Union minister for housing, urban affairs and energy Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday made three major announcements aimed at improving public convenience and developing urban infrastructure.
Khattar who inaugurated the 18th Urban Mobility India Conference and Exhibition in Gurugram announced the establishment of Delhi Metro International Limited (DMIL), which will work towards expanding the metro network beyond India to other countries. He said that a Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) will also be developed in partnership with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to strengthen metro interconnectivity and ensure safe, reliable transportation facilities and services for the public, in line with stringent safety and cybersecurity standards.
To improve the quality of metro services and promote innovation, the Ministry of Urban Development will set up the Delhi Metro Rail Academy. This establishment will accelerate capacity building, and with the establishment of a Centre of Excellence, this centre will provide a new direction to metro services through innovative approaches. He said that while the national capital already has several large convention centres, Gurugram, as one of the country’s major cities, also needs a similar facility.
Khattar said that integrating transport networks will help position India as a developed nation by 2047, in line with the Make in India initiative. He said that urban transformation is being carried out in alignment with evolving public needs, with a strong focus on sustainable and efficient urban transportation. “India currently ranks third globally in metro service coverage, and within the next three years, it is expected to surpass the United States to become one of the leading nations in metro infrastructure,” the minister said.