India To Surpass US In Metro Network In Two-Three Years: Union Minister Manohar Lal

Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal on Tuesday said the country would surpass the US in terms of the length of the metro network in two to three years.

Speaking at the Regional Meeting of Urban Development Ministers of South-West states here, he said the country is moving at a rapid pace in the expansion of the metro network.

Metro rails used to run only in five cities in the country in 2004-05, but now the metro network is being operated in 24 cities.

Though the US and China have been working on the metro much before India, it expanded here at a great speed, he said.

"We are very near to the length of metro in USA. It is 1400 kms in USA. We reached 1100 kms. In just two-three years, we will cross the USA," he said.

Noting that urbanisation is taking place at a rapid pace, he said it is estimated that cities and towns would contribute 80% of national GDP by 2050.

He assured that the Centre would support the urban development initiatives in Telangana, including metro and Musi river redevelopment.

Speaking earlier, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said many development projects in the state are pending for approval and sought the Centre's help.

He urged the union minister to grant permissions immediately and also extend support to metro rail phase-2, Musi redevelopment, diversion of Godavari river diversion and Regional Ring Road in Hyderabad.

Reddy outlined the state government's vision to develop Hyderabad as the most happening global city in the world by taking up a slew of infrastructure development projects.

Addressing reporters after the day-long meeting, Manohar Lal said the central government would consider the demand for sanctioning additional metro networks in Mumbai and Pune.

He said the Telangana government has decided to take over the metro in Hyderabad by terminating its agreement with L&T and to have a pact with the Centre.

According to him, there is a demand for 162 kms of new metro network (in expansion) in the city and a feasibility check would be conducted by March, 2026.

With the state government ending the agreement with L&T, the Telangana government and the Centre would together take up the metro project in PPP mode in the future.

The Swachh Bharat Mission was discussed in the meeting and 214 major dumpsites have been identified in the country for 'remediation', Manohar Lal said.

The Union Minister also said funds would be provided for Musi riverfront development and Sewerage Treatment Plants (STPs) in Hyderabad under AMRUT and Urban Challenge Fund (UCF) schemes, he added.

Ministers from Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana attended the meeting.