Projects commissioned, India set to overtake US in metro network length
NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Railways has claimed that India is on course to overtake the United States in total metro network length as ongoing projects are commissioned. Metro and suburban rail networks are currently operational across 1,090 km in 26 cities, including both major metros and Tier-2 cities, making urban mobility faster and more economically affordable for low- and middle-income groups. The Ministry further stated that despite the rapid expansion of metro and suburban rail services, no fare hike has been implemented so far by the government, reflecting its concern for low- and middle-class commuters. Speaking to this newspaper on Wednesday, an official at the Ministry said that Indias metro network has grown exponentially from just 248 km across five cities in 2014 to 1,090 km in 2025, spanning 26 cities- both metro and Tier-2. This represents a remarkable 340% growth over the past decade. He said that metro expansion has taken place not only in major cities but also in Tier-2 cities such as Bhopal, Indore, Kanpur, Nagpur, Pune, Surat, Agra, Lucknow, Jaipur and Kochi. He added that metro services were operational over just 27 km in 2002, which increased to 50 km in 2004, 101 km in 2009, 249 km in 2014, 647 km in 2019, 945 km in 2024 and 1,090 km in 2025. According to the official, the commissioning of metro lines has increased nine times compared to pre-2014 rates, with the aim of accelerating urban transport infrastructure under the NDA government. Highlighting the work done on metro and suburban rail services during the current NDA government, the official said that urban mobility has been made affordable and efficient, with metro travel costing 5060% less per passenger-km than private vehicles. He said this has significantly reduced daily commuting costs and eased traffic congestion on roads. Citing figures, the official further added that affordable fare slabs, typically ranging between Rs 20 and Rs 60 at launch in cities such as Bhopal, demonstrate accessibility for low- and middle-income commuters. He further stated that average daily metro ridership across the country now stands at around 1.15 crore, which is four times higher than the 28 lakh daily ridership recorded in 2014.
10 C
