PM Modi inaugurates India's first fully-automated metro: In Pics

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India's first driver-less metro train on the Delhi Metro's Magenta Line. This new train is fully automated thereby eliminating human error, officials said. The inauguration of the ground-breaking project took place today (December 28) through a virtual function.

(Picture courtesy: PIB)

Prime Minister Modi said "The inauguration of the first driver-less metro train shows how fast India is moving towards smart systems." 

For the inauguration ceremony, the station was decorated with a red carpet and the train doors were decorated with garlands. This service is now available on Delhi Metro's Magenta Line which connects Janakpuri West in West Delhi to Botanical Garden in Noida. This will be extended to Delhi Metro's Pink Line by mid-2021.

"The first Metro in Delhi was started with the efforts of Atal (Bihari Vajpayee) ji. When our govt was formed in 2014, only five cities had metro services and today 18 cities have Metro rail service. By 2025, we will take this service to more than 25 cities," PM Modi said in his virtual speech.

At the inauguration ceremony the Prime Minister also launched the National Common Mobility Card, an inter-operable transport facility that allows users to pay for travel, toll duties, retail shopping, and withdraw money using one card.

After the inaugration, some people got the oppertunity of being the first to make use of the train, following the COVID-19 pandemic safety guidelines- wearing masks and maintaining social distancing. At the inauguration ceremony PM also launched the National Common Mobility Card.