Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line connecting Noida’s Botanical Garden with Kalkaji Mandir in south Delhi on 25 December. He took the inaugural ride of the new metro along with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, UP Governor Ram Naik, Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation chief Mangu Singh.
The 12.64-km section will significantly reduce travel time between Noida and south Delhi. It is part of the Botanical Garden (Noida)-Janakpuri West (Delhi) corridor.
He greeted the people on the occasion of Christmas at the Amity University Ground in Noida and commemorated the birth anniversary of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, which is also celebrated as Good Governance Day.
24th December 2002...Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji took a ride on the metro. This was a historic moment. Since then, it has been 15 years and the metro network in the NCR has expanded considerably.PM Modi
He went on to say that the decisions of his government are taken “keeping the national interest in mind”.
Governance cannot happen when the dominant thought process begins at ‘mera kya’ and ends at ‘mujhe kya.’ We have changed these mindsets. For us, decisions are about national interest and not political gains.PM Modi
This is the third metro line in the country which was inaugurated by him this year. Modi had earlier dedicated Kochi Metro to the nation in June, and inaugurated the Hyderabad Metro in November.
Yogi Adiyanath called the inauguration a “milestone” towards realising the dreams of development for Noida and Greater Noida region.”
Meanwhile, Modi talked about his dream for 2022, where the country’s dependence petrol imports are reduced with help of state-of-the-art mass transit systems.
The PM also heaped praises on Adityanath, saying:
Due to his (Adiyanath’s) dress, few people find it fashionable to believe that Yogi Adityanath is not ‘modern enough’. But it is he who has done what CMs of UP never did - he came to Noida. Faith is important but blind faith is not desirable... When I became CM, people told me about a few places where no CMs went because they were inauspicious. I was clear I would go to all those places in my first year itself. There were superstitions associated with Noida too and Yogi Adityanath ji rose above them and came here.PM Modi
Arvind Kejriwal Not Invited
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was not a part of the inauguration of the newly-built Magenta Line.
A government official had told PTI that the Delhi government did not receive any official intimation for the programme that was held in Uttar Pradesh. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), however, said it had not sent out invites since the Uttar Pradesh government was organising the event.
“The DMRC is not inviting anyone. We haven't sent out invites since the UP government is organising the event. So we do not have any say on the list of invitees,” a metro official had earlier said on condition of anonymity.
Security Tightened, Traffic Advisory Issued
Security had been tightened ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Noida.
The elite Special Protection Group, which provides security to the Prime Minister, had taken control of the premises. Provincial Armed Constabulary and paramilitary forces were also part of the security at the venue.
A traffic advisory was also issued for 25 December and entry of heavy vehicles had been banned in some parts of Noida.
As per the advisory issued by the Noida traffic police, vehicular traffic was not allowed from Sector 38 Botanical Garden bus stand till Atta chowk road.
The road connecting Sector 94, 124, 125 and 126 too were blocked for vehicular traffic. Entry of heavy vehicles through Delhi-Noida-Direct Flyway, Chilla Regulator, Sector 60 elevated road and MP road to FNG (Parthla) crossing was not allowed from 7 am to 9 pm.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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