The United Arab Emirates is gearing up to celebrate its National Day on December 2 to commemorate the union of all seven emirates into a single nation. Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah are the seven emirates. These seven emirates declared their independence from Britain on December 2, 1971, and they later changed their name to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Marking the occassion, UAE has declared free parking in two of its emirates, Dubai and Sharjah. Additionally there will be other celebrations and activities across UAE some extended for multiple days.&nbsp;

<h2>UAE National Day 2022: Dubai free parking&nbsp;</h2>

From December 1 to 4, parking in Dubai is free; from December 5, fees will apply. For four days, from Thursday, December 1 through Sunday, December 4, drivers can park their cars for free in public spaces around Dubai, with the exception of multi-level parking terminals. Parking fees will start up again on December 5th. On the occasion of the 51st National Day of the UAE, the Roads and Transport Authority also disclosed on Tuesday the public transportation service hours.

<h2>Dubai Metro</h2>

From Wednesday through Saturday (November 30 – December 3), from 5 am to 1 am, Dubai Metro service will operate on both the Red and Green Lines (the following day). On Sunday, December 4, both Lines will be open from 8 a.m. to 12 a.m.

<h2>51st UAE National Day: Sharjah free parking&nbsp;</h2>

From Thursday, December 1 through Saturday, December 3, most areas of the emirate will provide free public parking, according to the Sharjah Municipality. In honour of the 51st UAE National Day, the gesture was made. Except for the 7-day paid parking zones, which are identified by blue information signs, there will be no charge for public parking. The Sharjah National Day Celebrations Committee has released the details of their celebration schedule. From November 24 through December 3, activities have been going on in Sharjah's major cities and tourist and cultural hotspots.

Events at various places have been held by Sharjah since November 24 and will continue till December 3. Flag Island, Al Majaz Amphitheatre, Sharjah National Park, Maliha Public Park, Al Hisn Island and Al Kharous in Dibba Al Hisn, Khorfakkan Amphitheater, Wadi Al Helo and various areas of Kalba, parks and residential areas in Al Bataeh, various areas of Al Madam, Al Dhaid Fort, and the Heritage Village in Al Hamriyah will all host celebrations.

 
&nbsp;

The United Arab Emirates is gearing up to celebrate its National Day on December 2 to commemorate the union of all seven emirates into a single nation. Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah are the seven emirates.

The United Arab Emirates is gearing up to celebrate its National Day on December 2 to commemorate the union of all seven emirates into a single nation. Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah are the seven emirates. These seven emirates declared their independence from Britain on December 2, 1971, and they later changed their name to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Marking the occassion, UAE has declared free parking in two of its emirates, Dubai and Sharjah. Additionally there will be other celebrations and activities across UAE some extended for multiple days. UAE National Day 2022: Dubai free parking From December 1 to 4, parking in Dubai is free; from December 5, fees will apply. For four days, from Thursday, December 1 through Sunday, December 4, drivers can park their cars for free in public spaces around Dubai, with the exception of multi-level parking terminals. Parking fees will start up again on December 5th. On the occasion of the 51st National Day of the UAE, the Roads and Transport Authority also disclosed on Tuesday the public transportation service hours. Dubai Metro From Wednesday through Saturday (November 30 – December 3), from 5 am to 1 am, Dubai Metro service will operate on both the Red and Green Lines (the following day). On Sunday, December 4, both Lines will be open from 8 a.m. to 12 a.m. 51st UAE National Day: Sharjah free parking From Thursday, December 1 through Saturday, December 3, most areas of the emirate will provide free public parking, according to the Sharjah Municipality. In honour of the 51st UAE National Day, the gesture was made. Except for the 7-day paid parking zones, which are identified by blue information signs, there will be no charge for public parking. The Sharjah National Day Celebrations Committee has released the details of their celebration schedule. From November 24 through December 3, activities have been going on in Sharjah's major cities and tourist and cultural hotspots. Events at various places have been held by Sharjah since November 24 and will continue till December 3. Flag Island, Al Majaz Amphitheatre, Sharjah National Park, Maliha Public Park, Al Hisn Island and Al Kharous in Dibba Al Hisn, Khorfakkan Amphitheater, Wadi Al Helo and various areas of Kalba, parks and residential areas in Al Bataeh, various areas of Al Madam, Al Dhaid Fort, and the Heritage Village in Al Hamriyah will all host celebrations.

UAE to honor National Day 2022 with free parking in Dubai and Sharjah, check new metro timings 

In a major step towards expanding the metro rail network in Hyderabad, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao will lay the foundation&nbsp;stone for the 31 km long Airport Express Metro Corridor on 9 December. The project will be beneficial for commuters and airport passengers.&nbsp;

The estimated cost of the project is Rs 6250 crore, connecting Mindspace junction in Hyderabad city to the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Shamshabad. Announcing the project, Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister, KT Rama Rao tweeted, "Hyderabad is forging ahead. Happy to announce that honourable Chief Minister KCR Garu will be laying the foundation for Airport Express Metro on 9th December".

The high-speed Hyderabad Airport Metro Rail (HAML) service will mostly be elevated but have a 2.5 km underground section. This airport line will be a part&nbsp;of the proposed 58 km Hyderabad Metro Phase-II project. KT Rama Rao further added, "Hyderabad is Forging Ahead. Happy to announce that Hon’ble CM KCR&nbsp;Garu will be laying the foundation for Airport Express Metro on 9th December".&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/indian-start-up-launches-indigenous-3d-printer-that-prints-human-tissues-536367">Indian start-up launches indigenous 3D printer that prints human tissues</a>

The information was also shared by the official Twitter account&nbsp;of the Telangana CMO, stating that, "Chief Minister Shri K. Chandrasekhar Rao has decided to&nbsp;extend the metro corridor from Rayadurgam Metro Terminal at Mind Space Junction to Shamshabad International Airport. As part of that, the CM will lay the&nbsp; 
the foundation stone on December 9."

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మైండ్ స్పేస్ జంక్షన్ వద్ద గల రాయదుర్గం మెట్రో టర్మినల్ నుంచి శంషాబాద్ అంతర్జాతీయ విమానాశ్రయానికి మెట్రో కారిడార్ ను విస్తరించాలని ముఖ్యమంత్రి శ్రీ కె. చంద్రశేఖర్ రావు నిర్ణయించారు. అందులో భాగంగా డిసెంబర్ 9న సీఎం శంఖుస్థాపన చేయనున్నారు. 
 
(File Photo) <a href="https://t.co/ESntFi3kFw">pic.twitter.com/ESntFi3kFw</a>
— Telangana CMO (@TelanganaCMO) <a href="https://twitter.com/TelanganaCMO/status/1596870486050639872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The Airport Express Metro project is fully funded by the Telangana State Government and is expected to complete in three years. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) is also submitted to the Government of India for an additional 31-kilometre&nbsp;city Metro expansion, from BHEL to Lakdikapul and Nagole to LB Nagar.

The similar project was started by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) in 2011, connecting News Delhi Railwat Station to IGI Airport. The travel time&nbsp;of the Delhi Airport Express line is 24 min and travels at a speed of 80 kilometre per hour.

In a major step towards expanding the metro rail network in Hyderabad, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao will lay the foundation stone for the 31 km long Airport Express Metro Corridor on 9 December.

In a major step towards expanding the metro rail network in Hyderabad, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao will lay the foundation stone for the 31 km long Airport Express Metro Corridor on 9 December. The project will be beneficial for commuters and airport passengers. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 6250 crore, connecting Mindspace junction in Hyderabad city to the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Shamshabad. Announcing the project, Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister, KT Rama Rao tweeted, "Hyderabad is forging ahead. Happy to announce that honourable Chief Minister KCR Garu will be laying the foundation for Airport Express Metro on 9th December". The high-speed Hyderabad Airport Metro Rail (HAML) service will mostly be elevated but have a 2.5 km underground section. This airport line will be a part of the proposed 58 km Hyderabad Metro Phase-II project. KT Rama Rao further added, "Hyderabad is Forging Ahead. Happy to announce that Hon’ble CM KCR Garu will be laying the foundation for Airport Express Metro on 9th December". Also Read | Indian start-up launches indigenous 3D printer that prints human tissues The information was also shared by the official Twitter account of the Telangana CMO, stating that, "Chief Minister Shri K. Chandrasekhar Rao has decided to extend the metro corridor from Rayadurgam Metro Terminal at Mind Space Junction to Shamshabad International Airport. As part of that, the CM will lay the the foundation stone on December 9." మైండ్ స్పేస్ జంక్షన్ వద్ద గల రాయదుర్గం మెట్రో టర్మినల్ నుంచి శంషాబాద్ అంతర్జాతీయ విమానాశ్రయానికి మెట్రో కారిడార్ ను విస్తరించాలని ముఖ్యమంత్రి శ్రీ కె. చంద్రశేఖర్ రావు నిర్ణయించారు. అందులో భాగంగా డిసెంబర్ 9న సీఎం శంఖుస్థాపన చేయనున్నారు. (File Photo) pic.twitter.com/ESntFi3kFw — Telangana CMO (@TelanganaCMO) November 27, 2022 × The Airport Express Metro project is fully funded by the Telangana State Government and is expected to complete in three years. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) is also submitted to the Government of India for an additional 31-kilometre city Metro expansion, from BHEL to Lakdikapul and Nagole to LB Nagar. The similar project was started by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) in 2011, connecting News Delhi Railwat Station to IGI Airport. The travel time of the Delhi Airport Express line is 24 min and travels at a speed of 80 kilometre per hour.

Reach airport in 20 minutes as Hyderabad Metro Express plans for direct metro ride at 120 kilometres per hour

Phasing out of cardboard tickets is marking an end of an era for Paris Metro travellers as the simple form of ticket may soon be a thing of the past after being in circulation for 120 years. Paris Metro is taking steps towards a contactless future. Though shift to more efficient technology might improve the service, the tickets, which have been part of Parisian life will evoke nostalgia.

Beyond their intended use as a transport token, the tickets with their trademark magnetic strip have inspired artists, filmmakers and singers, served as emergency notepads and, most of all, bookmarks.&nbsp;

"As the metro ticket disappears, so does a part of our lives," said Gregoire Thonnat, a collector and author of a book on the history of the metro ticket. "The metro ticket is part of how we picture Paris." &nbsp;

Ile-de-France Mobilites, which operates the metro's ticketing system, wanted the pack of 10 tickets, known as 'carnets' gone by the first quarter of the year, the effects of pandemic, Ukraine war and global microchips shortage put a spanner in the plans.

