Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India's first-ever driverless train on Delhi Metro's Magenta Line and launched National Common Mobility Card on the Airport Express Line on Monday, via video conferencing.
"The inauguration of the first driverless metro train shows how fast India is moving towards smart systems. Today Delhi Metro is being connected to the National Common Mobility Card. A few decades ago, when the impact of urbsation and the future of urbsation were both clear, the country saw a different attitude," said PM Modi.
There was not much attention about the needs of the future, half-hearted work was done, confusion persisted, he added.
"Unlike this, modern thinking says that urbsation should not be seen as a challenge and used as an opportunity. An opportunity in which we can build better infrastructure in the country. An opportunity through which we can increase Ease of Living. This difference of thinking is seen in every dimension of urbzation," said PM Modi.
In 2014, only five cities had a metro rail. Today, metro rail services are available in 18 cities, the Prime Minister stated.
"By the year 2025, we are going to expand it to more than 25 cities. In 2014, only 248 km of metro lines were operational in the country. Today it is about three times more than seven hundred kilometres. By the year 2025, we are trying to expand it to 1,700 kilometres," he added.
These are not just figures, they are proof of Ease of Living coming in the lives of crores of Indians, PM said.
"This is not just infrastructure made of brick and stone, concrete and iron, but are evidence of the fulfillment of the aspirations of the citizens of the country, the middle class of the country," he added.
"Our government formulated the metro policy and implemented it with an all-round strategy. We insisted on working according to local demand, we emphasised on promoting local standards, Make in India expansion, the use of modern technology," said PM Modi.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also attended the event.
( With inputs from ANI )
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