The length of operational metro rail projects has reached 824 kilometres and work on another 1,039 km is under works, Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said in Rajya Sabha on Monday (12 December).

"The urban transport, let's say metro rail, from zero in 2002 has come up to 824 kilometres, which is operational. Another 1,039 kilometres is under construction. So, it is rapidly expanding," he said, while replying to a supplementary question during the Question Hour.

"We are on the path of those who are advocating bringing in more public transport and that is why we have gone from 0 to 824 kilometres, and another 1,039 kms coming up. That, in itself, is a testimony to the fact that public transport is being encouraged," Puri said.

"We are already one of the largest metro operators. I am sure, the time will come that we will be the second-largest metro operator in the world," the minister said.

It must be noted that among all the cities in India, Delhi NCR dominates the metro rail network.

Within the country’s 824 km operational metro rail length, Delhi NCR consists of 391 km of metro network with 286 stations dotted on 12 corridors.

Metro rail projects are largely taken up as either centrally sponsored projects or in collaboration with the state governments.

But with the increasing popularity of metro rail systems, state governments have started taking up metro rail construction initiatives by themselves.

Recently, the Telangana government announced the construction of a 31 km metro rail corridor connecting Hyderabad’s IT hub with Airport. This is entirely funded by the state government with a 10 per cent contribution from GMR airports.

(With inputs from PTI)