The number of cardboard tickets sold still totals 550 million per year. This requires more than 50 tonnes of paper.

"We were in a hurry, but the chip crisis slowed us down," Laurent Probst, director-general at Ile-de-France Mobilites told AFP.&nbsp;

The operator has started cutting the number of metro stations that still sell carnets to nudge clients towards plastic cards, and many turnstiles can no longer read cardboard tickets.&nbsp;

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

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Phasing out of cardboard tickets is marking an end of an era for Paris Metro travellers as the simple form of ticket may soon be a thing of the past after being in circulation for 120 years.

Phasing out of cardboard tickets is marking an end of an era for Paris Metro travellers as the simple form of ticket may soon be a thing of the past after being in circulation for 120 years. Paris Metro is taking steps towards a contactless future. Though shift to more efficient technology might improve the service, the tickets, which have been part of Parisian life will evoke nostalgia. Beyond their intended use as a transport token, the tickets with their trademark magnetic strip have inspired artists, filmmakers and singers, served as emergency notepads and, most of all, bookmarks. "As the metro ticket disappears, so does a part of our lives," said Gregoire Thonnat, a collector and author of a book on the history of the metro ticket. "The metro ticket is part of how we picture Paris."  Ile-de-France Mobilites, which operates the metro's ticketing system, wanted the pack of 10 tickets, known as 'carnets' gone by the first quarter of the year, the effects of pandemic, Ukraine war and global microchips shortage put a spanner in the plans. The number of cardboard tickets sold still totals 550 million per year. This requires more than 50 tonnes of paper. "We were in a hurry, but the chip crisis slowed us down," Laurent Probst, director-general at Ile-de-France Mobilites told AFP. The operator has started cutting the number of metro stations that still sell carnets to nudge clients towards plastic cards, and many turnstiles can no longer read cardboard tickets. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Paris Metro to bid goodbye to cardboard tickets after 120 years

Social media and news websites are abuzz with the Aarey forest, again. The last time, the forest was in news, it was 2019 when the then Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray had relocated the proposed Colaba-Bandra-Seepz Metro Line 3 depot in the area to Kanjurmarg, east of Aarey, a day after assuming power. This move had led to a series of events which ultimately resulted in a stay on the car shed at Kanjurmarg and a cost escalation of roughly over ₹1000 crores on the conservation side.

But with the fall of the Thackerays and the re-entry of the BJP-led government, the ex-CM and the present Deputy CM, Devendra Fadnavis announced the relocation of the metro car shed back to Aarey. This has led to the resurrection of #SaveAarey protests, a citizen-led movement aimed at protecting the 32,000-acre Aarey Colony forests, a sensitive ecology home to various endangered plant and animal species, including leopards and around 27 tribal hamlets.

I was recently in Mumbai and to be frank, I love the city. It has an unforgettable welcoming charm to it. Though I have been living in Delhi-NCR for quite a while now, Mumbai does feel like a dreamy destination. However, I couldn’t help but notice the two things that the city is in a grave shortage of, trees and transportation. Apart from a few areas in the city, the foliage seems like a luxury and so does a safe public transportation system. The city’s traffic is slow and prone to traffic and therefore, the best way to get around it for tourists like me and millions of others is the famed Mumbai Local.

I was hoping to catch a local from Dadar to Chembur at 7:30 in the evening, it was a bad idea. Crowded or congested would be an understatement for the Local in front of me. Passengers clung onto the edges of the train, nearly a foot out of the local’s door, while the station itself was filled to its brim, so much so that people chose to hop on from one station to another on tracks while avoiding the jampacked foot-over bridges. I have been swarmed by a tsunami of people in the Delhi Metro’s Blue line and at Rajiv Chowk during the most crowded hours but nothing beats the colossal overload that Mumbai Local has to face daily.

The Mumbai Local network, by all means, is at the peak of its efficiency. This can be gauged by the fact that though a single 12-car local is authorised to carry 1174 passengers, these trains carry up to 6000 people at a typical peak hour. The Locals have an average waiting time of three minutes and as per Western Railways, the punctuality of the system was over 99% in 2021. However, this consistency just isn’t enough. An RTI in 2015 revealed that over 25,000 people fell out of overcrowded locals since 2005, out of these nearly 7,000 had died following the fall. On average, the city sees around seven to eight deaths due to overcrowded locals daily. And pretty much no one can forget the heart-wrenching stampede at Prabhadevi station in 2017.

Yes, the construction of the metro car shed in Aarey will result in the cutting down of trees and will certainly threaten the sensitive ecology of the area. But in this debate of environment vs development, we also need to think about the lives of millions of passengers on the overcrowded Mumbai Locals that are forced to play with their lives every day just to make ends meet. Dissent and disagreements have been a part of major infrastructure projects worldwide, but is hindering the growth of such projects, the way forward? From the Delhi Metro to the London Underground, and the New York Subway all these systems which today manage to keep thousands, if not millions of cars off the streets were once protested against. As per the Japan International Cooperation Association, the Delhi Metro alone has been able to take 1.2 lakh cars off the Delhi roads, thereby saving 6.3 lakh tonnes of CO2 ­emissions annually. &nbsp;

Our future generations deserve fresh air and a clean environment, they deserve trees and forests but they also deserve safe public transportation. Instead of no development at all, isn’t sustainable development a better way? Saving our environment is our duty as citizens and a metro system is a step exactly towards that goal. We can romanticise the Mumbai Local all we want but in reality, it is crushingly overloaded with the hopes and dreams of nearly 80 lakh Mumbaikars, daily.

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

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Social media and news websites are abuzz with the Aarey forest, again. The last time, the forest was in news, it was 2019 when the then Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray had relocated the proposed Colaba-Bandra-Seepz Metro Line 3 depot in the area to Kanjurmarg, east of Aarey, a day after assuming power.

Social media and news websites are abuzz with the Aarey forest, again. The last time, the forest was in news, it was 2019 when the then Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray had relocated the proposed Colaba-Bandra-Seepz Metro Line 3 depot in the area to Kanjurmarg, east of Aarey, a day after assuming power. This move had led to a series of events which ultimately resulted in a stay on the car shed at Kanjurmarg and a cost escalation of roughly over ₹1000 crores on the conservation side. But with the fall of the Thackerays and the re-entry of the BJP-led government, the ex-CM and the present Deputy CM, Devendra Fadnavis announced the relocation of the metro car shed back to Aarey. This has led to the resurrection of #SaveAarey protests, a citizen-led movement aimed at protecting the 32,000-acre Aarey Colony forests, a sensitive ecology home to various endangered plant and animal species, including leopards and around 27 tribal hamlets. I was recently in Mumbai and to be frank, I love the city. It has an unforgettable welcoming charm to it. Though I have been living in Delhi-NCR for quite a while now, Mumbai does feel like a dreamy destination. However, I couldn’t help but notice the two things that the city is in a grave shortage of, trees and transportation. Apart from a few areas in the city, the foliage seems like a luxury and so does a safe public transportation system. The city’s traffic is slow and prone to traffic and therefore, the best way to get around it for tourists like me and millions of others is the famed Mumbai Local. I was hoping to catch a local from Dadar to Chembur at 7:30 in the evening, it was a bad idea. Crowded or congested would be an understatement for the Local in front of me. Passengers clung onto the edges of the train, nearly a foot out of the local’s door, while the station itself was filled to its brim, so much so that people chose to hop on from one station to another on tracks while avoiding the jampacked foot-over bridges. I have been swarmed by a tsunami of people in the Delhi Metro’s Blue line and at Rajiv Chowk during the most crowded hours but nothing beats the colossal overload that Mumbai Local has to face daily. The Mumbai Local network, by all means, is at the peak of its efficiency. This can be gauged by the fact that though a single 12-car local is authorised to carry 1174 passengers, these trains carry up to 6000 people at a typical peak hour. The Locals have an average waiting time of three minutes and as per Western Railways, the punctuality of the system was over 99% in 2021. However, this consistency just isn’t enough. An RTI in 2015 revealed that over 25,000 people fell out of overcrowded locals since 2005, out of these nearly 7,000 had died following the fall. On average, the city sees around seven to eight deaths due to overcrowded locals daily. And pretty much no one can forget the heart-wrenching stampede at Prabhadevi station in 2017. Yes, the construction of the metro car shed in Aarey will result in the cutting down of trees and will certainly threaten the sensitive ecology of the area. But in this debate of environment vs development, we also need to think about the lives of millions of passengers on the overcrowded Mumbai Locals that are forced to play with their lives every day just to make ends meet. Dissent and disagreements have been a part of major infrastructure projects worldwide, but is hindering the growth of such projects, the way forward? From the Delhi Metro to the London Underground, and the New York Subway all these systems which today manage to keep thousands, if not millions of cars off the streets were once protested against. As per the Japan International Cooperation Association, the Delhi Metro alone has been able to take 1.2 lakh cars off the Delhi roads, thereby saving 6.3 lakh tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. Our future generations deserve fresh air and a clean environment, they deserve trees and forests but they also deserve safe public transportation. Instead of no development at all, isn’t sustainable development a better way? Saving our environment is our duty as citizens and a metro system is a step exactly towards that goal. We can romanticise the Mumbai Local all we want but in reality, it is crushingly overloaded with the hopes and dreams of nearly 80 lakh Mumbaikars, daily. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Save Aarey Protests: Yes, Mumbai needs trees but it needs a Metro too

In pics: India’s fastest metro train for the Delhi-Meerut Rapid Rail RRTS project

With an aim to provide speedy and clean urban transport system to the public, seven states and two Union Territories have sent 16 proposals for the expansion/fresh construction of metro rail projects to the Centre. 
 
The proposals also include three regional rapid transport systems that will connect different parts of Haryana and Rajasthan with Delhi, as well as two from Jammu and Kashmir. 
 
Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had told the Lok Sabha on February 10, that urban transport was an integral part of urban development, and while it is the responsibility of the state governments concerned to initiate, develop, and fund urban transport infrastructure including metro rail projects, the Central government considers financial assistance to such projects under the Metro Rail Policy, 2017.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/indias-railway-budget-400-new-gen-vande-bharat-trains-2000km-of-network-will-be-brought-under-kawach-tech-449474">India's Railway Budget: 400 new-gen 'Vande Bharat' trains, 2000km of network will be brought under KAWACH tech</a> 
 
"Based on the feasibility of the proposal and availability of resources, the Central government considers such projects in cities or urban agglomerates," Puri said, adding that no new metro rail proposal was submitted by the Gujarat government for funding. 
 
