Metro will help keep over 10 lakh vehicles off city roads by 2031: Study

New delhi: By 2031, the Delhi Metro is projected to keep nearly 10.9 lakh vehicles off the city’s roads daily, easing congestion and cutting fuel use and air pollution, according to a study by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said the number of vehicles displaced by metro operations rose from 4.74 lakh in 2019 to 5.16 lakh in 2021 and is expected to more than double by 2031. Annual fuel savings are projected to increase from 2.55 lakh tonnes in 2021 to 5.34 lakh tonnes, while pollutant reduction will grow from 7.77 lakh tonnes to 16.3 lakh tonnes. DMRC said metro users collectively saved about 269 million travel hours in 2021 — likely to reach 572 million by 2031. With 6.5–7 million daily trips, the metro remains the NCR’s transport backbone. Its sustainability drive includes solar power meeting 35 per cent of its energy needs and Phase IV expansion spanning 112 km.