With rapid urbanization, metropolitan cities are plagued with transportation issues. While cities are expanding its landscape, the population and traffic problems are indicating a shift towards public transport from private transport. The pressure is mounting on the public transport system from the people living in cities and towns across the country. Mass Rapid Transport System, MRTS has emerged as one of the most effective means of mobility for the citizens in tier-1 and tier-2 cities and Metro has been a major player.

Metro has been instrumental in reducing pollution levels, road accidents and travel time, while providing a substantially cheaper means of travel. The current government is aiming to build world class infrastructure across Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad and many more tier 1 and tier 2 cities.

Current Status of Metro projects

Currently, 585 km of Metro lines are operational in the country. Approximately another 60 km of metro lines are likely to be opened in soon, in the cities of Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Nagpur and Ghaziabad.

- Advertisement -

With a modest beginning with 8 km in 2002, modern metro rail has shown phenomenal growth in the country.

In the current financial year (2018-19), 140 km of metro lines have been opened for the public (till 10 February 2019). Out of the 585 km of operational metro lines as on 10 February 2019, 326 km have been made operational after May 2014. That accounts for over 55% of metro projects that have been made operational within the last 5 years. Additional 622 km of Metro projects are underway. The under-construction projects itself account for more than 2.4 times the completed projects during UPA tenure. If all projects are considered, then they are more than 3.6 times.

Since May 2014, 258 km of metro lines have been sanctioned by the Govt. of India. Currently there is about 600 km of sanctioned metro lines under construction which will be operational in next five years. There are about 1000 km of metro line proposals under planning.

Government of India has taken various steps for standardization and growth of metro rail in India. The Metro Rail Policy 2017 of Govt. of India enables rapid and sustainable growth of metro rail in the country.

The image above depicts the Metro lines in the city of Delhi. As evident from the image, there are over 227 metro stations across Delhi, connecting the entire city with a network of 343 km. The average peak frequency of 2-3 minutes, results in average count of 27,60,000 commuters daily.

Progress of Metro projects in India (as on 10.02.2019)

Operational: 585 km

Delhi & NCR : 327 km Noida – Greater Noida : 29.7 km Bangalore : 42.3 km Hyderabad : 46 km Kolkata Metro : 27.3 km Chennai : 45 km Jaipur : 9.6 km Kochi : 18.2 km Lucknow : 8.5 km Mumbai Metro Line 1 : 11.4 km Rapid Metro Gurgaon : 12 km Mumbai Mono Rail Phase-1 : 9.00 km

Under Construction Metro/MRTS Projects : 622 km

Delhi and NCR including extensions : 23 km Kolkata : 108 km Bangalore : 72 km Chennai : 10 km Kochi : 7.5 km Jaipur : 2.5 km Mumbai : 171 km Hyderabad : 26 km Nagpur : 38 km Ahmadabad : 36 km Lucknow : 14 km Pune : 54 km Bhopal : 28 km Indore : 32 km

Status of Metrorail Projects in the last 5 years

Noida Metro

The Noida Metro is a rapid transit system connecting the twin cities of Noida and Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh. The Phase-1 has been successfully completed, while Phase-2 is planned.

Metro operator Route Status Completion date Length (km) Noida metro Rail Corporation Noida-Greater Noida Completed 25 Jan 2019 29.707 (elevated)

Namma (Bengaluru) Metro

Namma Metro, also known as Bengaluru Metro is a rapid transit system serving the city of Bengaluru, India. It is the fourth longest operational metro network in India after the Delhi Metro, Hyderabad Metro and Chennai Metro. It also contains the first underground metro line in South India.