Of the 16 proposals, the most (three) were from Maharashtra, and included construction of the 43.80-km-long second phase of Nagpur Metro in five years from the date of approval. Similarly, the state has submitted a proposal for a 33-km-long Nashik Metro, to be completed in four years from the date of approval. 
 
The third proposal is for a 29-km-long Thane Internal Ring Project, likely to be completed in five years from the date of its approval. 
 
Puri said that the Delhi government has sent a proposal for constructing three remaining corridors of Delhi Metro under the fourth phase with a total length of 43.677 km, to be completed in five years from the start of work. 
 
The Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry has also received two metro rail projects from Kerala for Kochi Metro, of which a two-km-long stretch under Phase 1A which is likely to be completed by June this year. Another project is of 11.20-km-long corridor in Phase II that will likely be completed in four years from the date of its sanction. 
 
Uttar Pradesh has sent two proposals - one for the extension of 14.958-km-long Noida Metro from Sector 51 in Noida to Knowledge Park in Greater Noida, likely to be completed in 38 months from the date of its approval, and the second for a 15.14-km-long Gorakhpur MetroLite project in Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath`s home city, to be completed in four years from the date of sanction. 
 
From Jammu and Kashmir, a 23-km-long MetroLite project in Jammu and of the same length for Srinagar have been proposed, with a completion date of March 2026. 
 
The Tamil Nadu government has also sent a proposal for construction of 118.9-km-long second phase of Chennai Metro which is likely to be completed in six years from the date of sanction. 
 
The Centre has received a proposal for construction of 28.50-km-long Metro Rail Connectivity project that will connect from HUDA City Centre to Cyber City in Gurugram, and is likely to be completed in five years from the date of the sanction. 
 
It has received the proposal to construct a 22.424-km-long MetroNeo project in Uttarakhand capital Dehradun, likely to be completed in three years from the date of sanction. 
 
The three proposed Regional Rapid Transport Systems (RRTS), connecting various parts of Rajasthan and Haryana with Delhi, include the 107-km-long Delhi-SNB, and the 33.3-km-long SNB-Sotanala, connecting Delhi, Gurugram, Shahjahanpur, Neemrana, and Behror in Haryana and Rajasthan. These two projects are expected to be completed in six years and five years respectively from the date of sanctions. 
 
The third project is 103.02-km long-Delhi-Panipat RRTS that will connect the national capital with Haryana`s Sonipat and Panipat and is likely to be completed in six years from the date of sanction.

With an aim to provide speedy and clean urban transport system to the public, seven states and two Union Territories have sent 16 proposals for the expansion/fresh construction of metro rail projects to the Centre.

With an aim to provide speedy and clean urban transport system to the public, seven states and two Union Territories have sent 16 proposals for the expansion/fresh construction of metro rail projects to the Centre. The proposals also include three regional rapid transport systems that will connect different parts of Haryana and Rajasthan with Delhi, as well as two from Jammu and Kashmir. Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had told the Lok Sabha on February 10, that urban transport was an integral part of urban development, and while it is the responsibility of the state governments concerned to initiate, develop, and fund urban transport infrastructure including metro rail projects, the Central government considers financial assistance to such projects under the Metro Rail Policy, 2017. Also read | India's Railway Budget: 400 new-gen 'Vande Bharat' trains, 2000km of network will be brought under KAWACH tech "Based on the feasibility of the proposal and availability of resources, the Central government considers such projects in cities or urban agglomerates," Puri said, adding that no new metro rail proposal was submitted by the Gujarat government for funding. Of the 16 proposals, the most (three) were from Maharashtra, and included construction of the 43.80-km-long second phase of Nagpur Metro in five years from the date of approval. Similarly, the state has submitted a proposal for a 33-km-long Nashik Metro, to be completed in four years from the date of approval. The third proposal is for a 29-km-long Thane Internal Ring Project, likely to be completed in five years from the date of its approval. Puri said that the Delhi government has sent a proposal for constructing three remaining corridors of Delhi Metro under the fourth phase with a total length of 43.677 km, to be completed in five years from the start of work. The Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry has also received two metro rail projects from Kerala for Kochi Metro, of which a two-km-long stretch under Phase 1A which is likely to be completed by June this year. Another project is of 11.20-km-long corridor in Phase II that will likely be completed in four years from the date of its sanction. Uttar Pradesh has sent two proposals - one for the extension of 14.958-km-long Noida Metro from Sector 51 in Noida to Knowledge Park in Greater Noida, likely to be completed in 38 months from the date of its approval, and the second for a 15.14-km-long Gorakhpur MetroLite project in Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath`s home city, to be completed in four years from the date of sanction. From Jammu and Kashmir, a 23-km-long MetroLite project in Jammu and of the same length for Srinagar have been proposed, with a completion date of March 2026. The Tamil Nadu government has also sent a proposal for construction of 118.9-km-long second phase of Chennai Metro which is likely to be completed in six years from the date of sanction. The Centre has received a proposal for construction of 28.50-km-long Metro Rail Connectivity project that will connect from HUDA City Centre to Cyber City in Gurugram, and is likely to be completed in five years from the date of the sanction. It has received the proposal to construct a 22.424-km-long MetroNeo project in Uttarakhand capital Dehradun, likely to be completed in three years from the date of sanction. The three proposed Regional Rapid Transport Systems (RRTS), connecting various parts of Rajasthan and Haryana with Delhi, include the 107-km-long Delhi-SNB, and the 33.3-km-long SNB-Sotanala, connecting Delhi, Gurugram, Shahjahanpur, Neemrana, and Behror in Haryana and Rajasthan. These two projects are expected to be completed in six years and five years respectively from the date of sanctions. The third project is 103.02-km long-Delhi-Panipat RRTS that will connect the national capital with Haryana`s Sonipat and Panipat and is likely to be completed in six years from the date of sanction.

Centre receives 16 proposals for metro projects from states and union territories

Nearly 2,000 passengers on Wednesday took a ride on the Noida-Greater Noida metro which resumed service after a hiatus of over a month due to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a> curbs, officials said.

The passenger services on the Aqua Line that connects Noida and Greater Noida were suspended on May 1 as the second wave of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus</a> pandemic ravaged the region.

The resumption of services was announced on Monday, the day Gautam Buddh Nagar district, adjoining Delhi, in western Uttar Pradesh also eased COVID-19 curbs amid a dip in new cases of coronavirus.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/noida-metro-restart-plan-aarogya-setu-app-body-temp-below-378-c-must-for-passengers-299081">Noida Metro restart plan: Aarogya Setu app, body temp below 37.8 C must for passengers</a>

"The total ridership on the Noida-Greater Noida Metro stood at 1,992 on Wednesday," a Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) official said.

The NMRC had on Monday said keeping in view the night curfew and also to discourage people to move out due to the pandemic, trains will be operated from 7 am to 8 pm on weekdays only i.e., Monday to Friday.

As the weekend curfew is still in practice, train services will not be operated on weekends i.e., Saturday and Sunday, NMRC Managing Director Ritu Maheshwari had said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-unlock-40-metro-rail-services-to-restart-from-september-7-schools-universities-to-remain-closed-323961">India Unlock 4.0: Metro rail services to restart from September 7; schools, universities to remain closed</a>

There would be one train every 15 minutes during peak hours (8 am to 11 am and 5 pm to 8 pm) and one train every 30 minutes during non-peak hours, according to the NMRC.

There will also be 'fast trains'&nbsp;that will run on weekdays during peak hours and not stop at Sector 50, 101, 81, 83, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, and148 stations, it had said.

The NMRC's decision to run 'fast trains'&nbsp;has met with criticism from several residents of Noida and Greater Noida who have objected to the trains skipping some stations.

Nearly 2,000 passengers on Wednesday took a ride on the Noida-Greater Noida metro which resumed service after a hiatus of over a month due to COVID-19 curbs, officials said.

Nearly 2,000 passengers on Wednesday took a ride on the Noida-Greater Noida metro which resumed service after a hiatus of over a month due to COVID-19 curbs, officials said. The passenger services on the Aqua Line that connects Noida and Greater Noida were suspended on May 1 as the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic ravaged the region. The resumption of services was announced on Monday, the day Gautam Buddh Nagar district, adjoining Delhi, in western Uttar Pradesh also eased COVID-19 curbs amid a dip in new cases of coronavirus. Also read | Noida Metro restart plan: Aarogya Setu app, body temp below 37.8 C must for passengers "The total ridership on the Noida-Greater Noida Metro stood at 1,992 on Wednesday," a Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) official said. The NMRC had on Monday said keeping in view the night curfew and also to discourage people to move out due to the pandemic, trains will be operated from 7 am to 8 pm on weekdays only i.e., Monday to Friday. As the weekend curfew is still in practice, train services will not be operated on weekends i.e., Saturday and Sunday, NMRC Managing Director Ritu Maheshwari had said. Also read | India Unlock 4.0: Metro rail services to restart from September 7; schools, universities to remain closed There would be one train every 15 minutes during peak hours (8 am to 11 am and 5 pm to 8 pm) and one train every 30 minutes during non-peak hours, according to the NMRC. There will also be 'fast trains' that will run on weekdays during peak hours and not stop at Sector 50, 101, 81, 83, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, and148 stations, it had said. The NMRC's decision to run 'fast trains' has met with criticism from several residents of Noida and Greater Noida who have objected to the trains skipping some stations.

Noida Metro resumes service after coronavirus second wave break

A quick-thinking Indian origin metro train driver saved an Asian man, who was shoved onto the tracks in an apparent hate crime, according to media reports.&nbsp;

The driver, Tobin Madathil, said that he had put the train on an emergency mode after he saw the man on the tracks, managing to stop the train less than 10 metres from the victim, and went on to help him, the New York Post reported on Tuesday.&nbsp;

He told the newspaper, "I'm glad I was able to stop on time and didn't hit the guy, thank God!"&nbsp;

The Hill website called him "heroic."&nbsp;

Police told the newspaper that they were investigating the attack on the Asian man as a possible hate crime.&nbsp;

The 36-year-old man was pushed from the platform in front of the train that Madathil driving just as it was approaching the underground station on Monday.&nbsp;

Police described to the Post the alleged attacker they were searching for as a Black man and tweeted a picture of the suspect.&nbsp;

New York City has suffered an upsurge of communal violence against Asians and Jews most of them perpetrated by non-White persons. This year, till the beginning of May, there were 80 hate crime attacks on Asians in the city and 54 against Jews, according to police.&nbsp;

"Right when I was coming into the station people were waving at me, and that's when I immediately placed the train into emergency mode," Madathil, 29, who has been a driver with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for two years, told the Post.&nbsp;

"I exited the train and went to the victim. He was bleeding from the head."&nbsp;

The metro transit system is referred to as the "subway" in New York and the drivers as "operators".&nbsp;

"I just try to stay focused at all times when I operate, just watch the tracks and platform, just be alert," Madathil said.&nbsp;

The victim was taken to a hospital with injuries to the head.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A quick-thinking Indian origin metro train driver saved an Asian man, who was shoved onto the tracks in an apparent hate crime, according to media reports. The driver, Tobin Madathil, said that he had put the train on an emergency mode after he saw the man on the tracks, managing to stop the train less than 10 metres from the victim, and went on to help him, the New York Post reported on Tuesday.

