In Indian urban transport history, which city had the first operational metro rail system in India?

Introduction / Context:

Metro rail systems are now a common part of public transport in many Indian cities, but the first such system was a pioneering project that laid the foundation for modern urban rail networks in the country. This question checks whether you know which Indian city started the first metro rail service, an important milestone in transport infrastructure.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The topic is metro rail systems in India.
• We need to identify the first city where metro operations began.
• Options list Kolkata, Hyderabad, Delhi, and Mumbai.

Concept / Approach:

Kolkata Metro is recognised as the first underground metro system in India. Its construction began in the nineteen seventies and services started in the nineteen eighties. Delhi Metro, though more extensive and widely known today, came later and was inaugurated in the early two thousands. Hyderabad and Mumbai also have metro systems, but these are more recent additions.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

Reviewing standard GK books or trivia on Indian transport confirms that Kolkata Metro is consistently listed as the country's first metro rail system. Newspaper articles on metro expansions also commonly mention Kolkata as the pioneer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Delhi Metro is the first modern large scale metro built with international collaboration, but it is not the first metro rail in the historical timeline.

Hyderabad Metro came long after both Kolkata and Delhi and cannot be the first.

Mumbai Metro is relatively new and focuses largely on elevated corridors, again not the earliest system.

Common Pitfalls:

Because Delhi Metro is so widely used and publicised, many test takers wrongly assume it was also the first. Paying attention to historical sequence rather than current popularity helps avoid this mistake.

Final Answer:

The first metro rail system in India was started in Kolkata.