'We have urged the central government to extend the Metro rail project up to other parts of state and also impressed upon it the need to make the states, where the Metro reaches, an equal stake holder and share holder in the project,' Hooda said.

Union Urban Development Secretary M. Rama Chandran, who was also present at the ceremony, said all the big towns of Haryana can now start Metro services as an act had been passed for this purpose.

'In seven big cities of the country, including Delhi, 500-km long Metro rail lines are being laid at a cost of about Rs.97,000 crore (Rs.970 billion). The first phase of Delhi Metro has been completed and there are plans to cover the entire NCR (national capital region) area,' he added.