Metro, buses capital-intensive, can not be offered free: Hardeep Singh Puri

Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri, said on Wednesday that while certain political parties advocate for free public transport such as metro rail and buses, it is not economically viable to offer these services entirely cost-free to the public as these are capital-intensive schemes.

"All these facilities - Metro and electric buses, these have to be economically viable. I believe that economically viable schemes will have good service delivery and the citizens will be happy with it. There will be no problem," Puri said in Indore.

Attacking Opposition, Puri said that the philosophy of some political parties is that all such services should be made free.

"Some political parties believe in making such things free, but these are capital-intensive schemes. Like Vande Bharat trains, they are highly successful. Nine have been introduced by the Prime Minister two days ago. People don't mind paying extra as they are getting first-class service," he added.

He further mentioned that Metro Rail came to the country when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the prime minister of India.

"Metro rail came to the country when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was Prime Minister and now 27 big cities have metro projects, he said.

Puri further added that 870 km of metro network have been laid across the country, while the construction of another 936 km is underway.

Speaking on Centre's upcoming plan to launch electric buses, he said, "Union government is also working on a plan to run 10,000 electric buses across the country and out of these, 500 buses will start running in the next few months.