles =
| character =
| began_operation =
| website =
| chief_executive =
| owner = [[Indian Railways]]
| end =
| start =
| line_number =
| area served =
| caption =
| alt =
| map_state =
}}

'''Delhi Suburban Railway''' is a [[Commuter rail|suburban rail]] service operated by [[Northern Railway Zone (India)|Northern Railway]] for the [[National Capital Region (India)|National Capital Region]] (NCR). Railway ministry's 2018 plan envisages renovation and integration of Delhi Suburban Railway with [[Delhi Metro]], [[National Capital Region (India)#Delhi Meerut RRTS|NCR RRTS]], and [[Inter-State Bus Terminals#Delhi|ISBT Bus]] network through creation of interchanges by building footbridges and tunnels.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/decongesting-delhi-mega-plan-to-link-capital-s-ring-rail-metro-network/story-Lf0h4yaFYj1jOUQtERYDgI.html|title=Delhi's mega plan to link capital ring rail metro network|publisher=Hindustan Times}}</ref>

==History==

In 1975, the Delhi Suburban Railway began with Delhi Ring Railway suburban service.

In 2009, Ladies Special trains were introduced between New Delhi and Palwal and from New Delhi to Ghaziabad and [[Panipat]].<ref name=rake1/>

== Services ==

===Tracks===

Delhi Suburban Railway services uses the same tracks that are also used for long-distance trains.<ref name=rake1>{{cite web |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/mail-today/story/delhiites-can-ride-a-new-train-to-bengal-this-puja-55445-2009-08-30|title=Delhiites can ride a new train to Bengal this puja|date=31 August 2009|access-date=1 September 2014}}</ref>

===Rolling stock===

Delhi Suburban Railway services are mostly run using [[Electric multiple unit|EMU]] and [[MEMU]] rakes. EMUs in Delhi run with 12 coaches, of which ten are general compartments and two are ladies' compartment. Delhi Suburban Railway services, cover all of [[List of railway stations in Delhi|46 railway stations]] within [[Delhi]] and many more in the NCR.

===Network===

The Delhi Suburban network runs more than 110 suburban trains daily on the following network:

* Ring services
** [[Delhi Ring Railway]] within inner Delhi: 35 km loop along [[Inner Ring Road, Delhi|Delhi's Inner Ring Road]] runs services in both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions during peak hours.<ref name=nrt1/>
** [[Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor]] (HORC), 122 km long semi-circle within Haryana, available once construction is complete.
** [[Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor#EORC|Eastern Orbital Rail Corridor]] (EORC), 90 km long semi-circle within Uttar Pradesh will connect to Haryana's HORC thus completing rig around Delhi, available once construction is complete.
* Spokes services in NCR: radials routes connecting the national capital with its surrounding satellite towns.<ref name=nrt1/>
** [[Railway in Haryana|Haryana]] state:
*** New Delhi-[[Sonipat]]-[[Panipat]] to the north.<ref name=rake1/>
*** New Delhi-[[Bahadurgarh]]-[[Rohtak]] to the west.<ref name=rake1/> Demands to extend it to [[Hisar Junction railway station|Hisar]], the nearest [[National Capital Region (India)#Counter magnets|Counter Magnet City in NCR]], via direct Rohtak-[[Hansi]]-Hisar line, have been ignored so far.
*** New Delhi-[[Gurgaon district|Gurgaon]]-[[Rewari]]-[[Bhiwani]]-[[Bawani Khera]]-Hansi-Hisar to the southwest and west.
*** New Delhi-[[Faridabad]]-[[Palwal]]-[[Hodal]]-[[Mathura]] to the south.<ref name=rake1/>
** [[Transport in Uttar Pradesh|Uttar Pradesh]] state:
*** New Delhi-[[Baghpat]]-[[Baraut]]-[[Shamli]]-[[Saharanpur]] to the north.<ref name=rake1/>
*** New Delhi-[[Ghaziabad]] to the east.<ref name=rake1/>
*** New Delhi-[[Bulandshahr]]-[[Khurja]]-[[Aligarh]] to the southeast.
*** New Delhi-[[Kosi Kalan]]-[[Mathura]] to the south,<ref name=rake1/> via Haryana (Faridabad, Palwal, Hodal).

