How India moves: Delhi’s suburban rail, the lost lifeline of the Capital
Delhi's suburban railway, once a crucial commuter link, now faces neglect and reduced ridership.
Despite its affordability and extensive reach, it never became the city's transport identity.
Experts and officials discuss its potential revival, which could enhance mobility and reduce pollution in the capital.
Delhi’s suburban railway once connected thousands of commuters across the National Capital Region — from Palwal to Rewari, Panipat to Meerut.
But today, the service struggles with neglect, delays, and dwindling ridership.
Down To Earth travelled across stations and spoke to commuters, experts, and railway officials to understand why this system — cheaper and wider in reach than the Metro — never became Delhi’s defining transport identity, and what its revival could mean for the city’s future mobility and pollution control.