India’s Daily Metro Rail Ridership Surpasses 10 Million, Exceeds Expectations
India is experiencing a significant surge in daily ridership across its metro rail systems, with the number of passengers surpassing 10 million, according to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. The ministry predicts that this number will continue to rise and may exceed 12.5 million in the next couple of years. This growth comes as a response to The Economist’s claims in its year-end issue that India’s metro rail systems were failing to attract enough passengers.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs released a press statement, highlighting the remarkable growth of metro rail in the country and refuting The Economist’s assertions. It emphasized that none of India’s metro rail systems have achieved even half of their projected ridership and criticized the UK publication for factual inaccuracies and lacking necessary context.
The ministry pointed out that over three-fourths of India’s current metro rail network has been conceptualized, constructed, and operationalized in less than a decade. As a result, the metro rail ridership in India has tripled since 2019, reaching three crore new passengers in 2023 alone. One notable example is Chennai’s metro rail service, which attracted an additional two lakhs and fifty thousand passengers daily.
Currently, India has 16 metro rail systems spanning 895 kilometers (556 miles) of operational lines. The Delhi Metro, which boasts an annual ridership of over a billion, is the largest of these systems. Additionally, almost all metro rail systems in the country are generating operational profits.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs highlights the positive impact of metro systems on easing congestion in cities. In the case of the Delhi Metro, which has been operating for more than 20 years, it has exceeded its projected ridership for 2023. In light of these successes, the ministry emphasizes the government’s commitment to providing diverse, comfortable, reliable, and energy-efficient mobility solutions.
To further this commitment, the Indian government recently launched the PM e-Bus Sewa scheme, which aims to deploy 10,000 e-buses in cities with populations between 500,000 and 4 million. Larger cities are already covered under the government’s FAME scheme, which addresses the transportation needs of various urban landscapes.
While The Economist suggests that many commuters prefer alternative modes of transport for short trips, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs argues that metro systems are attracting a growing number of passengers, especially women and the young population. They see metro rail as becoming the preferred mode of commuting due to traffic congestion and the demand for faster transit options.
In conclusion, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs stands by the growth and positive impact of India’s metro rail systems, discrediting The Economist’s claims by presenting a comprehensive view of their success. With the daily ridership crossing the 10 million mark and expectations of further growth, metro rail in India is playing an instrumental role in providing sustainable and integrated mobility solutions.
