PM Modi inaugurates first driverless train of India on Delhi Metro

Prime Minister Modi on December 28, 2020, inaugurated the country’s first-ever driverless train operations on the Magenta line of Delhi Metro (Janakpuri West-Botanical Garden).

The fully operational National Common Mobility Card services have also been launched by PM Modi on Airport Express Line. Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal also attended the event via video conference. 

According to the official release, the new innovations are going to introduce a new era of enhanced mobility and traveling comfort for the residents of the National Capital Region (NCR).

It further added that with the commencement of driverless trains on the Magenta line of Delhi Metro, DMRC will be entering the elite league of 7% of the world’s metro networks that can operate without drivers.

Next-generation infrastructure for Delhi. Watch. https://t.co/LK789BkE3x

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 28, 2020

Delhi: PM Narendra Modi & Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal attend inauguration programme of India’s first driverless train on Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line & the launch of fully operational National Common Mobility Card on the Airport Express Line, via video conferencing. pic.twitter.com/CtdLofzmSl

— ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2020

Prime Minister Modi inaugurated first driverless metro train in Delhi via video conferencing.

Delhi: PM Narendra Modi inaugurates India’s first driverless train on Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line & launches National Common Mobility Card on the Airport Express Line, via video conferencing. pic.twitter.com/QpDTPZ8Z3h

— ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2020

In his address, Prime Minister Modi acknowledged that the inauguration of the first driverless metro train has shown how fast India has been moving towards smart systems. 

The inauguration of the first driverless metro train shows how fast India is moving towards smart systems: PM Narendra Modi https://t.co/CYlAJfMTUZ pic.twitter.com/G3LnmJuYyh

— ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2020

PM Modi while complementing the growth of the country informed that the first metro in India was started with the efforts of former Prime Minister Atal Bihar Vajpayee. He added that when the government was formed in 2014, only 5 cities had metro services but today 18 cities have metro services. He assured that by 2025, the government will take these services to more than 25 cities. 

First metro in the country was started with the efforts of Atal Ji. When our govt was formed in 2014, only 5 cities had metro services & today 18 cities have metro rail service. By 2025, we will take this service to more than 25 cities: PM Narendra Modi pic.twitter.com/sN4jZ1kpui

— ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2020

While highlighting the significance of 'Make in India', Prime Minister stated that it is important for the expansion of metro services. It saves foreign currency, reduces cost, and also provides more employment to more people. 

'Make In India' is very important for the expansion of metro services. It reduces cost, savings foreign currency and provides more employment to Indian people: PM Narendra Modi

— ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2020

Key Highlights:

• The Pink line (Majlis Park-Shiv Vihar) which is 57 km long will also have driverless operations by the mid of 2021 after the driverless services will start on the 37-km long magenta line of Delhi Metro (Janakpuri West-Botanical Garden).

• With this step, the Delhi Metro will have a driverless network length of about 94 km which will approximately be 9% of the total driverless metro network of the world.

• The metro services in Delhi currently operates on a network of about 390 km with 285 stations spanning 11 corridors, which includes Noida-Greater Noida.

Metro services in India:

According to the release, in 2014, only 248 km of metro lines were operating in 5 cities. While currently, 702 km of metro lines are being operational in 18 cities in the country. The release added that in the days to come, over a thousand km of new metro lines will be added and about 27 cities in India will have the metro connectivity.

When the nation will celebrate its 75th Independence Day in 2022, the country will have a combined metro network of over 1000 km which will be carrying more than crore passengers every day.

Before COVID, around 60 lakh journeys were taking place on Delhi Metro which makes it the major transportation backbone of Delhi- NCR.

Launch of National Common Mobility Card:

It will be fully operationalized on the Airport Express Line. The move will be a major milestone as anyone who will be carrying a RuPay-Debit Card which has been issued recently in the last 18 months by 23 banks (all are NCMC compliant according to the directions of Financial Services department, Government of India) from any part of India will be able to travel on the Airport Express Line with that use of the card. The same facility will become available on the entire Delhi Metro Network by the year 2022.