India has achieved a remarkable milestone. It has become the world’s third largest metro rail network with an operational length of 1000 Kms. This remarkable achievement comes as PM Modi recently inaugurated the Namo Bharat initiative and metro projects for Delhi. This includes the 13 Km long section of Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat Corridor and the extension of Delhi Magenta line. Both these projects further strengthen connectivity between Delhi and Haryana.
Metro Expansion
In the last 10 years, India has undergone massive transformation in terms of urban mobility. This holds true specifically in terms of metro rail network. In 2014, India had 248 Kms of metro lines across just 5 cities. It now has metro lines covering over 1000 Kms across 23 cities and 11 states. The daily ridership has increased from 28 lakh in 2014 to over 1 crore, reflecting a 2.5 times increase. Furthermore, the total distance travelled by metro trains has tripled from 86,000 Kms to 2.75 lakh kilometers. With this growth, India surpassed japan in 2022 and is now the third largest in operational metro network length. The country is now on track of becoming the second largest metro network in the world.
PM Modi in a post on X shared the transformative journey of metro connectivity.
Over the last decade, extensive work has been done in boosting metro connectivity, thus strengthening urban transport and enhancing ‘Ease of Living.’#MetroRevolutionInIndia https://t.co/zfcr37TyFK
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 5, 2025
Milestones in Metro Expansion
India’s metro expansion has gone beyond traditional land based transport system. It has embraced cutting edge technology and has come up with innovative solutions. From under water tunnels to driverless trains, India is setting standards urban mobility. Some of the milestones in Metro connectivity being-
- Under Water Metro- PM Modi recently inaugurated the under water metro tunnel in Kolkata.
- Driverless Metro- On December 28, 2020, India launched driverless metro on Delhi’s Magenta Line. Thereby, setting new benchmarks in public transport and automation.
- Kochi Water Metro- Kochi, Kerala, became the first city in India to have a Water Metro. The project connects 10 islands around the city with electric hybrid boats.
Overall, India’s metro system has come a long way from the initial line in Kolkata in 1984 to advanced driverless ones today. With this growth, metro networks are not just improving connectivity but are also promoting sustainable urban development. Paving way for a more sustainable and connected future.