India’s daily ridership across all metro rail systems soars past 10 million, set to exceed 12.5 million

India’s daily ridership across all metro rail systems soars past 10 million, set to exceed 12.5 million

Jan 11, 2024

Girish Khurana

India is experiencing a remarkable surge in metro ridership, with daily numbers surpassing the 10 million mark and poised to exceed 12.5 million in the coming years, according to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

This revelation comes in response to a recent claim by UK-based publication The Economist, which asserted that India’s metro rail systems were failing to attract sufficient passengers

The substantial expansion of metro rail in the country, portraying daily ridership exceeding 10 million is a reflection of the evolving aspirations of India’s rapidly urbanising youth

Contrary to The Economist’s assertion, the Ministry points out that over three-fourths of India’s current metro rail network has been conceptualised, constructed, and operationalised in less than a decade

In 2023 alone, metro rail ridership in India tripled from 2019, attributed to factors like traffic congestion and a growing preference for faster transit options

As of November 2023, India boasts 895 kilometres (556 miles) of operational metro lines across 16 systems, with the Delhi Metro standing out as the largest, registering an annual ridership of over a billion

Importantly, almost all metro rail systems in the country currently generate operational profits

DMRC easing traffic congestion in the capital

The Delhi Metro, operational for more than two decades, not only outperformed its projected ridership for 2023 but also showcased the positive impact of alleviating congestion in the city

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