New Delhi, Nov 2026 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday highlighted the rapid expansion of India’s Metro rail network, saying its operational length has increased from 248 km across five cities in 2014 to nearly 1,200 km across 26 cities today.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister said the accelerated expansion had transformed urban mobility and improved the quality of life for millions of commuters. He noted that more than one crore people now travel by Metro every day.
“Let me ask you… If India’s Metro network had continued expanding at the pace it did before 2014, how long would the wait be for cities like Pune to have a Metro? YEARS… no… DECADES perhaps. And that was UNACCEPTABLE,” Modi said.
“In 2014, India had just 248 km of Metro lines across 5 cities. Today, we have nearly 1,200 km across 26 cities. Over 1 crore people travel by Metro every day,” he added.
The Prime Minister said the benefits of Metro expansion extend beyond infrastructure statistics, bringing shorter commutes, more time with family, improved productivity and better opportunities.
The remarks came after Modi virtually inaugurated the 23.2-km Pune Metro Line 3, also known as the Pink Line, on November 3. The elevated corridor connects Maan and Hinjewadi, a major IT hub, with Shivajinagar’s District Court Metro station.
Built under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model at a cost of more than Rs 8,300 crore, the corridor is expected to reduce travel time and ease congestion for technology professionals and other commuters.
Highlighting its operational features, Modi said the Pink Line is operated entirely by women train operators. Around 30 per cent of its total power requirements are met through solar energy.
The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for Pune Metro Phase-II, an expansion estimated to cost around Rs 13,500 crore. The proposed corridors will connect key residential and business areas, including Kharadi, Wagholi, Hadapsar, Swargate and Khadakwasla.
Modi expressed satisfaction at inaugurating another Metro line in Pune, recalling that he had laid the foundation stone for the city’s first phase around a decade ago. He said the Hinjewadi–Shivajinagar connection would improve access to the IT hub, while the Phase-II corridors would strengthen links between older and newer parts of the city.
Emphasising the need for sustainable transport as cities expand, the Prime Minister said Metro projects across tier-1 and tier-2 cities were intended to improve ease of living, reduce carbon emissions and support integrated multi-modal travel.
He reiterated the Union government’s commitment to modern, eco-friendly mass transit systems, saying expanded Metro networks could reduce road congestion and vehicular emissions while enabling seamless connections with bus terminals and railway stations.
