This way for Delhi: Two reasons to cheer

NEW DELHI: Thousands of people braved the blazing sun on Sunday morning to get a glimpse of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and greeted him with a loud cheer as soon as he arrived to inaugurate the Delhi-Meerut Expressway. Many people said they had come to see him in person along with their families as till date they had only watched him on television.
As soon as the PM reached there, he was showered with rose petals even as he waved to the people gathered there. Modi travelled in an open vehicle on the newly-constructed expressway for six kilometres. After the roadshow, he left for Baghpat to inaugurate the 135-km Eastern Peripheral Expressway.

Saurabh Gupta, a resident of Pandav Nagar, said, “This is the first time that the Prime Minister has taken part in a roadshow in east Delhi. We had never seen him in person, so came here with our family to catch a glimpse of him.”

There were others who had lifted their children on their shoulders so that even they could see the PM. The crowd gave a loud cheer and chanted slogans in his praise wherever his convoy slowed down.

There were a few autorickshaw drivers among the crowd who said that work could wait for Modi’s roadshow. “This is our chance to see him and we can start our work a little late today. Sundays are anyway not too busy for us. We have parked our vehicles nearby and as soon as the roadshow gets over, we will get back to our normal lives,” said Rajender, an auto driver.

There were many youngsters who had reached the expressway early to ensure that they got a prime spot to stand. Ish Kartikesh, a college student who lives in Laxmi Nagar, reached Akshardham flyover at 7am. “It has been two years since I came to Delhi. We came here early to avoid getting caught in a jam. We were lucky as people started coming in an hour later,” he said.

Many people claimed that due the PM’s arrival in east Delhi, the municipal corporation had undertaken a last minute drive to clear the area of encroachments and ensured there was cleanliness all around. Two public toilets opposite Akshardham metro station, which usually remain shut, were functional. However, as soon as the PM left, waste like plastic bottles, glasses, etc were seen dumped along the roadside.

Ramesh Kumar, an east Delhi resident, said, “A major drive was undertaken by the civic body to ensure cleanliness. They should ensure that cleanliness is not just limited to VIP movement.”