A quick-thinking Indian origin metro train driver saved an Asian man, who was shoved onto the tracks in an apparent hate crime, according to media reports. The driver, Tobin Madathil, said that he had put the train on an emergency mode after he saw the man on the tracks, managing to stop the train less than 10 metres from the victim, and went on to help him, the New York Post reported on Tuesday. He told the newspaper, "I'm glad I was able to stop on time and didn't hit the guy, thank God!" The Hill website called him "heroic." Police told the newspaper that they were investigating the attack on the Asian man as a possible hate crime. The 36-year-old man was pushed from the platform in front of the train that Madathil driving just as it was approaching the underground station on Monday. Police described to the Post the alleged attacker they were searching for as a Black man and tweeted a picture of the suspect. New York City has suffered an upsurge of communal violence against Asians and Jews most of them perpetrated by non-White persons. This year, till the beginning of May, there were 80 hate crime attacks on Asians in the city and 54 against Jews, according to police. "Right when I was coming into the station people were waving at me, and that's when I immediately placed the train into emergency mode," Madathil, 29, who has been a driver with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for two years, told the Post. "I exited the train and went to the victim. He was bleeding from the head." The metro transit system is referred to as the "subway" in New York and the drivers as "operators". "I just try to stay focused at all times when I operate, just watch the tracks and platform, just be alert," Madathil said. The victim was taken to a hospital with injuries to the head. (With inputs from agencies)

'Heroic' Indian American metro train driver saves Asian man from hate crime 

On Monday, an elevated tram outran its tracks in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

It did not plunge off the pathway, but instead ended up on top of a statue of a whale’s tail. If it had outrun the track, the train would went down by 10 metres. The conductor showed up from the tram shocked, but still unharmed. Additionally, there were no passengers onboard the train.

<img alt="A general view of a metro that crashed through a stop block and landed on an artwork of a whale tail at De Akkers subway station in Spijkenisse, near Roterdam, Netherlands November 2, 2020" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ef972c4b-7973-47b8-a650-5cb3c20a08c2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%285%29_44.jpg" />

<h6>A general view of a metro that crashed through a stop block and landed on an artwork of a whale tail at De Akkers subway station in Spijkenisse, near Roterdam, Netherlands November 2, 2020 | Reuters</h6>

&nbsp;

The statue’s name is coincidentally "Saved by a Whale's Tale", but its curators didn’t have saving a train in mind when they came up with the concept.

"Of course it does look rather poetic," artist and architect Maarten Struijs said in conversation with the Algemeen Dagblad newspaper.&nbsp;

<img alt="A general view of a metro that crashed through a stop block and landed on an artwork of a whale tail at De Akkers subway station in Spijkenisse, near Roterdam, Netherlands November 2, 2020." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0106ee43-a9c3-4764-bcf5-6df8bdca06da" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%286%29_50.jpg" />

<h6>A general view of a metro that crashed through a stop block and landed on an artwork of a whale tail at De Akkers subway station in Spijkenisse, near Roterdam, Netherlands November 2, 2020 | Reuters</h6>

"But it's really lucky that the tail can bear the weight of the train”, the artist added.

Passers-by noticed the tram suspended on top of the statue. Many on social media suggested the train to be permanently stationed on the spot. Rotterdam Metro and local officials claimed that it wouldn’t be safe.

Currently, engineers are trying to understand how the tram derailed, and how to safely remove it from the statue.

On Monday, an elevated tram outran its tracks in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. It did not plunge off the pathway, but instead ended up on top of a statue of a whale’s tail.

On Monday, an elevated tram outran its tracks in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. It did not plunge off the pathway, but instead ended up on top of a statue of a whale’s tail. If it had outrun the track, the train would went down by 10 metres. The conductor showed up from the tram shocked, but still unharmed. Additionally, there were no passengers onboard the train. A general view of a metro that crashed through a stop block and landed on an artwork of a whale tail at De Akkers subway station in Spijkenisse, near Roterdam, Netherlands November 2, 2020 | Reuters The statue’s name is coincidentally "Saved by a Whale's Tale", but its curators didn’t have saving a train in mind when they came up with the concept. "Of course it does look rather poetic," artist and architect Maarten Struijs said in conversation with the Algemeen Dagblad newspaper. A general view of a metro that crashed through a stop block and landed on an artwork of a whale tail at De Akkers subway station in Spijkenisse, near Roterdam, Netherlands November 2, 2020 | Reuters "But it's really lucky that the tail can bear the weight of the train”, the artist added. Passers-by noticed the tram suspended on top of the statue. Many on social media suggested the train to be permanently stationed on the spot. Rotterdam Metro and local officials claimed that it wouldn’t be safe. Currently, engineers are trying to understand how the tram derailed, and how to safely remove it from the statue.

Saved by a Whale's Tale: Tram runs off track, lands on whale statue's tail in the Netherlands

The metro train services in the capital city of Delhi resumed services on Monday after experiencing a shut down for more than five months imposed to contain the spread of novel coronavirus.

The metro services are to begin in a phased manner and on Monday, Yellow Line that connects Samaypur Badli in Delhi to the HUDA City Centre in Gurgaon began operation.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-unlock-40-metro-rail-services-to-restart-from-september-7-schools-universities-to-remain-closed-323961">India Unlock 4.0: Metro rail services to restart from September 7; schools, universities to remain closed</a>

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has decided to resume services with Yellow Line or Line 2 and Rapid Metro and the entire operations are scheduled to begin in three phases from September 7 to September 12.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/berlin-metro-to-change-derogatory-station-name-by-end-of-year-310741#:~:text=Berlin's%20public%20transport%20company%20BVG,for%20people%20from%20North%20Africa.">Berlin metro to change derogatory station name by end of year</a>

Officials have said that in the first stage, Delhi Metro will run for four hours each from 7-11 am in the morning and 4-8 pm in the evening.&nbsp;

Check out some of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOFs) issued by the government of India for the resumption of metro services.&nbsp;

1. The wearing of face masks are mandatory for all the passengers and metro staff.&nbsp; 
2. Only asymptomatic people will be allowed to travel following a thermal screening at the entry of a metro station.&nbsp; 
3. Passengers will be encouraged to use smart cards/ online transactions for boarding a metro train. Tokens/ tickets will only be issued after proper sanitisation.&nbsp; 
4. Sanitizers to made available at the entry points of the metro stations.&nbsp; 
5. Passengers are advised to carry minimum luggage and avoid carrying metallic items.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The metro train services in the capital city of Delhi resumed services on Monday after experiencing a shut down for more than five months imposed to contain the spread of novel coronavirus.

The metro train services in the capital city of Delhi resumed services on Monday after experiencing a shut down for more than five months imposed to contain the spread of novel coronavirus. The metro services are to begin in a phased manner and on Monday, Yellow Line that connects Samaypur Badli in Delhi to the HUDA City Centre in Gurgaon began operation. Also read | India Unlock 4.0: Metro rail services to restart from September 7; schools, universities to remain closed The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has decided to resume services with Yellow Line or Line 2 and Rapid Metro and the entire operations are scheduled to begin in three phases from September 7 to September 12. Also read | Berlin metro to change derogatory station name by end of year Officials have said that in the first stage, Delhi Metro will run for four hours each from 7-11 am in the morning and 4-8 pm in the evening. Check out some of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOFs) issued by the government of India for the resumption of metro services. 1. The wearing of face masks are mandatory for all the passengers and metro staff. 2. Only asymptomatic people will be allowed to travel following a thermal screening at the entry of a metro station. 3. Passengers will be encouraged to use smart cards/ online transactions for boarding a metro train. Tokens/ tickets will only be issued after proper sanitisation. 4. Sanitizers to made available at the entry points of the metro stations. 5. Passengers are advised to carry minimum luggage and avoid carrying metallic items.

Delhi Metro resumes services: Here is a list of SOPs that you should know

Unlock 4: Delhi metro resumes services after COVID-19 lockdown

A plea seeking linking of a metro card and/or token with the commuter's address proof was declined by Delhi High Court.

The plea has been dismissed by High Court stating that&nbsp;no representation about the issue had been made to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) before moving the court.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-19-this-sikh-shrine-in-indias-national-capital-feeds-close-to-75000-people-every-day-297592">Also read:&nbsp;COVID-19: This Sikh shrine in India's national capital feeds close to 75,000 people every day</a>

The petitioners had requested to link the metro cards with the address and identity proof. The request was made to make sure that a right to ownership can be claimed over the metro cards and tokens, in case it is stolen or lost.

They also stated that it will help the government keep a track of commuters in the pandemic situation.

The bench consisted of Justice Manmohan and Justice Sanjeev Narula. The bench has asked the petitioners to to first move the representation before the DMRC on this issue.

In case the petitioners move a representation to the DMRC, it is supposed to dispose of the plea within four weeks by a reasoned order after taking inputs from authorities concerned.

(With inputs from ANI)

A plea seeking linking of a metro card and/or token with the commuter's address proof was declined by Delhi High Court. The plea has been dismissed by High Court stating that no representation about the issue had been made to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) before moving the court.

A plea seeking linking of a metro card and/or token with the commuter's address proof was declined by Delhi High Court. The plea has been dismissed by High Court stating that no representation about the issue had been made to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) before moving the court. Also read: COVID-19: This Sikh shrine in India's national capital feeds close to 75,000 people every day The petitioners had requested to link the metro cards with the address and identity proof. The request was made to make sure that a right to ownership can be claimed over the metro cards and tokens, in case it is stolen or lost. They also stated that it will help the government keep a track of commuters in the pandemic situation. The bench consisted of Justice Manmohan and Justice Sanjeev Narula. The bench has asked the petitioners to to first move the representation before the DMRC on this issue. In case the petitioners move a representation to the DMRC, it is supposed to dispose of the plea within four weeks by a reasoned order after taking inputs from authorities concerned. (With inputs from ANI)

Delhi HC declines plea to link metro card with address proof

People travelling on Noida Metro Rail Corporation's Aqua Line will now be able to book train coaches for personal or professional events.&nbsp;

According to reports, the service will be available for Rs 5,000-10,000 per hour as per the service packages.

