India News | India Will Soon Overtake Advanced Economies Like Japan to Have Third-largest Metro Network in World: Puri

Kochi, Nov 4 (PTI) Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Friday India has the fifth-largest metro system in the world and will soon go past advanced economies such as Japan and South Korea to have the third-largest network.

Addressing a gathering at the 'Urban Mobility India & Expo' here, the minister said these developments will lead to a significant reduction in traffic congestion and the associated air quality and emissions concerns.

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Puri and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan jointly inaugurated the three-day event in Kochi on Friday.

Senior officers from the central and state governments, policy makers, managing directors of metro rail companies, chief executives of transport undertakings, international experts, professionals, academicians and students are participating in the event.

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Acknowledging the incorporation of best practices and learnings from other countries into the country's urban mobility systems, Puri said, "We have been able to learn from the experience of other countries."

The metro lines that the country is building today are incorporating the best practices from other countries.

India can share its experience of indigenisation with other countries placed in the similar level of the developmental ladder, he added.

Touching upon the rapid progress of metro lines in India in the global context, Puri said that as of September 2022, 810 km of metro lines are operational in 20 cities and a network of more than 980 km of metro network and rapid rail transit system (RRTS) is currently under construction in 27 cities.

"India currently has the fifth-largest metro network in the world, and will soon overtake advanced economies such as Japan and South Korea to become the third-largest network," the Union minister said.

The primary objective of the conference is to disseminate information to the cities, whose officials attend the conference to help them keep up-to-date with the latest and best urban transport practices globally, according to the ministry.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)