2. Global Standing:
    • India ranks third globally in terms of the length of metro rail networks, following China and USA.
    • Rapid urbanization and infrastructure development have contributed to this achievement.
  3. Key Highlights of India’s Metro Expansion:
    • First Metro: Kolkata Metro (1984) was India’s first metro rail system.
    • Largest Metro Network: Delhi Metro, operational since 2002, remains the largest and most extensive metro system in India.
    • Fast Growth: India’s metro network now spans over 850 km across multiple cities as of 2024.
  4. Major Cities with Operational Metro Networks:
    • Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Nagpur, Pune, and Jaipur.
  5. Upcoming Metro Projects:
    • Rapid metro developments are underway in cities like Patna, Kanpur, Bhopal, and Coimbatore.
  6. Policy Support:
    • Metro Rail Policy (2017): Promotes public-private partnerships (PPP) for funding and construction.
    • Encourages transit-oriented development (TOD) to integrate metro projects with urban development.
  7. Future Vision:
    • By 2030, India aims to expand its metro network significantly, including integration with rapid transit systems and regional rail for seamless urban mobility.