The move has been taken to increase Metro's viability and to provide better facilities to commuters.&nbsp;

A press release posted on the Noida Metro's official website reads, "Noida Metro in addition to the mode of travel, will also become an accessible, attractive and affordable destination for entertainment and celebrations that too at a very reasonable cost".

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/delhi-metro-station-brings-alive-memories-of-partition-265263">Delhi Metro station brings alive memories of partition</a>

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Noida Metro Rail Corp has introduced new facility for commuters in which a coach or complete metro can be booked at Rs 5,000-10,000/hr package to have official or personal events. Ritu Maheshwari, MD says, "Decision taken to increase Metro's viability&amp;to give better facilities". <a href="https://t.co/yeHyo42ECg">pic.twitter.com/yeHyo42ECg</a>
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/1228269469681602561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2020</a></blockquote>
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"The aim behind the policy is to develop NMRC as the unique destination for Birthday and Pre-Wedding Celebrations for residents of Noida and Greater Noida," it read.&nbsp;

The applicant can choose to get one to four Metro coaches booked for the event. The applicant will need to submit an application to NMRC at least 15 days in advance. The applications will be considered on 'first come first serve' basis.&nbsp;

The applicants will need to pay license fee which may vary from Rs 5,000 to 10,000 per hour/per metro coach, excluding taxes.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lifeline-of-delhi-ncr-delhi-metro-completes-17-years-of-operations-270188">Delhi Metro completes 17 years of operations</a>

Decorated or undecorated coach in a running metro or a static metro will also incur charges accordingly.

Besides this, a refundable, interest-free security deposit of Rs 20,000 should also be deposited by the applicant.&nbsp;

"The coach(es) (decorated/undecorated) in regular running metro shall be available in the operational hours whereas in stand still metro shall be available in operational hours as well as non-operational hours. Non-operational hours would be from 11 pm to 2 am only," the NMRC stated on its website.

Not more than 50 people shall be allowed per coach for the event.&nbsp;

People travelling on Noida Metro Rail Corporation's Aqua Line will now be able to book train coaches for personal or professional events. According to reports, the service will be available for Rs 5,000-10,000 per hour as per the service packages.

People travelling on Noida Metro Rail Corporation's Aqua Line will now be able to book train coaches for personal or professional events. According to reports, the service will be available for Rs 5,000-10,000 per hour as per the service packages. The move has been taken to increase Metro's viability and to provide better facilities to commuters. A press release posted on the Noida Metro's official website reads, "Noida Metro in addition to the mode of travel, will also become an accessible, attractive and affordable destination for entertainment and celebrations that too at a very reasonable cost". Also read: Delhi Metro station brings alive memories of partition Noida Metro Rail Corp has introduced new facility for commuters in which a coach or complete metro can be booked at Rs 5,000-10,000/hr package to have official or personal events. Ritu Maheshwari, MD says, "Decision taken to increase Metro's viability&to give better facilities". pic.twitter.com/yeHyo42ECg — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 14, 2020 × "The aim behind the policy is to develop NMRC as the unique destination for Birthday and Pre-Wedding Celebrations for residents of Noida and Greater Noida," it read. The applicant can choose to get one to four Metro coaches booked for the event. The applicant will need to submit an application to NMRC at least 15 days in advance. The applications will be considered on 'first come first serve' basis. The applicants will need to pay license fee which may vary from Rs 5,000 to 10,000 per hour/per metro coach, excluding taxes. Also read: Delhi Metro completes 17 years of operations Decorated or undecorated coach in a running metro or a static metro will also incur charges accordingly. Besides this, a refundable, interest-free security deposit of Rs 20,000 should also be deposited by the applicant. "The coach(es) (decorated/undecorated) in regular running metro shall be available in the operational hours whereas in stand still metro shall be available in operational hours as well as non-operational hours. Non-operational hours would be from 11 pm to 2 am only," the NMRC stated on its website. Not more than 50 people shall be allowed per coach for the event.

Not just travel, you can now throw birthday parties and pre-wedding celebration on Noida Metro's Aqua Line

The Delhi Metro, the lifeline of Delhi-NCR, has completed 17 years of operations and continues to remain the most popular form of mass transport in the city.

Measuring nearly 350 kilometres and having 253 stations, the Delhi Metro network has over the years spanned length and breadth, covering every nook and corner of the city and the nearby NCR, with a ridership of over 26 lakh people annually.

On December 24, 2002, the Delhi Metro began operations along an 8.5-kilometre stretch between Shahdara and Tis Hazari stations on the Red Line.

As the years progressed, more lines have been constructed under three phases and today, Delhi has one of the most extensive metro networks in India.

It has been built with assistance from Japan, which helped Delhi Metro with funding of its projects.

Currently, there are nine-colour coded metro lines -- Red Line (Dilshad Garden to Shaheed Sthal New Bus Adda), Blue Line (Dwarka Sector 21 to Noida Electronic City/Vaishali), Yellow Line (Samaypur Badli to HUDA City Centre), Green Line (Inderlok/Kirti Nagar to Brigadier Hoshiyar Singh), Violet Line (Kashmere Gate to Raja Nahar Singh Ballabhgarh), Airport Express Line (New Delhi to Dwarka Sector 21), Magenta Line (Janakpuri West to Botanical Garden), Pink Line (Majlis Park to Mayur Vihar Pocket 1 and Trilokpuri Sanjay Lake to Shiv Vihar) and Grey Line (Dwarka to Najafgarh).

To mark the occasion, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) organised an exhibition, an audio-visual look back at the journey so far, a live puppet show and an instrumental music performance at its headquarters, Metro Bhawan, at Barakhamba Road.

"Commemorating the 17 years of operations of Delhi Metro, Dr Mangu Singh, Managing Director/DMRC, viewed the exhibition featuring paintings of the metro by renowned artists and photographs taken by our passengers," DMRC tweeted.

"Celebrating the special day, an event with instrumental music, videos featuring spectacular visuals of Delhi Metro, an entertaining puppet show featuring travel etiquettes, and a special appearance by Mr Shammi Narang and Ms Rini Khanna, the voice of Delhi Metro, was organised," it said.

"On this day, 17 years ago, Delhi Metro began its operations from Shahdara to Tis Hazari. Speaking on the occasion, MD/DMRC, Dr Mangu Singh recounted his journey and interesting experiences with the Delhi Metro," Delhi Metro said in a follow-up tweet.

The DMRC has a good presence on social media, where it regularly informs commuters about delays or make announcements apart from sharing throwback photographs as well.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The Delhi Metro, the lifeline of Delhi-NCR, has completed 17 years of operations and continues to remain the most popular form of mass transport in the city. Measuring nearly 350 kilometres and having 253 stations, the Delhi Metro network has over the years spanned length and breadth, covering every nook and corner of the city and the nearby NCR, with a ridership of over 26 lakh people annually.

The Delhi Metro, the lifeline of Delhi-NCR, has completed 17 years of operations and continues to remain the most popular form of mass transport in the city. Measuring nearly 350 kilometres and having 253 stations, the Delhi Metro network has over the years spanned length and breadth, covering every nook and corner of the city and the nearby NCR, with a ridership of over 26 lakh people annually. On December 24, 2002, the Delhi Metro began operations along an 8.5-kilometre stretch between Shahdara and Tis Hazari stations on the Red Line. As the years progressed, more lines have been constructed under three phases and today, Delhi has one of the most extensive metro networks in India. It has been built with assistance from Japan, which helped Delhi Metro with funding of its projects. Currently, there are nine-colour coded metro lines -- Red Line (Dilshad Garden to Shaheed Sthal New Bus Adda), Blue Line (Dwarka Sector 21 to Noida Electronic City/Vaishali), Yellow Line (Samaypur Badli to HUDA City Centre), Green Line (Inderlok/Kirti Nagar to Brigadier Hoshiyar Singh), Violet Line (Kashmere Gate to Raja Nahar Singh Ballabhgarh), Airport Express Line (New Delhi to Dwarka Sector 21), Magenta Line (Janakpuri West to Botanical Garden), Pink Line (Majlis Park to Mayur Vihar Pocket 1 and Trilokpuri Sanjay Lake to Shiv Vihar) and Grey Line (Dwarka to Najafgarh). To mark the occasion, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) organised an exhibition, an audio-visual look back at the journey so far, a live puppet show and an instrumental music performance at its headquarters, Metro Bhawan, at Barakhamba Road. "Commemorating the 17 years of operations of Delhi Metro, Dr Mangu Singh, Managing Director/DMRC, viewed the exhibition featuring paintings of the metro by renowned artists and photographs taken by our passengers," DMRC tweeted. "Celebrating the special day, an event with instrumental music, videos featuring spectacular visuals of Delhi Metro, an entertaining puppet show featuring travel etiquettes, and a special appearance by Mr Shammi Narang and Ms Rini Khanna, the voice of Delhi Metro, was organised," it said. "On this day, 17 years ago, Delhi Metro began its operations from Shahdara to Tis Hazari. Speaking on the occasion, MD/DMRC, Dr Mangu Singh recounted his journey and interesting experiences with the Delhi Metro," Delhi Metro said in a follow-up tweet. The DMRC has a good presence on social media, where it regularly informs commuters about delays or make announcements apart from sharing throwback photographs as well.

Lifeline of Delhi-NCR: Delhi Metro completes 17 years of operations

Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday addressed a press conference in Chennai to highlight the achievements of the Modi 2.0 government and talked about the abrogation of Article 370, 35A and rolling out of GST and Income tax reforms. Sitharaman also responded to a plethora of questions ranging from the slump in the economy to the slowdown in the automobile sector, among other political issues.

Being in the automobile capital, Chennai, the Minister when peppered with questions on the slowdown in the sector, which is said to be the worst in nearly two decades said, “it is true that the automobile sector in India had a good time till two years ago, there was definitely a good upward trajectory for automobile sector. The automobile sector is affected by a range of issues such as the rollout of Bharat Stage VI emission standard, higher registration fee, the mindset of millennials who prefer to use ride-hailing services such as Ola and Uber over committing to an EMI for purchasing a vehicle, besides the use of public transport such as metro.”

