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.
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.
