Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal, highlighted the Narendra Modi government’s commitment to enhancing urban mobility systems that are efficient, sustainable, and equitable, as part of its focus on improving quality of life. He pointed out that over the past decade, the government has expanded India’s metro rail network by 725 kilometres.
Speaking at the closing session of the 17th Urban Mobility India Conference-cum-Exhibition in Gandhinagar, Lal noted that India’s operational metro network, currently the third largest in the world after China and the US, is set to soon become the second largest. The minister emphasised that standardisation of public transport, particularly metro systems, emerged as a crucial takeaway from the conference. He advocated a collaborative approach, with government ministries, state authorities, urban local bodies, and industry partners working together to develop scalable, sustainable solutions, aligning with the conference’s theme, "Standardisation and Optimisation of Urban Transport Solutions."
He conveyed that urban mobility is not merely about transport but also about establishing systems that are sufficient, efficient, sustainable, and equitable, aimed at improving citizens’ quality of life across both large metropolitan areas and smaller towns. The minister further stressed that these efforts aim to reduce cities' carbon footprints, making them more liveable for future generations.
Lal stated that the Modi government had laid the groundwork for integrated transport systems through the Smart City Mission and the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT). He added that the government is accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles under the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme, enhancing public transport infrastructure, and promoting non-motorised transport modes, such as cycling and walking. These initiatives are also supported by programmes aimed at fast-tracking the adoption of hybrid and electric vehicles.
Over the last ten years, the metro network, which in 2014 covered 248 kilometres across five cities, has expanded significantly to 989 kilometres across 23 cities, with more than one crore people using metro systems daily. Lal noted that an additional 974 kilometres of metro network is currently under construction.
He underscored the need for urban centres to become more adaptable, interconnected, and resilient, given the increasing demand for varied urban transport. He also highlighted the importance of incorporating technology and innovation to address the complexities of urban mobility and stressed the need for evolving public-private partnership models to tackle urban mobility challenges in the coming years.