Metro operator Route Status Completion date Length (km) Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Mysore Road -Magadi Road Completed 16 Nov 2015 6.4 Sampige Road- Yeshwantpur Completed 1 Mar 2014 5.1 Yeshwantpur-Peenya Completed 1 Mar 2014 4.8 Peenya Industry- Completed 1 May 2015 2.5 Nagasandra MG Road- Magadi Road Completed 30 Apr 2016 4.8 Sampige Road-National College Completed 18 Jun 2017 4.0 National College-Rashtriya Vidyalaya Road Completed 18 Jun 2017 4.1 Rashtriya Vidyalaya Road-Yelachenahalli Completed 18 Jun 2017 3.9 Mysore Road- Challegata near Kengeri WIP 2020 (expected) 8.81 Baiyyappanahalli- Whitefield WIP Mar 2023 (expected) 15.50 Yelachenahali-Anjanapura WIP 2020 (expected) 6.29 Hessargatta Cross-BIEC WIP Mar 2023 (expected) 3.77 R V Road-Bommasandra WIP Mar 2023 (expected) 18.82 Gotigere-Nagawara-Bangalore Airport WIP Mar 2023 (expected) 50.87 Silk Board-K R Puram WIP 2022 17

Hyderabad Metro

The Hyderabad Metro serves the city of Hyderabad, Telangana. It is the second longest operational metro network in India after the Delhi Metro with 47 stations

Metro operator Route Status Completion date Length (km) Hyderabad Metro Rail Corporation Nagole-Ameerpet Completed 29 Nov 2017 17.01 Ameerpet-Hitech City Completed 29 Nov 2017 10 Miyapur-L B Nagar Completed 29 Nov 2017 29.2 Hi Tech City-Raidurg WIP 1.47 JBS-MGBS WIP 9.68 MGBS-Falaknama WIP 5.36

Chennai Metro

The Chennai Metro serves the city of Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The system commenced service in 2015

Metro operator Route Status Completion date Length (km) Chennai Metro Rail Corporation Koyambedu-Alandur Completed 29 Jun 2015 10 Washermanper- Chennai International Airport Completed 10 Feb 2019 13.1 Central-St Thomas Mount Completed 25 May 2018 22

Jaipur Metro

Jaipur Metro is a rapid transit system in the city of Jaipur, Rajasthan. Construction of route from Mansarovar to Chandpole Bazaar, started on 13 November 2010, and was completed in 2014

Metro operator Route Status Completion date Length (km) Jaipur Metro Rail Corporation Mansarovar-Chandpole Completed 3 Jun 2015 9.6 Chandpole- Badi Chaupar WIP 2.4 Sitapura -Ambapuri WIP 23.09

Kochi Metro

The Kochi Metro is a rapid transit system serving the city of Kochi in Kerala, India. It was opened to the public within four years of starting construction, making it the fastest completed metro project in India until the Lucknow Metro overtook it

Metro operator Route Status Completion date Length (km) Kochi Metro Rail Ltd Alluva-Petta Completed 17 Jun 2017 Petta-SN Junction WIP JLN Stadium – Infopark WIP 11.2 Aluva-Angamaly WIP

Lucknow Metro

Lucknow Metro is a rapid transit system serving the city of Lucknow in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Construction of the line begun on 27 September 2014 from Transport Nagar to Charbagh Railway Station which began its commercial operation on 5 September 2017, making it the fastest built metro rail system in the country

Metro operator Route Status Completion date Length (km) Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation Transport Nagar- Charbagh Railway Station Completed 5 Sep 2017 8.5 International Airport – Transport Nagar Completed 8 Mar 2019 2.67 Charbagh Railway Station – Munshipulla Completed 8 Mar 2019 12.6 Charbagh Railway Station- Vasantkunj WIP 11.10

Mumbai Metro

The Mumbai Metro is a rapid transit system serving the city of Mumbai, Maharashtra. The system is designed to reduce traffic congestion in the city, and supplement the overcrowded. It is being built in three phases over a 15-year period, with overall completion expected in 2025.

