NOIDA: Amid heavy security and crowd chanting slogans of 'Modi, Modi', Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday flagged off the much-awaited Delhi Metro's Magenta line connecting Noida to South Delhi. 


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The Prime Minister boarded the metro train at the Botanical station and deboarded at Okhla Bird Sanctuary metro station. 


 



 


Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also accompanied the Prime Minister during the maiden trip of the Magenta line, defying a 29-year-old 'Noida' superstition of no serving UP chief minister visiting Noida.


BJP member Mahendra Nath Pandey and state Governor Ram Naik too attended the inauguration ceremony.


Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was not invited to the inauguration ceremony, has asked for a refund of the 50 per cent amount it reportedly paid for the construction of the new metro line.


The 12.64-km Magenta metro line will run between Noida's Botanical Garden to Kalkaji Mandir in South Delhi. 


Taking to Twitter on Sunday, PM Modi said, the new line will make travel between Delhi and Noida faster and convenient. 


"This new line is yet another example of how we are modernising urban transportation. I will also travel on the Metro tomorrow (Monday). This year, I have had the opportunity to inaugurate and travel in the Kochi as well as Hyderabad Metros," Modi tweeted.


Later addressing the public at Amity University, he said, "In 2022, when we mark 75 years of freedom, I dream that we live in an India in which our petrol imports reduce. In order to achieve this, state of the art mass transit systems are the need of the hour: PM Modi in Noida."


Adityanath later said, "This step (inauguration of Metro's magenta line) will prove to be a milestone towards realizing the dreams of development for Noida & Greater Noida region."