PM inaugurates India’s first-ever driverless train operations on Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line
New Delhi, Dec 29 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the country’s first-ever driverless train operations on Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line, through a video-conference.
Today, the National Common Mobility Card was expanded to the Airport Express Line of Delhi Metro, which was started in Ahmedabad last year. Union Minister Hardeep Puri and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal were present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister termed today’s event as an attempt to make urban development future ready.
He said preparing the country for future needs, was an important responsibility of governance. He lamented the fact that a few decades ago, when the demand of urbanisation was felt, there was not much attention given to the needs of the future, as half-hearted work was done and confusion persisted.
‘Unlike this, modern thinking says that urbanisation should not be seen as a challenge, but used as an opportunity to build better infrastructure in the country, an opportunity through which, we can enhance the Ease of Living,’ he added.
Mr Modi said this difference of thinking was seen now in every dimension of urbanisation.
He added that in 2014, only five cities had metro rail and today, the metro rail was available in 18 cities.
‘By 2025, we are going to expand it to more than 25 cities. In 2014, only 248 km of metro lines were operational in the country and today, it is about three times, more than 700 km. By 2025, we are trying to expand it to 1700 km, ‘ said the Prime Minister.
He stressed that these were not just figures, they were proof of ease of living in the lives of crores of Indians.
These were not just infrastructures made of brick and stone, concrete and iron, but evidence of the fulfillment of the aspirations of the citizens of the country, the middle class of the country, said Mr Modi.
The Prime Minister remarked that the government formulated the metro policy for the first time and implemented it with an all-round strategy. Emphasis was on working according to local demand, promoting local standards, Make in India expansion and use of modern technology.
He said it was noted that the expansion of the metro and modern modes of transport should be used according to the needs of the people of the city and the professional lifestyle there. This is the reason why work is being done on different types of metro rail in different cities, he added.
The Prime Minister listed different types of metro rail, on which work was being carried out. On the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) between Delhi and Meerut, the Prime Minister said it will reduce the distance of Delhi and Meerut to less than an hour.
He said in cities, where passenger numbers were less, work was being done on the MetroLite version.
MetroLite version would be constructed at 40 per cent cost of normal metro. He further added that Metro Neo is being worked in cities, where the ridership is less.
It would be built at a cost of 25 per cent of the normal metro. Similarly, water metro would be an out-of-the-box thinking, he noted.
For cities where there were large water bodies, the water metro was now being worked on. This will provide last mile connectivity to the people near the islands.
The Prime Minister said the metro today is no longer just a medium of public transport but a great way to reduce pollution. Thousands of vehicles have been reduced from the road due to the metro network, which used to cause pollution and jam.
Mr Modi said for the expansion of metro services, Make in India is important. Make in India reduces costs, saves foreign exchange, and gives more employment to people in the country itself.
He stressed that standardisation of rolling stock has reduced the cost of every coach from Rs 12 crore to eight crore now.
Today, four big companies were manufacturing metro coaches in the country and dozens of companies were engaged in the manufacture of metro components. This is helping Make in India, as well as the campaign for self-reliant India, added the Prime Minister.
‘With the achievement of Metro Rail without a driver, our country has joined the select countries of the world, where such facilities are available,’ he said.
He further said that a braking system in which 50 per cent of the energy goes back into the grid when the brakes are applied, are being used. Today, 130 MW of solar power is being used in metro rail, which will be increased to 600 MW.
Talking about the Common Mobility Card, the Prime Minister said that providing the same standards and facilities for modernisation was very important.
‘The Common Mobility Card at the national level is a major step in this direction. This one card will give integrated access to the commuters wherever they travel, whichever public transport they take,’ he added.
Taking the example of the Common Mobility Card, the Prime Minister dwellt on the process of consolidating all the systems. Through such consolidation of systems, the strength of the country is being harnessed in a more coordinated and efficient way.
‘Like One Nation, One Mobility Card, our government has done many things in the past years to integrate the systems of the country,’ Mr Modi said.
One Nation, One Fastag has made travel seamless on highways across the country. This has saved commuters from jam and delays. One Nation, One Tax or GST has ended the complications in the tax system and has brought uniformity in indirect tax system. One Nation, One Power Grid, is ensuring adequate and continuous power availability in every part of the country. Power loss is reduced, he added.
With One Nation, One Gas Grid, Seamless Gas Connectivity is being ensured of the parts where gas-based life and economy used to be a dream earlier. One Nation, One Health Insurance Scheme i.e. Ayushman Bharat through which millions of people from India are taking advantage anywhere in the country.
Citizens moving from one place to another have got freedom from the trouble of making new ration cards through One Nation, One Ration Card, Similarly, the country is moving in the direction of One Nation, One Agriculture Market due to new agricultural reforms and arrangements like e-NAM.