New Delhi, Dec 26:- India’s Regional Rapid Transit System stands at the threshold of transforming urban mobility and catalysing corridor-led investment opportunities across the country, according to “Regional Rapid Transit System: Testing the Commuters’ Pulse,” a comprehensive report released by Knight Frank India. The findings point to strong commuter satisfaction and a significant willingness among aspirational users to adopt RRTS, provided connectivity and integration challenges are addressed. The report also highlights evolving investor interest around RRTS corridors, driven by visible infrastructure development and perceived economic opportunity.
The report underscores that the RRTS is emerging as a strong catalyst for corridor-led investment, with nearly 80% of surveyed existing users associating improved RRTS connectivity with enhanced economic opportunities in their region. Perceptions of economic development are significantly reinforced where infrastructure upgrades are visible, increasing confidence by over 2.25 times. This translates into tangible real estate interest, with 66% of existing users expressing willingness to invest in property along the RRTS corridor. The presence of commercial activity and active real estate development plays a decisive role in shaping investment sentiment, amplifying investment intent by 10.2 times and 7.7 times respectively. The findings also point to a clear decentralisation opportunity, with 38% of respondents open to relocating away from core urban centres; however, this willingness is closely tied to the availability of supporting social infrastructure, underlining the importance of integrated residential, commercial and civic development in unlocking the full investment potential of RRTS corridors.
Shishir Baijal, International Partner, Chairman and Managing Director, Knight Frank India, said,
“The RRTS is a pivotal infrastructure intervention for India’s urban and regional transport landscape. While commuters place a premium on time savings, safety and reliability, and are ready to adopt modern transport solutions when connectivity works seamlessly. For policymakers and city planners, integration, both in mobility and urban development, is key. For investors and developers, RRTS corridors represent tangible opportunities for growth where infrastructure dovetails with land-use planning and commercial momentum. The RRTS is not just as a transport solution, but a catalyst for decentralised economic growth. Its long-term success will depend on coordinated planning that brings together transport networks, land-use strategy and investment priorities to support sustainable urbanisation.”
Real Estate Growth and Commercial Activity Perceptions Influence Investment Probability:
The survey findings indicate that perceptions of real estate growth and commercial activity along the RRTS corridor play a decisive role in shaping investment probability among respondents. Existing users who observed visible commercial activity, such as offices, retail and business hubs, were significantly more likely to express intent to invest, with commercial development increasing investment likelihood by over ten times. Similarly, the presence of ongoing or completed real estate projects strengthened confidence in the corridor, raising the probability of property investment by nearly eight times. These results highlight that investor sentiment is not driven by connectivity alone, but by tangible signs of economic momentum on the ground. The survey also suggests that infrastructure-led confidence is reinforced when transport development is accompanied by active land use, underscoring the importance of synchronised infrastructure delivery and real estate development in unlocking the full investment potential of RRTS corridors.
Commercial Activities and Real Estate Development Shape Investment Sentiments
Source: Knight Frank Research
Delhi Ghaziabad Meerut Corridor Success and Lessons
The RRTS exemplified by the flagship Delhi Ghaziabad Meerut corridor being developed by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation has already begun its phased rollout. The corridor, approved at a cost of over INR 30,000 crore, will ultimately span 82 km and dramatically reduce travel time between Delhi and Meerut to under an hour. The system’s priority section has commenced operations, and continued funding reflects the Government’s ongoing commitment to completing the project.
Knight Frank Survey Results
Knight Frank’s survey indicates that RRTS users demonstrate strong approval for the service, with about 83% expressing satisfaction with their travel experience. While 45% of respondents reported higher commute costs after shifting to the RRTS, this perception of increased fares appeared to have minimal impact on their overall satisfaction. Instead, commuters value reductions in travel time, enhanced safety and productivity gains far more, underscoring a shift in priorities toward quality and reliability in rapid regional transport.
Despite robust satisfaction levels among existing users, the report identifies key barriers that could constrain broader adoption. Limited last-mile access, accessibility hurdles and delays in ancillary infrastructure around stations remain persistent challenges. Critically, the research shows that multi-modal integration linking RRTS with metro networks, buses, feeder services and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure drives commuter intent, substantially increasing the likelihood of adoption. This finding underscores that seamless connectivity must be prioritised to translate latent demand into sustained ridership.
The report further finds that awareness of RRTS is exceptionally high, with more than 90% of aspirational commuters recognising the system and its intended benefits. Around 71% of these aspirational commuters expressed willingness to shift their commute to the RRTS, contingent on improvements in connectivity, reaffirming the underlying demand for efficient regional transport.
In parallel with mobility outcomes, RRTS corridors are beginning to shape regional real estate sentiments. Nearly 80% of existing users link improved connectivity to enhanced economic opportunity in their regions. Visible infrastructure investment and development along the corridors bolster perceptions of economic growth, with the prevalence of commercial activity and real estate projects significantly amplifying investment intent among surveyed respondents.
Users’ feedback and preferences
Investment in RRTS
The investment opportunity around RRTS corridors is further underpinned by large-scale infrastructure planning beyond the Delhi Meerut link. The development of additional corridors of similar scale signals an expanding national footprint for RRTS-driven infrastructure investment and regional connectivity solutions.
For investors and developers, the implications are clear: RRTS corridors offer emerging nodes of growth, particularly where transport infrastructure is accompanied by commercial and residential development.
