Metros and riders: Planning requires a rethink to achieve improved outcomes

The Union government has announced the length of India’s Metro network has now crossed 1,000 kilometres, spread over 11 states, covering 23 cities. Another 1,000 kilometres or so is under construction or in an advanced stage of planning. This is a remarkable achievement, given India’s broader struggle to build world-class urban infrastructure. Where Metro rail works, such as in Delhi, it has the potential to transform the urban experience. Delhi is not known for attention to public civility — except in the Metro, where the average rider pays far greater attention to such norms than they would on roads. Unsurprisingly,