Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the country’s first driverless train operation on Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line on December 28. Mr. Modi extended the fully operational National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) to the Airport Express Line of the Delhi Metro Rain Corporation (DMRC).
“Three years ago, I inaugurated the Magenta Line and today I have the opportunity of inaugurating the first driverless Metro. This shows India is rapidly moving towards a smart system,” the PM said.
Development had taken a backseat, a few decades earlier, due to the lack of attention to urbanisation, he said, adding, “In Delhi, discussions around a Metro rail service went on for a long time, but it became operational only during former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure.”
He said only 248 km of Metro rail was operational in the country in 2014. “Today, it is three times of that. The number of Metro users has also increased manifold. These are not just numbers but proof of ease of living among the citizens.”
Crediting his government for stressing the importance of urbanisation and modernisation, and for implementing policy decisions related to the Metro rail systems, he said specific needs of each city was catered to.
“Each city has different needs and challenges. One single policy would not have sufficed.”
In a boost to Make in India, four big companies are involved in the manufacturing of Metro coaches and dozens in the manufacture of Metro components, he said.
130MW of solar power was currently being used in the operations of Metro rail, which the government intends to increase to 600 MW.
Access to all modes of transportation
The NCMC will give access to all modes of transportation, Mr. Modi said. This will do away with commuters having to wait in long queues for tokens, he said.
Tax exemption to electric vehicles, granting of ownership to residents of unauthorised colonies, opening up of new tourist destinations, generation of employment — the government has undertaken these for the development od Delhi, the PM said. “I believe that we can all work together to make Delhi more modern.”
