Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India’s metro rail network had expanded from 248 km across five cities in 2014 to nearly 1,200 km across 26 cities. He said the growth had improved urban mobility and the quality of life for millions of commuters.

In a post on X, Modi said the network had expanded at a much faster pace since 2014, when cities such as Pune would otherwise have faced a wait of years or decades for metro services. He added that more than 10 mn people now travel by metro every day across the country.

The Prime Minister said the impact of the expansion extended beyond network length and passenger numbers. According to him, metro services reduce time spent in traffic, create more time for families, improve productivity and widen access to employment and other opportunities.

Modi had earlier virtually inaugurated Pune Metro Line 3, also known as the Pink Line, on Tuesday. The 23.2 km elevated corridor connects Maan and Hinjewadi, an important information technology hub, with Shivajinagar and the District Court Metro station, and was developed under a public-private partnership (PPP) model at a cost of more than Rs. 83 bn.

The line is operated entirely by women train operators, while about 30 per cent of its power requirements are met through solar energy. Modi also laid the foundation stone for the Pune Metro Phase-II expansion, estimated at around Rs. 135 bn, covering corridors linking Kharadi, Wagholi, Hadapsar, Swargate and Khadakwasla.

Modi said the new services would strengthen links between Pune’s established areas and newer residential and commercial centres. He also said metro expansion in tier-1 and tier-2 cities would support cleaner mass transit, reduce road congestion and vehicular emissions, and improve connections between metro stations, bus terminals and railway stations.