PM travels by Delhi Metro, riders queue for selfies

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the much-awaited Badarpur-Faridabad Metro that will connect the national capital with the satellite town and hoped that it would give impetus to economic growth in the region.

Mr Modi, who himself took a train of the Metro’s Violet Line (Line 6) from Janpath station in Delhi to reach Bata Chowk station here, said the new section could help boost employment opportunities in this key industrial hub.

“Haryana has the biggest potential to attract tourists from Delhi,” he said, adding that people could use the Metro especially for weekend excursions which would provide livelihood opportunities for the youth here.

Mr Modi also highlighted how the newly built section is using clean energy in the form of solar power to generate around 2 Megawatts. “In the coming days, how clean and environment-friendly railway stations can be created....is the direction in which the Metro is running a successful campaign,” he said.

He said that at a time when the entire world is worried about global warming, Delhi Metro is making its contribution to the green movement. “Metro is not just a facility for traveling. It can provide pace to economic activity. And therefore this rally was also named ‘gati-pragati’ (speed and progress) rally,” Mr Modi said.

Mr Modi delighted commuters on the Janpath Metro by interacting with them on the way to Badarpur-Faridabad Metro. While many were surprised finding Mr Modi as their co-passenger, some enthusiasts queued up to take selfies.