Delhi Metro records 99.95% punctuality in 2026 so far, ranks among most reliable in world, says DMRC

Delhi Metro recorded 99.95% punctuality in 2026 so far, with DMRC citing improved reliability, faster headways and greater use of automated operations.

Delhi Metro recorded a punctuality rate of 99.95% in 2026 so far, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said in a statement on Sunday, claiming it ranks among the world’s most reliable metro systems.

Delhi metro has maintained punctuality of around 99.9% in recent years, according to the DMRC (Sakib Ali /Hindustan Times)

Train punctuality has improved from 98.27% in 2003 to 99.64% in 2005 and has remained around the 99.9% mark since, DMRC said. A delay is recorded if a train arrives more than 59 seconds behind schedule.

Delhi Metro ranks among top five globally

International benchmarking by the Community of Metros (COMET) – a consortium of 45 metro systems – has placed Delhi Metro among the top five globally on reliability using a two-minute delay criterion, the corporation said.

The average distance travelled before a service-affecting failure, measured through Mean Distance Between Failures (MDBF), stood at 2.72 million car-kilometres, as per the official release.

Headway cut to 2 minutes, 18 seconds

Around 29% of the network is now under Unattended Train Operation (UTO). UTO is complete automation wherein the train starts, stops, operates doors, and manages emergencies completely automatically without any staff or driver.

The Pink Line (Line 7), spanning 71.55 km with 45 stations, is operated using driverless technology and provides interchanges with most other lines, offering alternate routes across the network.

Delhi Metro began operations on December 25, 2002, with an 8.4-km stretch between Shahdara and Tis Hazari and six stations. The network has since expanded to 416.5km with 303 stations across 12 lines and 31 interchange stations connecting Delhi and the National Capital Region.