Russian Media Compares Delhi and New York Metros in Cleanliness Debate

The ongoing tensions between the United States and Russia over the Ukraine war have found a new arena—public transportation systems. The Russian media outlet Sputnik has recently highlighted a stark comparison between the metro systems of Delhi in India and New York City in the USA, both pivotal examples of urban transit.

Sputnik shared a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, showcasing Delhi Metro‘s cleanliness and efficiency against the alleged poor state of New York’s subway. The video emphasizes the sparkling clean environment of the Delhi Metro stations and trains, contrasting it with images of rodents and trash reportedly found in New York’s system.

China‘s embassy spokesperson in India, Yu Jing, has also lauded the Delhi Metro’s cleanliness, adding international perspectives to the debate. In their Twitter post, Sputnik wrote, “New Delhi Metro vs. America’s New York Metro. Which metro would you prefer to travel in?”

Users on social media have weighed in on the issue, with an Indian user, Rajiv Pandey, commenting, “The Delhi Metro is much cleaner and better than New York’s subway system. I was in New York this week. The subway was dirty, and many were traveling without tickets.”

Sputnik noted that criticisms of their video included the age of the New York Metro, which is over a century old, compared to the relatively new Delhi Metro. However, Sputnik countered this by citing Moscow’s metro system, constructed in the 1930s and still maintained well, highlighting that upkeep is a matter of preference and management.

In another video by Sputnik, the Moscow Metro is depicted as clean and well-maintained, further fueling the debate about public transit standards between nations claiming superpower status.