Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal today said that India ranks third globally in metro connectivity. Speaking at the 18th Urban Mobility India Conference and Expo 2025 in Gurugram, the Union Minister said that India’s metro network has expanded to over one thousand 100 kilometres, including routes connected with IRCTC. With this milestone, India now ranks third in the world in terms of metro connectivity.
The Minister further stated that once the ongoing underground pipeline connectivity project is completed, India will surpass the US to become the world’s second-largest metro network. Highlighting upcoming urban infrastructure initiatives, he informed that the Transit-Oriented Development Policy will soon be launched in Delhi. Under this policy, residential housing projects will be developed within a 500-metre radius of metro stations, similar to the model successfully implemented in Haryana.
He also announced that the government is working on introducing Pod Taxis, Air Taxis, and Ropeway Transport Systems in congested areas of Delhi to address traffic challenges.
Focusing on the positive environmental impact of metro services, Mr. Lal shared that in the past year alone, Delhi’s air pollution levels have reduced by 17 lakh particulate matter units. He added that the metro system has also helped citizens save nearly 27 crore commuting hours annually, while conserving about 2.5 lakh litres of diesel fuel.
