PM Narendra Modi flags off 13.5 km Nagpur Metro Rail corridor

New Delhi (Urban Transport News): The Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today, flagged off the 13.5 km long stretch of Nagpur Metro, through video conference from New Delhi. The 13.5 km long stretch covering 5 stations between Khapri- Sitabuldi of the Nagpur Metro Rail project was inaugurated through the digital unveiling of plaque.

Addressing the gathering through video conference, Prime Minister Modi congratulated the people of Nagpur for the second metro service in Maharashtra after Mumbai Metro. He said that it is a special moment for him as he had laid the foundation stone for the Nagpur Metro in 2014. The Metro will provide a better, cost friendly and environment friendly means of transportation for the people in Nagpur.

The Prime Minister said that the Central Government and Maharashtra State Government are working continuously for the development of Nagpur city, keeping its future requirements in mind. He added that Nagpur metro will create employment opportunities for the youth and will also help in the further growth of the city. Highlighting the initiatives of Central Government in building modern transportation system throughout the country, Prime Minister said that 400 km of operational network of metro have been built in the past four and half years.

He added that work is also progressing on 800 km of metro network throughout the country. The Prime Minister mentioned about the benefits of the recently launched common mobility card, the One Nation-One Card. He said that the indigenously developed card, merges debit card with mobility card and has removed India’s dependence on other countries for building such a card. Only very few countries in the world have such a common mobility card for transportation. The Prime Minister said that the Central Government has an integrated approach towards finding solutions.

He reiterated the government’s commitment towards ensuring Ease of Living for all the citizens of the country. "Public transport is most important factor of development, we need to give smart, sustainable and efficient, environment friendly transport options. I am happy that Nagpur Metro will use 65% clean energy. We are also working for Transport oriented development. Metro is not only a transport facility, but opening of new avenues for economy, like infrastructure, employment", said Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

"The Nagpur Metro network, work on which started in June, 2015, consists of two corridors with a total length of 38 km. The two corridors will have 38 stations, two depots and a fleet of 69 metro cars, including a special "Nari Shakti" women's coach in each train", said Dr. Brijesh Dixit, Managing Director of Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation. "It will be the greenest metro in the country with 65 per cent of its electricity consumption from solar energy," he added.