NEW DELHI: Delhi Metro, the lifeline of the national capital, completed 23 years of operations on Wednesday, serving nearly 65 lakh passengers every day.
Recalling its journey, a Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) official said the operations began on a cold December morning in 2002, marking the start of what has become India’s most successful mass urban transport system. “Today, 24 December 2025, marks the completion of 23 years of the Delhi Metro’s illustrious operational journey,” the official said.
Since commencing operations in December 2002, the Mass Rapid Transit System has expanded steadily to become India’s largest metro network. It has played a significant role in easing traffic congestion, reducing pollution, and improving urban mobility in the capital and adjoining regions.
Even after more than two decades, the very first train introduced on the Delhi Metro network, popularly known as TS#01, continues to remain operational. The train reflects the system’s robust engineering, structured maintenance practices, and long-term planning. Over the years, it has undergone several upgrades to meet evolving global standards of safety, comfort, and efficiency.
Initially commissioned as a four-coach train, TS#01 was expanded to six coaches in 2014 to cater to rising passenger demand. In 2023, it was further upgraded to an eight-coach configuration, aligning it with present-day capacity requirements on high-density corridors. Since entering revenue service, the train has covered nearly 2.9 million kilometres and transported over 60 million passengers, with around 2.4 million door operations recorded.
Manufactured by the MRM Consortium in South Korea, the train was shipped to Kolkata and later brought to Delhi via the Indian Railways network. At the time of procurement, the cost of the original four-coach train was approximately `24 crore. Its propulsion system features regenerative braking technology, which helps recover nearly 40 per cent of the total energy consumed, significantly reducing power usage and carbon emissions.
TS#01 has undergone two major overhauls by DMRC’s maintenance teams. The train has achieved a Mean Distance Between Failures (MDBF) of 85,000 kilometres, substantially higher than the contractual benchmark of 40,000 kilometres. The train underwent mid-life rehabilitation in 2024, with upgrades including IP-based Passenger Announcement and Information Systems , interior and exterior refurbishment.