Low metro ridership despite ₹4.5 lakh cr spend; India needs new transport policy: Study

Despite a massive investment of ₹4.5 lakh crore, India's metro systems are experiencing low ridership, according to a recent study. This stark reality points to a significant disconnect between infrastructure development and actual public usage, prompting calls for a fundamental shift in national transportation strategy.

The study highlights that the existing transport policy, formulated in 2006, has failed to keep pace with the nation's evolving needs. It identifies several critical gaps that were either overlooked at the time of its inception or have emerged as new challenges over the past two decades. These shortcomings likely contribute to the underutilization of the extensive metro networks.

Moving forward, the review emphasizes the urgent need for a new policy that directly addresses these deficiencies. Such a policy must be forward-looking, capable of anticipating future urban mobility demands and integrating various transport modes effectively. Without this strategic overhaul, further investments may yield similarly disappointing results, failing to create efficient and widely used public transportation systems.