Gutkha stains at Namo Bharat RRTS stations raise questions over civic sense days after launch

• Namo Bharat Rapid Rail saw record ridership on first full day.
• Gutkha stains and litter marred stations after opening.
• Social media backlash demands improved civic sense and cleanliness.

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It was a day of celebration, record crowds and unfortunate stains. The newly inaugurated Namo Bharat Rapid Rail, which now connects Delhi to Meerut at speeds touching 180 kmph, witnessed its highest-ever ridership on Monday, crossing the one lakh mark on the first full day of commercial operations.

But as thousands flocked to experience the high-speed corridor, videos and images emerging from stations told a less flattering story — one of gutkha stains on walls and littered paper tokens on floors, TOI reported.

Uttar Pradesh 3 days after Modi flagged of Meerut metro and Namo Bharat the coaches are full of Gutka stains and dirt all around. Growing economy, strong nation can take a back seat. Let's learn basic civic sense first and cleanliness. pic.twitter.com/DRnToduPdc

— SDutta (@KhelaHobePart2) February 27, 2026

Visuals circulating on social media showed spittle marks in corners and along walls of the new premises, while used entry tickets lay discarded just feet away from dustbins installed across the stations, the report added.

The scenes have sparked a social media backlash, with many questioning the civic sense of commuters just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the complete 82-km stretch.

The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) had braced for a rush and it came. Families, groups of friends and selfie-takers thronged the trains and platforms, many showering flower petals and chanting patriotic slogans as trains pulled in. It was a festive atmosphere, underscoring the public enthusiasm for the project designed to drastically cut travel time between Delhi, Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Modinagar and Meerut.

Yet, alongside the celebrations, the trail of gutkha and litter has prompted calls for stricter enforcement of penalties. Urban planners point out that while the infrastructure is world-class, preserving it will depend heavily on public discipline.

Officials are yet to release a formal statement on the specific incidents, but sources cited by TOI indicate that the NCRTC is expected to ramp up both awareness drives and on-ground enforcement to ensure the newly launched service does not suffer from such damage.

With the last train departing at 10 pm, the corridor has already proven its popularity; the challenge now is to ensure it remains as clean as it was meant to be.