India has become home to the third-largest metro network in the world.

Tags: National News

Why in the news?

• On January 5, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a giant leap in enhancing India's metro network by  launching a 2.8 km stretch of Delhi Metro Phase-IV, strengthening connectivity between Delhi and Haryana.

Important points:

• Covering over 1,000 km across 11 states and 23 cities, millions of people rely on them for quick, easy and affordable travel. 

• These projects represent a major milestone in transportation, as metro systems now cover greater distances and serve over 1 crore passengers daily. 

• Currently, India ranks third globally in operational Metro network length and is on track to become the 2nd largest Metro network in the world.

•  In 1984 the first metro line in India, covering 3.4 km between Esplanade and Bhowanipur, opened in Kolkata. 

•   In 1995 the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) was established to bring world-class Mass Rapid Transport to Delhi. The project gained momentum with joint participation from the Central Government and the Government of Delhi.

•   In 2002 DMRC opened its first metro corridor between Shahdara and Tis Hazari in Delhi, setting the stage for one of the country’s largest metro networks.

•  In 2024, PM Modi inaugurated India’s first under-water metro tunnel in Kolkata, where the Esplanade-Howrah Maidan section passes beneath the Hooghly River. This remarkable feat showcases India’s engineering capabilities.

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