New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stressed that rapid urbanisation must be seen as an opportunity rather than as a challenge.
He said, this opportunity can provide the platform to build better infrastructure in the country and improving the ease of living.
Mr. Modi today flagged off India’s first ever driverless train operations on Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line which will connect Janakpuri West to Botanical Garden metro stations.
He also inaugurated the fully operational National Common Mobility Card service on the Airport Express Line.
The National Common Mobility Card will enable the passengers to travel on the Airport Express Line using the RuPay-Debit Card issued from any part of the country.
While addressing, the Prime Minister said, this government is committed to convert the challenges into opportunity by developing the urban landscape according to the future requirement.
He said, this government has introduced the metro policy and implemented it with an all round strategy.
He said, government emphasized on the local demand, promoting local standards, expansion of Make in India expansion and the use of modern technology.
He added that expansion of modern modes of transport including metro should be according to the needs of the people of the city and this is the reason government is working on different types of metro rails in different cities like Metro Nio, Regional Rapid Transit System and Metro Lite.
Outlining the works done for the development of Metro lines across the country, Mr. Modi said, significant progress have been made in the expansion of Metro services.
He said, metro trains were operating in the five cities in the year 2014 and now it is operating in 18 cities.
He said, government is going to expand it to more than 25 cities by the next five years.
He said, this is an example of ease of living and fulfillment of the aspiration of middle class.
Highlighting the importance of Make in India initiative for the expansion of metro services, Mr. Modi said, it reduces costs, saves foreign exchange and gives more employment to people in the country.
He said, dozens of companies are engaged in the manufacturing of metro components and this is helping Make in India and the self-reliant India initiative.
Prime Minister said that providing the same standards and facilities for modernization is very important and the National Common Mobility Card is a major step in this direction which will provide integrated access for public transport.
He said, our government has done many things in the past years to integrate the systems of the country through one nation-one tax, one nation-one fastag, one nation-one health insurance scheme and one nation-one ration card.
He said, the country is moving in the direction of One Nation, One Agriculture Market with new agricultural reforms and arrangements like e-NAM.