There is a demand to consider the reduction of GST rates, what will be considered I can’t say, as it has to be decided by the GST Council, she said when asked if the GST on automobiles will be cut ahead of the festive season.

On the merger of banks, she said, The government has announced the merger of 10 public sector banks (PSBs) into four strong lenders with countrywide networks and global reach to boost credit and revive economic growth said the minister.

"The banks will benefit from each other's strength. A growing economy needs good banks. That was the reason behind merging banks. The effective date of mergers will be decided by the respective board of directors," said Sitharaman.

Speaking on the GDP that is hovering around five per cent and the scenario that led to this she said, the concerns which industries have, we are speaking to them. The GDP growth rate is at five per cent in one quarter, we won’t compare it with earlier times. &nbsp;Dips and rise in GDP growth do happen, but we are not sitting without responding to boost it. Our full focus now is on how it will rise.

Emphasizing on the closer ties between India and Russia, she said the East Russia- Chennai sea route is a big step. She recollected that during the 2016-17 Russia talks, business representatives from the East of Ural mountains states had come to Chennai and representatives from Chennai had reciprocated the visit. She added that there was 40 per cent higher trade from India’s southern states within a single year. Henceforth, goods from Vladivostok will reach Chennai port and spread across India.&nbsp;

Responding to concerns about the rising Gold prices and whether the government would move to control the rise, the Minister said, “we don't have the yellow metal in our country, we depend on importing it. So its price depends on demand in the market, Dollar rate, crude rate etc. As a lot of people invest in gold, a lot of factors determine the gold price and the government can’t easily step in to control it.&nbsp;

“Congress leadership should look at what is happening in the country and speak in one voice on issues of national security, some of Rahul Gandhi’s statements have helped Pakistan’s cause”, she said to a question on Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi’s statements being quoted by Pakistan.

Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday addressed a press conference in Chennai to highlight the achievements of the Modi 2.0 government and talked about the abrogation of Article 370, 35A and rolling out of GST and Income tax reforms.

Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday addressed a press conference in Chennai to highlight the achievements of the Modi 2.0 government and talked about the abrogation of Article 370, 35A and rolling out of GST and Income tax reforms. Sitharaman also responded to a plethora of questions ranging from the slump in the economy to the slowdown in the automobile sector, among other political issues. Being in the automobile capital, Chennai, the Minister when peppered with questions on the slowdown in the sector, which is said to be the worst in nearly two decades said, “it is true that the automobile sector in India had a good time till two years ago, there was definitely a good upward trajectory for automobile sector. The automobile sector is affected by a range of issues such as the rollout of Bharat Stage VI emission standard, higher registration fee, the mindset of millennials who prefer to use ride-hailing services such as Ola and Uber over committing to an EMI for purchasing a vehicle, besides the use of public transport such as metro.” There is a demand to consider the reduction of GST rates, what will be considered I can’t say, as it has to be decided by the GST Council, she said when asked if the GST on automobiles will be cut ahead of the festive season. On the merger of banks, she said, The government has announced the merger of 10 public sector banks (PSBs) into four strong lenders with countrywide networks and global reach to boost credit and revive economic growth said the minister. "The banks will benefit from each other's strength. A growing economy needs good banks. That was the reason behind merging banks. The effective date of mergers will be decided by the respective board of directors," said Sitharaman. Speaking on the GDP that is hovering around five per cent and the scenario that led to this she said, the concerns which industries have, we are speaking to them. The GDP growth rate is at five per cent in one quarter, we won’t compare it with earlier times. Dips and rise in GDP growth do happen, but we are not sitting without responding to boost it. Our full focus now is on how it will rise. Emphasizing on the closer ties between India and Russia, she said the East Russia- Chennai sea route is a big step. She recollected that during the 2016-17 Russia talks, business representatives from the East of Ural mountains states had come to Chennai and representatives from Chennai had reciprocated the visit. She added that there was 40 per cent higher trade from India’s southern states within a single year. Henceforth, goods from Vladivostok will reach Chennai port and spread across India. Responding to concerns about the rising Gold prices and whether the government would move to control the rise, the Minister said, “we don't have the yellow metal in our country, we depend on importing it. So its price depends on demand in the market, Dollar rate, crude rate etc. As a lot of people invest in gold, a lot of factors determine the gold price and the government can’t easily step in to control it. “Congress leadership should look at what is happening in the country and speak in one voice on issues of national security, some of Rahul Gandhi’s statements have helped Pakistan’s cause”, she said to a question on Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi’s statements being quoted by Pakistan.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman blames Uber, Ola, metro trains and BS VI for auto slowdown

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the unique Water Metro project will become operational by March next year in the state and added that it would require the efforts of all stakeholders.

"Water Metro is the first water transport system of its kind in India. The project will be implemented in a timely manner and the first phase will become a reality in March 2020. This will require the support of all representatives," Vijayan said at an event for the ground-breaking ceremony of the first terminal of the water metro.

The inauguration of Maharaja's College - Thykoodam stretch and stone-laying of Petta- SN Junction stretch was also carried out by the Kerala CM at the event attended by Union Minister of State (MoS) for Housing and Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri.

Stressing upon the need for infrastructure development, Vijayan said, "The aim is to improve the infrastructure and building upon the trust of the people and implementing the development work. The government has already begun the process of developing the infrastructure."

The Water Metro is an integrated water transport project connecting 10 islands in Kochi's suburbs.

Under the Water Metro project, a total of 78 fast, fuel-efficient, air-conditioned boats will ply on 15 routes covering a distance of 76 km through Kochi backwaters.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the unique Water Metro project will become operational by March next year in the state and added that it would require the efforts of all stakeholders.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the unique Water Metro project will become operational by March next year in the state and added that it would require the efforts of all stakeholders. "Water Metro is the first water transport system of its kind in India. The project will be implemented in a timely manner and the first phase will become a reality in March 2020. This will require the support of all representatives," Vijayan said at an event for the ground-breaking ceremony of the first terminal of the water metro. The inauguration of Maharaja's College - Thykoodam stretch and stone-laying of Petta- SN Junction stretch was also carried out by the Kerala CM at the event attended by Union Minister of State (MoS) for Housing and Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri. Stressing upon the need for infrastructure development, Vijayan said, "The aim is to improve the infrastructure and building upon the trust of the people and implementing the development work. The government has already begun the process of developing the infrastructure." The Water Metro is an integrated water transport project connecting 10 islands in Kochi's suburbs. Under the Water Metro project, a total of 78 fast, fuel-efficient, air-conditioned boats will ply on 15 routes covering a distance of 76 km through Kochi backwaters.

Kochi's water metro to become operational by March: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan

Metro said that an unsolicited offer by two prominent investors to take over the German retailer substantially undervalues it and advised shareholders on Sunday to hold off on taking action until management comments further.

On Friday, EP Global Commerce, an acquisition vehicle owned by the Czech and Slovak investors, made the takeover offer, which valued the company at 5.8 billion euros ($6.6 billion).

The retailer, noting that the offer price was only 3% above the closing share price on Friday, said the bid "substantially undervalues the company and does not reflect its value creation plan".

Metro said management was continuing to transform the company. It said it would comment further once the full offer document was available and that shareholders should take no action in the meanwhile.

EP Global Commerce, which already held a stake of nearly 11% in Metro, said on Friday that its offer price of 16 euros for each ordinary share and 13.80 euros for each preferred share represented a 34.5% premium to when EP Global Commerce made its initial investment in August.

The firm, co-owned by Czech investor Daniel Kretinsky and Slovak partner Patrik Tkac, said the offer was "a compelling value and a unique opportunity" for shareholders given the difficult market and challenges facing Metro.

Once a sprawling retail conglomerate, Metro has in recent years been restructuring to focus on its core cash-and-carry business, selling off the Kaufhof department stores and then splitting from consumer electronics group Ceconomy.

It still operates in 26 countries with 771 stores and 150,000 employees, but it is trying to offload its loss-making Real hypermarkets chain, as well as its operations in China.

The Czech and Slovak bidders signalled that further changes were needed at Metro, though they said they would not close stores in Germany and its core markets, or cut jobs substantially.

"Metro needs to regain the capability to swiftly react," they said, adding that otherwise, it "would be exposed to significant risks due to stagnant or declining results." ($1 = 0.8798 euros)

Metro said that an unsolicited offer by two prominent investors to take over the German retailer substantially undervalues it and advised shareholders on Sunday to hold off on taking action until management comments further.

Metro said that an unsolicited offer by two prominent investors to take over the German retailer substantially undervalues it and advised shareholders on Sunday to hold off on taking action until management comments further. On Friday, EP Global Commerce, an acquisition vehicle owned by the Czech and Slovak investors, made the takeover offer, which valued the company at 5.8 billion euros ($6.6 billion). The retailer, noting that the offer price was only 3% above the closing share price on Friday, said the bid "substantially undervalues the company and does not reflect its value creation plan". Metro said management was continuing to transform the company. It said it would comment further once the full offer document was available and that shareholders should take no action in the meanwhile. EP Global Commerce, which already held a stake of nearly 11% in Metro, said on Friday that its offer price of 16 euros for each ordinary share and 13.80 euros for each preferred share represented a 34.5% premium to when EP Global Commerce made its initial investment in August. The firm, co-owned by Czech investor Daniel Kretinsky and Slovak partner Patrik Tkac, said the offer was "a compelling value and a unique opportunity" for shareholders given the difficult market and challenges facing Metro. Once a sprawling retail conglomerate, Metro has in recent years been restructuring to focus on its core cash-and-carry business, selling off the Kaufhof department stores and then splitting from consumer electronics group Ceconomy. It still operates in 26 countries with 771 stores and 150,000 employees, but it is trying to offload its loss-making Real hypermarkets chain, as well as its operations in China. The Czech and Slovak bidders signalled that further changes were needed at Metro, though they said they would not close stores in Germany and its core markets, or cut jobs substantially. "Metro needs to regain the capability to swiftly react," they said, adding that otherwise, it "would be exposed to significant risks due to stagnant or declining results." ($1 = 0.8798 euros)

Germany's Metro says $6.6 billion bid undervalues company

With Assembly polls due early next year in the city, the Aam Aadmi Party government is considering to make metro and bus travel free for women in Delhi "to encourage them to use public transport".

At a public meeting in New Delhi Saturday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also said his government is in touch with city's power regulator to bring down fixed charge component of electricity bill.

"The government is considering to waive fare for women in DTC buses and Delhi Metro to encourage them to use public transport in view of their safety.

