India has world's third largest metro network of over 1,000 km: Prez Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu on Friday said India has the world's third-largest metro network spanning over 1,000 km and emphasised that efforts to streamline urban transportation are underway.

Addressing a joint sitting of Parliament, which marked the start of the Budget session, Murmu said that metro projects in Delhi, Pune, Thane and Bengaluru, along with the recently launched Namo Bharat Rapid Rail on the Ahmedabad-Bhuj route, are shaping the cities of a 'Viksit Bharat'.

To accelerate the journey towards 'Viksit Bharat', it is essential to make Indian cities future-ready, she said.

In this direction, the government is focused on modernising urban amenities and making them energy-efficient. Simultaneously, the foundation is being laid for the development of new cities, she added.

"Today, I am extremely pleased to share that India's metro network has crossed the milestone of 1,000 kilometres. India has now become the third-largest country in the world in terms of the metro network," Murmu said.

Just a few weeks ago, work began on the Rithala-Narela-Kundli corridor in Delhi, which will be one of the major sections of the Delhi Metro network, she said.

The metro routes in Delhi are expanding rapidly due to the government's continuous efforts. In 2014, the total metro network in Delhi-NCR was less than 200 kilometres. Now, it has more than doubled, she said.

Work is also underway on 15 ropeway projects across the nation to enhance connectivity and promote urban tourism, the President said.

Additionally, the decision to deploy 52,000 electric buses in the country, at an estimated cost of Rs 8,000 crore, will provide smooth and clean urban transportation. This initiative will also create numerous employment opportunities, she said.