Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the government is proactively working on enhancing the means of the mass transport system at a rapid scale as India undergoes rapid urbanisation, stressing that Metro rail services which had been confined to Delhi NCR and a few cities until 2014 has now expanded to over two dozen places across the country.
"It is estimated that the urban population will be more than 60 crores by 2030. The increasing urban population brings several opportunities and challenges. Flyovers in cities can be constructed up to certain limits only. In such a situation, the only option is to increase the mass transportation infrastructure in the country. Our government is focusing on means of mass transportation, especially the metro connectivity," said PM Modi while addressing a public meeting after inaugurating a Metro Rail line in Pune.
"Now, the Metro services have either become operational in more than two dozen cities of the country or they are approaching completions," PM Modi said.
With the commencement of the Pune Metro, the Prime Minister said it will increase the mobility of people and eliminate the stress of traffic jams and pollution. It will also reduce carbon emissions, he added.
The Prime Minister noted that mass transportation, especially Metro connectivity, is the need of the hour.
"Pune has strengthened its identity in the cultural, education, IT, research and development fields. In such a situation, modern facilities are the need of the hour for the people of Pune and our government is working round the clock to meet their expectations," PM Modi said.
Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister inaugurated a 12-km stretch of the total 32.2-km Pune Metro Rail Project, which is built at a cost of over Rs 11,400 crore. He also travelled from Garware College Metro station to Anand Nagar Metro station and interacted with schools students.
( With inputs from ANI )
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