The Government would invest over Rs 1 lakh crores in the Metro rail projects that are being implemented across major cities such as Mumbai, Bangalore , Hyderabad and Chennai, says a business daily. Even cities like Pune, Lucknow , Kochi , Ludhiana and Jaipur are contemplating Metro rail projects.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is looking at offering its consultancy services to other countries in South East Asia, chairman E Sreedharan has been quoted. He was in Vadodara on Friday to roll out the first metro coach manufactured at Bombardier's facility at Savli.

DMRC will expand its network in India to 190 kms by 2010, making it one of the largest networks in the world.

DMRC is buying 81 trains (424 coaches) from Bomabardier for Rs30bn for its 125-km expansion in phase II. While 9 train sets have been manufactured at Bombardier's plant in Germany and transported to Delhi by aircraft and by the sea route, the remaining are being made at Savli.