CM Yogi: Metro now in 7 UP cities, NW-1 operational
Synopsis
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath says metro rail, once limited to five Indian cities, now operates in over 20 cities including seven in Uttar Pradesh, and credits PM Modi's leadership for also launching India's first operational inland waterway between Varanasi and Haldia.
Key Takeaways
Metro rail services have expanded from 5 cities to more than 20 cities across India under PM Modi's government.
7 cities in Uttar Pradesh now have operational metro systems, the highest concentration in any single state.
National Waterway 1 , India's first inland waterway, runs between Varanasi and Haldia on the Ganga.
The Metro Rail Policy, 2017 and National Waterways Act, 2016 form the legislative backbone of this expansion.
Both initiatives are part of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan launched in 2021 for multi-modal logistics integration.
The Chief Minister's Office of Uttar Pradesh on 12 June 2026 shared a statement from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership for an unprecedented expansion of modern transport and connectivity across India, highlighting that metro rail services — once confined to five cities — now operate in more than 20 cities, with seven of those in Uttar Pradesh alone.
Context
The statement, attributed directly to CM Yogi Adityanath, reads: 'आदरणीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री Narendra Modi जी के नेतृत्व में देश में आधुनिक परिवहन और कनेक्टिविटी का अभूतपूर्व विस्तार हुआ है' ['Under the leadership of respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there has been an unprecedented expansion of modern transport and connectivity in the country']. It further notes that metro connectivity, previously limited to five cities, has now reached more than 20 cities nationwide. The post also highlights that India's first inland waterway is successfully operating between Varanasi and Haldia.
Policy Backdrop
The expansion of metro rail to smaller cities was enabled in large part by the Metro Rail Policy of 2017, which revised central funding norms and opened the door for approvals in tier-2 cities. Uttar Pradesh — India's most populous state — has been a primary beneficiary, with metro projects active in cities including Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Meerut, and Varanasi. On the waterways front, the National Waterways Act, 2016 declared 111 national waterways and designated the Ganga river stretch from Varanasi to Haldia as National Waterway 1 (NW-1) — the country's first operationalised inland waterway. The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is the statutory body overseeing this corridor.
Both initiatives are embedded within the broader PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, launched in 2021, which aims to build multi-modal logistics networks, reduce freight costs, and integrate rail, road, waterway, and urban transit infrastructure across the country.
Stakeholders and Impact
Urban commuters in Uttar Pradesh's seven metro cities stand to benefit from reduced road congestion and faster intra-city mobility. The Varanasi–Haldia waterway corridor, stretching across Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, opens a cost-effective freight route for logistics operators, potentially easing pressure on road and rail networks along the Ganga corridor. For Uttar Pradesh specifically, the concentration of seven metro cities in a single state represents a significant share of the national urban rail footprint.
What's Next
Upcoming phases of metro construction in Varanasi and Kanpur are expected to extend network coverage further. Cargo volume data on NW-1 is anticipated in forthcoming reviews by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, which will offer a clearer picture of the waterway's commercial utilisation. The trajectory of these projects will also be closely watched in the context of Union Budget allocations for infrastructure in the coming fiscal cycle.
Point of View
Positioning the state as a model beneficiary of central infrastructure investment ahead of potential electoral cycles. By invoking both urban metro expansion and the Ganga waterway in a single post, CM Yogi ties state-level delivery to the national narrative of PM Modi's governance record on infrastructure. The emphasis on UP's seven metro cities — framed against a national baseline of five at the start of this government — is a deliberate data point designed to signal scale and momentum. This pattern of attribution aligns with a broader BJP communication strategy of linking state achievements to central leadership.
NationPress
29 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many cities in Uttar Pradesh have metro rail?
According to a statement by CM Yogi Adityanath on 12 June 2026 , 7 cities in Uttar Pradesh have operational metro services, including Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Meerut, and Varanasi.
What is India's first inland waterway?
National Waterway 1 (NW-1) on the Ganga river, running between Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and Haldia in West Bengal, is recognised as India's first operational inland waterway, declared under the National Waterways Act, 2016 .
How many cities in India have metro rail in 2026?
CM Yogi Adityanath's statement on 12 June 2026 says metro services now operate in more than 20 cities across India, up from just 5 cities before the current central government took office.
What is PM Gati Shakti?
The PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan , launched in 2021 , is a central government initiative to integrate multi-modal transport infrastructure — including rail, road, waterways, and urban metro — to reduce logistics costs and improve connectivity.
Which body manages the Varanasi-Haldia waterway?
The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is the statutory body responsible for developing and regulating National Waterway 1 , the Varanasi–Haldia Ganga corridor.
