In view of Holi celebrations on March 4, the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) has announced that Namo Bharat and Meerut Metro services will remain suspended for 11 hours on Wednesday.
According to NCRTC Chief Public Relations Officer Puneet Vats, Namo Bharat trains operating between Modipuram and Sarai Kale Khan, as well as Meerut Metro services between Modipuram and Meerut South, will not run from 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM on March 4. Both services will resume operations at 5:00 PM and continue till 10:00 PM.
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He clarified that on March 3, services will operate as per schedule, and regular operations from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM will continue on other days, including Sundays.
Vats said special signboards will be installed at stations to guide commuters. In Meerut, Namo Bharat services are available at Modipuram, Begumpul, Shatabdi Nagar and Meerut South stations. At other stations, only the Meerut Metro operates between Meerut South and Modipuram.
Boards will be placed on platforms to inform passengers where Namo Bharat services are not available and to guide those travelling towards Ghaziabad and Delhi. Additionally, exit gates at major stations will have signboards indicating directions to prominent markets, offices and localities to help passengers navigate easily after disembarking.
Meanwhile, parking pressure is mounting at Begumpul station. Temporary two-wheeler parking with a capacity of around 300 vehicles has been started, but it reached full capacity by noon on Monday. Commuters arriving later were either turned away or forced to park along nearby roads or in private parking areas.
Officials said vehicles were allowed entry on a rotation basis as space became available until 10:00 PM. With passenger footfall steadily increasing, there is a growing demand for parking space for at least 700 two-wheelers. Currently, there is no designated car parking facility at Begumpul station, leading to roadside parking.
At Bhainsali station, a signboard for two-wheeler parking has been installed, but the system for issuing parking slips has not yet begun. As a result, commuters have raised concerns about the safety of their vehicles due to the absence of proper parking management.