India's metro expansion: India’s metro rail network has travelled a remarkable distance since the country’s first service began in Kolkata in 1984. What started with a single short stretch has evolved into a nationwide urban transport network spanning more than 1,155 km across 26 cities.
Government data cited in a TOI report shows that India had only 248 km of operational metro network across five cities in 2014. By March 2026, the network had expanded to around 1,155 km across 26 cities, making it the world’s third-largest operational metro network.
