NITI Aayog to review progress of standardisation of Metro rail systems

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has decided to engage NITI Aayog to review the progress of standardisation and indigenisation of Metro rail systems being implemented across the country.

According to the ministry, the move intends to promote the government's 'Make-in India' initiative while executing Metro rail projects in states.

An official said the ministry has standardised specifications of rolling stock, signalling and telecom systems for Metro rails across the country.

"It has been decided that NITI Aayog's Member (Science) will review the progress of standardisation and indigenisation of Metro rail systems by the Housing and Urban Affairs ministry to ensure time- bound progress," the official said.

In June this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had approved a proposal to set up a committee headed by Metro Man Sreedharan to lay down standards for Metro rail systems in the country.

Official said indigenisation will be ensured in several Metro rail systems being implemented across the country.

According to data available with the Housing and Urban Affairs ministry, there are around 22 ongoing and under-construction Metro rail projects in Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Lucknow, Chennai, Nagpur, Pune, Kochi, Ahmedabad, Noida-Greater Noida, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata and Gurugram.

The ministry said Phase-IV of Delhi Metro is expected to complete by December, 2020 while Phase-II of Bangalore Metro (72 km length) will be completed by March 2021.

Besides, Metro project having proposed length of 23 km in Uttar Pradesh's capital Lucknow is expected to be completed by March 2019.

Also, the Nagpur Metro project, which was sanctioned in March 2018, will be completed in December 2019.