===Timings and fares===

Fares are very affordable, and much lower compared to a comparable journey on the Delhi Metro. Timetables are subject to change, and the service can be affected by the movement of long-distance trains. Generally, the local trains run throughout the day at varying frequencies.<ref name=nrt1>[https://metrorailnews.in/the-commuter-rail-system-for-delhi-ncr The Commuter Rail System For Delhi], metrorailnews.in, 1 March 2023.</ref>

== Issues ==

Despite its potential, the network's underutilisation is attributed to a number of factors, including a lack of dedicated tracks, security issues at stations (snatching and theft), and poor last-mile connectivity.<ref name=nrt1/> Since [[Delhi Metro]] is growing at a rapid pace, thus far there has been very little focus to improve the Delhi Suburban Railway though feasibility studies have been done for strengthening the Delhi Suburban Railway services and to create the integrated rail-metro-bus transit (IRMBT) system to connect Delhi with the satellite towns of NCR.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQQ/is_2_44/ai_113853175 |title= IRBT system to connect the Indian capital, Delhi | work=International Railway Journal | year=2004}}</ref> 2025 research reports poor (45% satisfaction) customer satisfaction rating by the commuters for the Delhi Suburban Railway.<ref>Rahul Raoniar, Mohan Rao, and Velmurugan Senathipathi, December 2015, [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/305966200_Performance_Analysis_of_Sub_Urban_Rail_System_in_Delhi_-A_Case_Study Performance Analysis of Sub Urban Rail System in Delhi -A Case Study], 3rd CTRG, Central Road Research Institute of India.</ref> The 2004 feasibility study recommended the dedicated dual track for the Delhi Suburban Railway. However, no action has been taken as of 2025. With poor service and no dedicated rack, Delhi Suburban Railway - the lifeline for poor working class commuters, has only 0.50% share in the overall public transport ridership in 2025 in Delhi, remaining 99.50% commuters are forced to use other more expensive modes of transport.<ref>Why is Delhi's Local train system so bad?, 2025 video newsreport by The Hindu, watch from 10.25 (see external links).</ref>

== Gallery ==

<Gallery>
Delhi emu and memu.JPG|EMU (green and yellow) and MEMU (blue, red and yellow) train of Delhi suburban railway.

Delhi_emu_01.JPG|EMU ladies special train of Delhi suburban railway.

Delhi_emu_08.JPG|EMU train on Delhi Ring Railway of Delhi suburban railway.

Delhi_memu_02.JPG|EMU train to Panipat of Delhi suburban railway.

Delhi_emu_02.JPG|EMU train to Mathura of Delhi suburban railway.

Delhi_emu_03.JPG|EMU train to Aligarh of Delhi suburban railway.

Delhi_emu_06.JPG|EMU train to Ghaziabad and Kosi Kala of Delhi suburban railway.

Delhi_emu_07.JPG|EMU train to Palwal of Delhi suburban railway.

</Gallery>

== See also ==

* [[Transport in Delhi]]
* [[Urban rail transit in India]]
* [[List of railway stations in Delhi]]
* [[Delhi Ring Railway]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==

* [http://indiarailinfo.com/trains/delhiemu Delhi ring railway timetable].
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxNDBnI6yq0 Why is Delhi's Local train system so bad?], 2025 analysis by [[The Hindu]] newspaper.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121024215646/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-04-06/delhi/28335011_1_emus-metro-stations-long-distance-trains 2004 unrealised plan for dedicated tracks for running EMU].

{{Suburban railways in India}}
{{Indian Railways}}
{{Railways in Northern India}}
{{Greater Delhi transit}}

[[Category:Transport in Delhi]]
[[Category:Suburban rail in India]]
[[Category:Year of establishment missing]]

Delhi Suburban Railway - Revision history

Lakshay9887 at 05:52, 25 November 2025