Modi to launch Delhi Metro's Magenta Line on Dec 25

Press Trust of India  |  New Delhi 

Modi will inaugurate Metro's connecting Botanical Garden in with Kalkaji Mandir in south on December 25.

The 12.64-km section will significantly reduce travel time between and south


It is part of the Botanical Garden (Noida)-Janakpuri West (Delhi) corridor.

Modi will also address a public meeting in

This is the third metro line in the country to be inaugurated by the this year.

Modi had earlier dedicated Kochi Metro to the nation in June and Metro in November.

As on these earlier occasions, the will travel on a stretch of the new Metro line, before arriving at the venue of the public meeting.

"The new line represents one more link in the union government's push to modernise urban transport in the country. It represents the drive towards technology-centric, and environment-friendly mass rapid urban transport systems," according to an official statement.

Recently, a metro train of the crashed into a wall at after it rolled back on a ramp while being taken for washing.

There were no casualties, according to the Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) which had blamed the incident on "human error and negligence" during maintenance.

DMRC had also asserted that it would have no bearing on the launch.

Following the incident, the Metro had suspended four officials, including the in-charge of the Kalindi Kunj depot.

The official statement further said that the prime minister has often used the metro to travel for engagements in the National Capital Region.

In January 2016, the and the then French travelled in metro from to to jointly lay the foundation stone of the headquarters of the

More recently, in April 2017, Modi and his Australian counterpart travelled by metro to the

"In keeping with the objective of enhancing connectivity through mass systems, the union has launched nine metro projects covering a stretch of nearly 165 kilometres over the past three-and-a-half years.

"Five new metro rail projects covering a total length of over 140 kilometres have been approved. Metro lines of around 250 kilometre length are proposed to be commissioned over the next two years," it added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Sat, December 23 2017. 14:55 IST