The Sarai Kale Khan station in Delhi is set to emerge as the Capital’s first integrated multimodal interchange hub with the inauguration of the Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) station this week. The facility will interlink seven modes of transport, offering seamless transition between rapid rail, metro, interstate buses, city buses, railways, and last-mile services such as autos, cabs and e-rickshaws.
Officials from the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) said the RRTS station at Sarai Kale Khan will be the largest transit hub in the city. “Sarai Kale Khan is one of the biggest stations along the 82-km Delhi–Meerut RRTS corridor and has been designed as a multimodal integration hub connecting existing metro, railway and bus stations,” an NCRTC spokesperson said.
Station Design and Connectivity
The station measures 215 metres in length, 50 metres in width and 15 metres in height, and is equipped with 14 lifts and 18 escalators. It comprises six platforms and four tracks, all on the same level, to allow efficient passenger flow. A 280-metre-long foot overbridge (FOB) with six travelators connects the RRTS station with Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station. Another FOB links the facility to the Veer Hakikat Rai Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT).
Additional linkages provide direct entry to the Delhi Metro’s Pink Line station nearby, as well as integration with the city bus terminal and access points from the Ring Road. Outside, a dedicated public plaza and segregated pedestrian pathways have been created for safe and convenient passenger movement across different modes of transport.
The station also includes a designated pickup and drop-off zone for more than 40 vehicles and a bus interchange that can accommodate over 15 buses at a time. Officials said this design aims to eliminate the practice of buses and taxis stopping along roadways for passengers, a common cause of congestion in the area.
Strategic Role in Regional Connectivity
NCRTC officials said Sarai Kale Khan will serve as a convergence point for three priority RRTS corridors—Delhi–Meerut, Delhi–Panipat, and Delhi–Alwar (SNB). The interoperability planned between these corridors will allow passengers to travel from one corridor to another without changing trains, a feature expected to significantly reduce travel time across the region.
The RRTS corridor through Delhi spans 14 kilometres, including a nine-kilometre elevated stretch and a five-kilometre underground section. Sarai Kale Khan, along with New Ashok Nagar and Anand Vihar, are the three key stations in this section.
“The location has been strategically chosen, with connectivity to the Delhi–Meerut Expressway, Barapullah Flyover, Ring Road, and the DND link to Noida,” an NCRTC official said. The integration is expected to make Sarai Kale Khan a central interchange node for lakhs of passengers daily.
Passenger Facilities and Accessibility
Officials said the hub has been designed to provide universal accessibility, with barrier-free pedestrian pathways, signage for easy navigation, and dedicated drop-off zones. To cater to high passenger volume, the station incorporates wide concourses, segregated circulation plans, and provisions for future capacity expansion.
The exterior architecture of the station draws inspiration from peacock feathers, with a blue-toned curved façade and polycarbonate sheets to maximize natural light. Inside, large waiting areas, circulation spaces, and interlinked concourses have been provided to minimize congestion during peak travel hours.
While the NCRTC has highlighted the integration features of the hub, transport experts have underlined the importance of effective traffic management around the station. S Velmurugan, chief scientist and head of the traffic engineering and safety division at the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), said clear circulation planning will be critical.
“At locations where heavy traffic is expected, authorities need accurate data on bus frequency and peak hour loads. Based on this, the movement and parking time of buses should be regulated. Equally important is the demarcation of designated stoppages for autos and taxis to avoid roadside congestion,” he said. Velmurugan also suggested the use of enforcement measures during the initial phase to ensure adherence to new norms.
Currently, most intercity buses and private vehicles use the roadside for pick-up and drop-off, contributing to bottlenecks around Sarai Kale Khan. The new design aims to address this by moving all transfer activities into designated zones within the hub. Officials said this change would not only reduce congestion but also improve safety for commuters who previously had to navigate moving traffic.
By combining metro, railway, interstate and city bus facilities with rapid rail services, the station is expected to strengthen Delhi’s role as a regional transport gateway. It is projected to handle lakhs of daily passengers once all RRTS corridors become operational.
The hub is part of the broader vision of NCRTC to build integrated, high-speed regional connectivity across the National Capital Region. For Delhi, Sarai Kale Khan marks the first step towards realizing this multimodal approach to transport planning.
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