Public–Private Partnerships in Indian Metro Rail: Catalysts for Low-Carbon and Smart Mobility in Urban Settings

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6239-685-2_6How to use a DOI?

Keywords

PPP; metro rail; Smart Mobility

Abstract

Transport is at the heart of India’s development, but it also lies among the biggest causes of congestion, air pollution, and climate-altering emissions. Road transport alone emits close to 13% of India’s CO₂ emissions, with private two-wheelers and cars dominating the sector, states the International Energy Agency (2021). Metro rail modes, as electrified, high-capacity public transport modes, represent a strategic low-carbon option. They offer safety, efficiency, and accessibility while allowing significant reductions in per passenger-kilometre emissions. This paper discusses the contribution of PPP-driven metro projects towards realizing sustainable and driverless transport in India. Based on findings in Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kanpur, Mumbai, Nagpur, Kolkata, and the Delhi–Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System, the research aggregates six thematic dimensions: carbon emission reductions, smart mobility integration, ridership and modal shift, economic sustainability, autonomous and digital innovation, and rural–urban connectivity. Evidence shows that PPP-equipped metros have registered significant carbon reduction, hastened smart mobility uptake and registered major modal switch from private cars. PPP models have also proved to be essential in revenue diversification via non-fare sources, pushing forward automation like driverless operations, and pushing accessibility into rural areas. The study emphasizes that PPP-led metros are not just funding instruments but drivers of climate action, digital transformation and inclusive growth. Policy recommendations involve incorporating carbon targets, renewable sourcing requirements and smart mobility standards into PPP contracts.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - S. Sreya
AU  - Deepak Harshan
AU  - Nikita Rajesh
AU  - Pradeepta Kumar Samanta
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/05/26
TI  - Public–Private Partnerships in Indian Metro Rail: Catalysts for Low-Carbon and Smart Mobility in Urban Settings
BT  - Proceedings of the International Conference on Infrastructure Development and Sustainability (ICIDS 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 72
EP  - 89
SN  - 3005-155X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-685-2_6
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-685-2_6
ID  - Sreya2026
ER  -