PM Modi Flags Off First Driverless Metro Service From Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the 28th of December, inaugurated India’s first driverless metro train. 

Mr. Modi said, “The first metro in the country was started with the efforts of Atal Bihari Vajpayi Ji. When our government was formed in 2014, only five cities had metro services and today 18 cities have metro rail service. By 2025, we will take this service to more than 25 cities.”

The metro service launched in Delhi was attended by Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi.

Mr. Modi said, “Nearly three years ago, I had the honour of inaugurating the Magenta Line,” Modi said. “Today, again, I got the opportunity to inaugurate the country’s first automatic train on this route.”

Mr. Modi said the metro services would be expanded in 25 cities by 2025.

Mr. Modi said, “Make In India is very important for the expansion of metro services. It reduces cost, saves foreign currency and provides more employment to people.”

The metro service has been launched via video conferencing, on Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line and also launched the National Common Mobility Card on the Airport Express Line today.

Mr. Modi launched the metro service through a video conference. Mr. Modi said, “We noted that the expansion of the metro, modern modes of transport should be used according to the needs of the people of the city and the professional lifestyle there.” He further said, “Delhi Meerut RRTS will reduce the distance of Delhi and Meerut to less than an hour. MetroLight, In cities where passenger numbers are less, work is being done on (the) MetroLite version. It is prepared at 40 per cent cost of the normal metro. Work is also being done on Metro Neo in the cities where the ridership is less. It is built at the cost of 25 percent of the normal metro. Similarly, water metro – this is also an example of out of the box thinking,” he added.

The Prime Minister said, Today, four big companies are manufacturing metro coaches in the country and dozens of companies are engaged in the manufacture of metro components. This is helping Make in India as well as the campaign for a self reliant India.

Mr. Modi said, “Providing the same standards and facilities for modernisation is very important. The Common Mobility Card at the national level is a major step in this direction. Wherever you travel, whichever public transport you travel, this one card will give you integrated access.”

“One Nation, One Fastag has made travel seamless on highways across the country. One Nation, One Tax i.e. GST has ended the tax net across the country. One Nation, One Power Grid, is ensuring adequate and continuous power availability in every part of the country. Power loss is reduced,” said PM Modi.

Recently, the Union Government launched One Fastag, an online payment method to be used at toll plazas. It would be in effect from the 1st of January 2021.

The initiative was taken to reduce traffic congestion by eliminating manual toll tax payments at toll plazas, which are time consuming.

Meanwhile, in India only 5 cities had metro services in 2014. Years later, nearly 18 cities have metro facilities.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led Central Government is aiming to expand metro services to 25 cities by 2025.

Stay tuned for further updates.