BHUBANESWAR: Union minister of state for Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu said on Friday that India’s metro rail network will soon cross the 2,000 km mark, making it the second largest in the world (after China).
After inaugurating the 19th Urban Mobility India (UMI) Conference and Expo 2026 in Bhubaneswar, Sahu said India’s metro network has grown significantly over the past decade, from 248 km across five cities before 2014 to over 1,185 km covering more than 26 cities currently. “Around 1.5 crore passengers now travel by metro everyday, making it an important mode of urban transportation. Work on another 1,000 km of metro lines is in progress. We will cross the 2,000-km mark soon, making India’s metro rail network the second largest in the world,” Sahu said.
On the proposed metro rail project in Bhubaneswar, the minister said the Centre is expanding metro connectivity in response to growing demand. “The ministry is currently assessing Bhubaneswar’s population and the number of people travelling in the city. The government will move forward accordingly,” he said.
Highlighting the importance of urban mobility, Sahu said cities are regarded as engines of economic growth. “While around 35 per cent of India’s population lives in urban areas, these areas contribute nearly 60 pc to the country’s economy, underlining the importance of planned urban development and efficient mobility systems,” he said.
Sahu said that the PM-eBus Sewa initiative is also promoting sustainable urban transportation and generating carbon credits, while the state’s Ama Bus service has emerged as a model for public transport. “The two-day conference will deliberate on such innovative solutions to make cities more inclusive, accessible and environmentally sustainable, while strengthening the Atmanirbhar Bharat efforts,” he said.
Housing and Urban Development minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, Union Urban Development secretary Satendra Secretary, chief secretary Anu Garg and state Housing and Urban Development additional chief secretary Usha Padhee were present among others.