Bhopal, Dec 20 (PTI) Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday said that India will soon overtake the US in terms of the length of the Metro rail network.
Currently, India is in the third position as far as the total length of Metro rail corridors is concerned, he said.
“Bhopal has become the 26th city in the country to have Metro trains. In terms of the length of Metro lines, we rank third in the world with a network spanning 1,083 km. With the addition of today’s 7 km, it will become a 1,090-km network,” he said.
China tops the list, followed by the US with a total Metro length of 1,400 km, he said.
“With 900 km of Metro project in the pipeline, the country will surpass the US with the addition of 300 km soon,” Khattar said during a programme to inaugurate the first phase of the Bhopal Metro rail project.
Besides Khattar, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav also launched the service in the state capital.
The first phase of the Bhopal Metro’s Orange Line, the “Priority Corridor”, is a nearly 7-km-long section that includes eight elevated stations.
This mass transit corridor will ensure smooth traffic on the city’s busy roads and help reduce pollution. It will also make travel easier for citizens, Khattar said.
The estimated cost of the Bhopal Metro is Rs 10,033 crore, with the Priority Corridor costing Rs 2,225 crore. This 7-km stretch is expected to carry 3,000 passengers daily, an official said. PTI MAS NR
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