Metro operator Route Status Completion date Length (km) Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Versova–Andheri–Ghatkopar Completed 8-Jun-14 11.4 Dahisar–Mankhurd Under Construction 2022 42.1 Dahisar-DN Nagar Under Construction 2022 18.5 DN Nagar-Mankhurd Under Construction 2022 23.6 Colaba – Bandra – SEEPZ Under Construction Dec-21 33.5 Wadala–Ghatkopar-Mulund–Teen Hath Naka–Kasarvadavali Under Construction 2021 32.32 Kasarwadavali-Gaimukh Tendering 2.7 Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan Approved 2022 24 Lokhandwala-Jogeshwari-Kanjurmarg Under Construction 2022 14.5 Dahisar (East)-Andheri (East) Under Construction 16.5 Andheri-CSIA Tendering 3.17 CSIA T2-NMIA Proposed 35 Dahisar (East)-Mira-Bhayander Tendering 10.41 Gaimukh-Shivaji Chowk (Mira Road) Approved 9 Wadala-CSMT Approved 11.4 Kalyan-Dombivali-Taloja Approved 25 Mira Bhayander-Virar Proposed Kanjurmarg-Badlapur Proposed

Gujarat Metro

Ahmedabad Metro is a rapid transit system for the cities of Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar in Gujarat, India. It is being built by Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation Limited

Metro operator Route Status Completion date Length (km) Gujrat Metro Rail Corporation North-South Corridor 18.87 East-West Corridor (Vatsal Gram to Apparel Park) Partially Completed 21.16 (6.5)

Pune Metro

Pune Metro is a metro rail based rapid transit system under construction to serve Pune Central and its proudly extended city limits Pimpri & Chinchwad.

Metro operator Route Status Completion date Length (km) Pune Metro Rail Corporation PMMC Bilding-Swargate WIP 16.59 Vanaz-Ramwadi WIP 14.66 Civil Court-Hinjawadi WIP 23.33

Nagpur Metro

Nagpur Metro is a rapid transit system for the city of Nagpur, India. In February 2014, the Government of Maharashtra gave approval for the Metro Project.

Metro operator Route Status Completion date Length (km) Nagpur Metro Rail Corporation Sitabudi-Khapri Completed 7 Mar 2019 13.5 East-West Corridor WIP 19.407

Madhya Pradesh Metro

Indore metro and Bhopal metro are rapid transit systems for cities of Indore and Bhopal that started in 2013.

Metro operator Route Status Completion date Length (km) Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Ltd Bhopal : (AIIMS-Karond Circle) WIP 14.99 Bhopal : (Ratnagiri Tiraha-Bhadbhada Square) WIP 12.882 Indore : (Benglai Square :Palasia-Bhaarsala-Gandhinagar-vijaynagar-Radisson-kharjana-Bemgali square) WIP 31.55

Gurugram Metro

Gurugram Rapid Metro is a metro system serving the city of Gurugram, Haryana, India. Gurugram Metro has a total length of 11.7 kilometres serving 11 stations.

Metro operator Route Status Completion date Length (km) Gurgaon Rapid Metro Phase-1 Completed 31 Mar 2017 Sector 42-43 Completed 25 Apr 2017 Sector 53-54 Completed 25 Apr 2017 Sector 54 Chowk Completed 31 Mar 2017 Sector 55-56 Completed 31 Mar 2017

Conclusion

Many metro rail projects have been conceptualized and completed in the last five years. Many projects which have been long delayed due to administrative and financial issues have been fast-tracked in the last five years.

New projects like Ahmedabad metro, Lucknow metro, etc has been conceptualized and made operational already. Many projects like Chennai metro, Hyderabad metro, Bangalore metro have been extended.

Even tier 2 cities have been given importance with projects in cities like Pune, Bhopal and Indore receiving sanction from the government.

Lucknow metro is considered to be the fastest completed metro project in India.

The current government under the visionary leadership of Narendra Modi, has accelerated the pace of development and has initiated a rapid transformation of public transportation system. He has worked for the people and has been instrumental in raising the bar of development. The reforms and policies launched by this government have been with a view to not only initiate, but also complete projects. The NDA Government has delivered on its promises in the past 5 years. The full credit of this incredible transformation story of New India belongs to Narendra Modi. Under his able guidance and leadership, the nation will continue to rise, and deliver new rapid transportation systems to cities in India.