An announcement in this regard will be made on June 3," the chief minister said at the public meeting in New Delhi.

A Delhi government official said Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot has already taken meetings to discuss various aspects of fare-waiver to women in all public transport buses -- run by DTC and DIMTS -- and Delhi metro.

However, Transport Department officials point out that while allowing free travel in Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses run by the Delhi Integrated Multi Modal System(DIMTS) may not be difficult, it will be "challenging" to do so in Metro trains.

The Delhi government and the Centre are 50:50 equity partners in the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.

An official pointed out that the Delhi government and the centre's Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry have not been on the same page over several issues related to metro, including fare hike and Phase-IV of the Metro network.

"Besides other factors like technical and financial feasibility of such a move, the persisting disagreements between the two sides may also play a crucial role in going ahead with the proposal for giving free ride to women in Metro trains," said a senior official.

Chief Minister Kejriwal also claimed that the fixed charge component of power tariff were raised by the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Authority (DERC) last year "without consulting" the Delhi government.

"Next month new tariff is to be fixed. We have asked the DERC to bring back fixed charges to previous levels and they are likely to agree to it," he said.

The monthly fixed charges were raised for domestic consumers having up to 2 KW load from Rs 20 to Rs 125.

The Delhi government provides subsidy to such consumers.

However, in other categories, consumers pay higher fixed charges.

The hike in fixed charges for other slabs were -- for 2-5 kw, from Rs 35 to Rs 140; 5-15 KW, Rs 45 to Rs 175; 15-25 kw, from Rs 60 to Rs 200; and for more than 25 KW, from Rs 100 to Rs 250.

In the just-concluded Lok Sabha polls, the AAP won only one seat out of over 40 it contested in nine states and Union Territories.

The poll results came as a jolt to the party as it builds up for the assembly elections in Delhi early next year.

Stung by the dismal performance, the AAP government swung into action just a day after the Model Code of Conduct was lifted with Chief Minister directing his ministers on May 27 to speed up work on flagship schemes like Mohalla Clinic, procurement of buses and the CCTV project.

With Assembly polls due early next year in the city, the Aam Aadmi Party government is considering to make metro and bus travel free for women in Delhi "to encourage them to use public transport".

With Assembly polls due early next year in the city, the Aam Aadmi Party government is considering to make metro and bus travel free for women in Delhi "to encourage them to use public transport". At a public meeting in New Delhi Saturday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also said his government is in touch with city's power regulator to bring down fixed charge component of electricity bill. "The government is considering to waive fare for women in DTC buses and Delhi Metro to encourage them to use public transport in view of their safety. An announcement in this regard will be made on June 3," the chief minister said at the public meeting in New Delhi. A Delhi government official said Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot has already taken meetings to discuss various aspects of fare-waiver to women in all public transport buses -- run by DTC and DIMTS -- and Delhi metro. However, Transport Department officials point out that while allowing free travel in Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses run by the Delhi Integrated Multi Modal System(DIMTS) may not be difficult, it will be "challenging" to do so in Metro trains. The Delhi government and the Centre are 50:50 equity partners in the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. An official pointed out that the Delhi government and the centre's Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry have not been on the same page over several issues related to metro, including fare hike and Phase-IV of the Metro network. "Besides other factors like technical and financial feasibility of such a move, the persisting disagreements between the two sides may also play a crucial role in going ahead with the proposal for giving free ride to women in Metro trains," said a senior official. Chief Minister Kejriwal also claimed that the fixed charge component of power tariff were raised by the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Authority (DERC) last year "without consulting" the Delhi government. "Next month new tariff is to be fixed. We have asked the DERC to bring back fixed charges to previous levels and they are likely to agree to it," he said. The monthly fixed charges were raised for domestic consumers having up to 2 KW load from Rs 20 to Rs 125. The Delhi government provides subsidy to such consumers. However, in other categories, consumers pay higher fixed charges. The hike in fixed charges for other slabs were -- for 2-5 kw, from Rs 35 to Rs 140; 5-15 KW, Rs 45 to Rs 175; 15-25 kw, from Rs 60 to Rs 200; and for more than 25 KW, from Rs 100 to Rs 250. In the just-concluded Lok Sabha polls, the AAP won only one seat out of over 40 it contested in nine states and Union Territories. The poll results came as a jolt to the party as it builds up for the assembly elections in Delhi early next year. Stung by the dismal performance, the AAP government swung into action just a day after the Model Code of Conduct was lifted with Chief Minister directing his ministers on May 27 to speed up work on flagship schemes like Mohalla Clinic, procurement of buses and the CCTV project.

Delhi government plans to make metro, bus travel free for women: Arvind Kejriwal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday said four metro projects have been inaugurated across the country this week, foundation of another has been laid and one more section of Delhi Metro in Noida will be inaugurated on Saturday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday flagged off the commercial run on Lucknow Metro's 23-km North-South corridor through video conference from Kanpur and in Ghaziabad inaugurated the 9.63-km-long Dilshad Garden-New Bus Adda section, an extension of the Delhi Metro's Red Line.

Modi also laid the foundation stone for Agra Metro Rail project.

The Prime Minister enumerated the number of metro projects inaugurated by him or in the offing, a tweet in Hindi by the PMO, quoting him said.

Today, Lucknow and Ghaziabad metro projects are being inaugurated, and foundation stone being laid of Agra metro, he said.

"Tomorrow, a metro section in Noida will be inaugurated. Yesterday Nagpur Metro was opened, and this week Ahmedabad Metro also got inaugurated," Modi said.

On Monday, he had inaugurated a 6.5-km stretch of phase one of the Ahmedabad Metro train service in that city.

After inaugurating the stretch, connecting Vastral to Apparel park area, Modi had also taken a ride in the metro.

On Thursday, he had addressed a gathering in Nagpur via video conferencing after inaugurating the 13.5 km first phase of Nagpur Metro connecting Khapri-Sitaburdi areas in the city.

On Saturday, Modi will inaugurate the 6.6-km Noida City Centre-Noida Electronic City section, an extension of the Delhi Metro's Blue Line, officials said Friday.

The completely elevated section with six stations -- Sector 34, Sector 52, Sector 61, Sector 59, Sector 62 and Noida Electronic City -- will benefit the people of Noida and connect the satellite city with the national capital.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday said four metro projects have been inaugurated across the country this week, foundation of another has been laid and one more section of Delhi Metro in Noida will be inaugurated on Saturday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday said four metro projects have been inaugurated across the country this week, foundation of another has been laid and one more section of Delhi Metro in Noida will be inaugurated on Saturday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday flagged off the commercial run on Lucknow Metro's 23-km North-South corridor through video conference from Kanpur and in Ghaziabad inaugurated the 9.63-km-long Dilshad Garden-New Bus Adda section, an extension of the Delhi Metro's Red Line. Modi also laid the foundation stone for Agra Metro Rail project. The Prime Minister enumerated the number of metro projects inaugurated by him or in the offing, a tweet in Hindi by the PMO, quoting him said. Today, Lucknow and Ghaziabad metro projects are being inaugurated, and foundation stone being laid of Agra metro, he said. "Tomorrow, a metro section in Noida will be inaugurated. Yesterday Nagpur Metro was opened, and this week Ahmedabad Metro also got inaugurated," Modi said. On Monday, he had inaugurated a 6.5-km stretch of phase one of the Ahmedabad Metro train service in that city. After inaugurating the stretch, connecting Vastral to Apparel park area, Modi had also taken a ride in the metro. On Thursday, he had addressed a gathering in Nagpur via video conferencing after inaugurating the 13.5 km first phase of Nagpur Metro connecting Khapri-Sitaburdi areas in the city. On Saturday, Modi will inaugurate the 6.6-km Noida City Centre-Noida Electronic City section, an extension of the Delhi Metro's Blue Line, officials said Friday. The completely elevated section with six stations -- Sector 34, Sector 52, Sector 61, Sector 59, Sector 62 and Noida Electronic City -- will benefit the people of Noida and connect the satellite city with the national capital.

Various metro projects across country were inaugurated this week: PM Modi

The 9.7-km Lajpat Nagar-Mayur Vihar Pocket 1 corridor of the Delhi Metro's Pink Line was inaugurated by Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri here on Monday, which directly connects south and east Delhi on the rapid transit network.

The new segment is part of the 59-km-long Pink Line, which spans from Majlis Park to Shiv Vihar. According to a senior official, passenger services on the corridor will commence from 4 pm.

"This is the sixth time a metro corridor has been inaugurated this year, which is truly a great achievement. The work on the Phase-III of the DMRC has been almost completed with nearly 96 km of it being made operational this year," the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) said.

This extension of the Pink Line, part of the Phase-III of the DMRC network, was inaugurated jointly by Puri and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia from Metro Bhawan.

Only a 1.4-km stretch between Mayur Vihar Pocket-1 and Trilokpuri Sanjay Lake stations of the Pink Line remain to be linked.

The Lajpat Nagar-Mayur Vihar Pocket 1 corridor has five stations -- Lajpat Nagar, Vinobapuri, Ashram, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Mayur Vihar Ph-I and Mayur Vihar Pocket-1.

Mayur Vihar Ph-I and Mayur Vihar Pocket-1 are elevated stations and the rest are underground, the official said.

This section has one interchange station, Mayur Vihar Ph-1. The facility of interchange of metro trains between line seven and line 3/4 is available through this station.

"South and east Delhi have now been connected directly on the network and commuters can save time by using it, who otherwise had to rely on road transport or a longer route on the Delhi Metro," Puri said.

"The new Mayur Vihar Ph-1 station is an engineering marvel as it has been constructed on a narrow road with only 13 metres of width. The viaduct adjacent to the station passes at a height of 23 metre and goes above the Dwarka&nbsp;Noida Blue Line viaduct as well as a road flyover. The new station has a length of 140 metre and has 11 escalators and six lifts," the DMRC said.

Trains will operate between Majlis Park and Mayur Vihar Pocket 1 at a peak hour frequency of 5 minutes and 12 seconds. During the non-peak hours, the frequency will be five minutes and 45 seconds.

A total 29 trains will be operational on this line, officials said.

The Hazrat Nizamuddin Metro station on the Majlis Park Shiv Vihar Pink Corridor of Delhi Metro's Phase-3 will become one of the metro network's major transit hubs as the station would provide direct connectivity with the Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station as well as the Sarai Kale Khan Inter State Bus Terminus.

