India poised to surpass United States in metro rail length within two years

After unveiling the expanded Indore metro service, Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal highlighted the rapid growth of India’s urban rail infrastructure, which has risen from 245 km in five cities in 2014 to 1,170 km covering 26 cities today. He pointed out that the United States currently operates 1,386 km of metro lines, leaving India just 216 km behind. Lal projected that within two years India could surpass the U.S., becoming the world’s second-largest metro network after China’s roughly 8,000 km.

The new Indore segment stretches 17 km between Gandhi Nagar and Malviya Nagar Chauraha, serving 16 stations with trains running every 15 minutes from 9 am to 7 pm. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav praised the development and mentioned future extensions to nearby areas, as well as a separate ₹18,500-crore rail project linking Indore, Manmad, and other states.