The budgetary allocations for metro lines have increased by 258 percent to Rs 42,696 crore in the 2015 - 18 period.
9 cities will get an additional 313 km of metro rail connectivity by March 2019, almost double the current 370 - km operational length in eight cities since the first metro rail service in 1984. The cities include Lucknow metro, Nagpur metro, Kochi metro, Hyderabad metro, Delhi metro, Noida metro, Chennai metro and Bangalore metro.
Aside from the Nagpur metro, Ahmedabad metro, and Lucknow metro, projects approved by the current National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, the rest were given the go - ahead by the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
With respect to funding, the Central and the state governments follow a 50 - 50 equity venture model. The Centre gives assistance of up to 20% of a project's costs, excluding land costs. It provides 14% equity and the subordinate debt accounting for about 6%. The remaining contributions are taken up by the state government in the form of loans.
An official of the housing urban affairs ministry told the Times of India that the budgetary allocations for metro lines have increased to Rs. 42,696 crore in the 2015 - 18 period. This is a 258% increase from the previous Rs 16,565 crore from the 2012 - 15 period.
The latest cities to join the metro rail club are Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, and Nagpur, expanding the number to 12 cities with metro rails.
Of these 4 budding metro rail cities, Lucknow will be the first city to open its 8.5 km rail to the public in a fortnight.