"The station will have dedicated entry/exit points connecting to the Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station and the ISBT at Sarai Kale Khan. One of the entry/exit points will be within a vicinity of 50 metre from the Sarai Kale Khan ISBT. Another entry/exit will be near the Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station approximately at a distance of 150 metre," the official said.

With the opening of the new section of the Pink Line, the total operational length of the DMRC has increased to 327 km with 236 stations.

The 9.7-km Lajpat Nagar-Mayur Vihar Pocket 1 corridor of the Delhi Metro's Pink Line was inaugurated by Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri here on Monday, which directly connects south and east Delhi on the rapid transit network.

The 9.7-km Lajpat Nagar-Mayur Vihar Pocket 1 corridor of the Delhi Metro's Pink Line was inaugurated by Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri here on Monday, which directly connects south and east Delhi on the rapid transit network. The new segment is part of the 59-km-long Pink Line, which spans from Majlis Park to Shiv Vihar. According to a senior official, passenger services on the corridor will commence from 4 pm. "This is the sixth time a metro corridor has been inaugurated this year, which is truly a great achievement. The work on the Phase-III of the DMRC has been almost completed with nearly 96 km of it being made operational this year," the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) said. This extension of the Pink Line, part of the Phase-III of the DMRC network, was inaugurated jointly by Puri and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia from Metro Bhawan. Only a 1.4-km stretch between Mayur Vihar Pocket-1 and Trilokpuri Sanjay Lake stations of the Pink Line remain to be linked. The Lajpat Nagar-Mayur Vihar Pocket 1 corridor has five stations -- Lajpat Nagar, Vinobapuri, Ashram, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Mayur Vihar Ph-I and Mayur Vihar Pocket-1. Mayur Vihar Ph-I and Mayur Vihar Pocket-1 are elevated stations and the rest are underground, the official said. This section has one interchange station, Mayur Vihar Ph-1. The facility of interchange of metro trains between line seven and line 3/4 is available through this station. "South and east Delhi have now been connected directly on the network and commuters can save time by using it, who otherwise had to rely on road transport or a longer route on the Delhi Metro," Puri said. "The new Mayur Vihar Ph-1 station is an engineering marvel as it has been constructed on a narrow road with only 13 metres of width. The viaduct adjacent to the station passes at a height of 23 metre and goes above the Dwarka Noida Blue Line viaduct as well as a road flyover. The new station has a length of 140 metre and has 11 escalators and six lifts," the DMRC said. Trains will operate between Majlis Park and Mayur Vihar Pocket 1 at a peak hour frequency of 5 minutes and 12 seconds. During the non-peak hours, the frequency will be five minutes and 45 seconds. A total 29 trains will be operational on this line, officials said. The Hazrat Nizamuddin Metro station on the Majlis Park Shiv Vihar Pink Corridor of Delhi Metro's Phase-3 will become one of the metro network's major transit hubs as the station would provide direct connectivity with the Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station as well as the Sarai Kale Khan Inter State Bus Terminus. "The station will have dedicated entry/exit points connecting to the Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station and the ISBT at Sarai Kale Khan. One of the entry/exit points will be within a vicinity of 50 metre from the Sarai Kale Khan ISBT. Another entry/exit will be near the Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station approximately at a distance of 150 metre," the official said. With the opening of the new section of the Pink Line, the total operational length of the DMRC has increased to 327 km with 236 stations.

Delhi: Lajpat Nagar-Mayur Vihar Pocket-1 corridor of Metro's Pink Line inaugurated

India already has a 515-kilometre functional network of metro tracks in various cities and 15 more will soon have over 660 kilometres of tracks for rapid urban transportation, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Monday.

Interacting with the members of the Consultative Committee attached to the Housing and Urban Affairs (HUA) Ministry, Puri spoke about new urban transport initiatives in India.

According to a statement released by the housing and urban affairs minister, the state governments and union territories have been advised to prepare and submit the Detailed Project Report (DPR) in line with the provisions in the Metro Rail Policy 2017.

"Hardeep S Puri, Minister of State (I/C) for Housing and Urban Affairs has stated that more than 664 kms of metro rail projects in 15 cities are presently under various stages of implementation, while more than 515 kms of metro line are already operational in India," the statement said.

He said several new cities are now aspiring to have metro rail systems.

To bring together the technology and service providers, policy makers, officials in urban transport from India and abroad, the 11th Urban Mobility India (UMI) Conference is planned from November 2-4 at Nagpur, with the theme "Green Mobility" to disseminate up-to-date and best urban transport practices information to the cities, he added.

India already has a 515-kilometre functional network of metro tracks in various cities and 15 more will soon have over 660 kilometres of tracks for rapid urban transportation, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Monday.

India already has a 515-kilometre functional network of metro tracks in various cities and 15 more will soon have over 660 kilometres of tracks for rapid urban transportation, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Monday. Interacting with the members of the Consultative Committee attached to the Housing and Urban Affairs (HUA) Ministry, Puri spoke about new urban transport initiatives in India. According to a statement released by the housing and urban affairs minister, the state governments and union territories have been advised to prepare and submit the Detailed Project Report (DPR) in line with the provisions in the Metro Rail Policy 2017. "Hardeep S Puri, Minister of State (I/C) for Housing and Urban Affairs has stated that more than 664 kms of metro rail projects in 15 cities are presently under various stages of implementation, while more than 515 kms of metro line are already operational in India," the statement said. He said several new cities are now aspiring to have metro rail systems. To bring together the technology and service providers, policy makers, officials in urban transport from India and abroad, the 11th Urban Mobility India (UMI) Conference is planned from November 2-4 at Nagpur, with the theme "Green Mobility" to disseminate up-to-date and best urban transport practices information to the cities, he added.

Metro network to be extended to 15 new cities: Union minister

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation's 25.6 kilometres long Janakpuri West - Kalkaji Mandir corridor will be flagged off today. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal along with Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs (Independent Charge)&nbspHardeep Singh Puri will inaugurate the Magenta Line corridor today at 4.30 pm from the Nehru Enclave Metro station.

According to reports, Puri and Kejriwal will travel to Hauz Khas after flagging-off the Metro corridor from Nehru Enclave metro station.&nbsp

Passengers will be able to use the services from May 29. The Janakpuri West - Kalkaji Mandir section includes 16 stations and is the longest metro corridor opened so far in Delhi Metro's Phase 3.

"The highlights of this corridor will be the two new interchange facilities that will come up at Janakpuri West (with the Dwarka - NOIDA/ Vaishali Blue Line) and Hauz Khas (with the HUDA City Centre - Samaypur Badli Yellow line). The domestic terminals of the Indira Gandhi International Airport will also get directly connected by the Metro. Commuters travelling from Gurugram will now be able to change trains at Hauz Khas to reach south Delhi and NOIDA. Residents of NOIDA will also get direct connectivity to the domestic terminal of the airport," the official DMRC release stated.

The section will connect Janakpuri West on DMRC's Blue Line, Yellow Line at Hauz Khas station, Violet Line at Kalkaji to reach its terminal at Botanical Garden on Blue Line.

The Metro will pass through stations including Dabri Mor, Dashrathpuri, Palam, Sadar Bazar, Terminal 1 - IGI Airport, Shankar Vihar, Vasant Vihar, Munirka, RK Puram, Hauz Khas, IIT, Panchsheel Park, Chirag Delhi, GK Enclave and Nehru Enclave.

Magenta Line now connects three different Mero lines -- Blue, Yellow and Violet

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation's 25.6 kilometres long Janakpuri West - Kalkaji Mandir corridor will be flagged off today. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal along with Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs (Independent Charge)&nbspHardeep Singh Puri will inaugurate the Magenta Line corridor today at 4.30 pm from the Nehru Enclave Metro station. According to reports, Puri and Kejriwal will travel to Hauz Khas after flagging-off the Metro corridor from Nehru Enclave metro station. Passengers will be able to use the services from May 29. The Janakpuri West - Kalkaji Mandir section includes 16 stations and is the longest metro corridor opened so far in Delhi Metro's Phase 3. "The highlights of this corridor will be the two new interchange facilities that will come up at Janakpuri West (with the Dwarka - NOIDA/ Vaishali Blue Line) and Hauz Khas (with the HUDA City Centre - Samaypur Badli Yellow line). The domestic terminals of the Indira Gandhi International Airport will also get directly connected by the Metro. Commuters travelling from Gurugram will now be able to change trains at Hauz Khas to reach south Delhi and NOIDA. Residents of NOIDA will also get direct connectivity to the domestic terminal of the airport," the official DMRC release stated. The section will connect Janakpuri West on DMRC's Blue Line, Yellow Line at Hauz Khas station, Violet Line at Kalkaji to reach its terminal at Botanical Garden on Blue Line. The Metro will pass through stations including Dabri Mor, Dashrathpuri, Palam, Sadar Bazar, Terminal 1 - IGI Airport, Shankar Vihar, Vasant Vihar, Munirka, RK Puram, Hauz Khas, IIT, Panchsheel Park, Chirag Delhi, GK Enclave and Nehru Enclave.

Magenta Line's Janakpuri West - Kalkaji Mandir Metro corridor to be flagged-off today

People across Delhi-NCR braved a dust storm accompanied by squall on Sunday afternoon. So far, four incidents of wall collapse have been reported from various parts of Delhi.

The incidents were reported from Najafgarh, Transit Camp, Nehru Place, Mohan Garden in Uttam Nagar, and Raj Nagar in Palam.

Two fire tenders each were rushed to the areas, no casualty, injury or loss of property have been reported so far.&nbsp;

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Number of flight diversions at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport due to bad weather conditions goes up to 70. <a href="https://t.co/tdETtZNMRb">pic.twitter.com/tdETtZNMRb</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/995689878011564032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The storm affected flight, rail and metro operations across Delhi-NCR. As many as 70 flights were diverted and more than 24 delayed. Metro operations were also halted for as long as 45 minutes.&nbsp;

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Ghaziabad: One killed, 4 injured after a tree fell on them near Lal Kuan Shiv temple during the thunderstorm.
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The Northern Railways said the train movement was disrupted on the section between the Hazrat Nizamuddin and Palwal stations due to tree felling.

A few passenger and freight trains were held up for around 25 minutes because of the disruption. The Kalka-New Delhi Shatabdi Express was also stopped near Sonepat due to the uprooting of trees.

The weatherman forecast partly cloudy skies and a possibility of light rainfall tomorrow.&nbsp;

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1 woman dead & 1 man seriously injured after a hoarding fell on them due to heavy dust storm in Greater Noida
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/995693726818156545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The officials said two squalls whipped through the national capital. One clocking 109 kmph hit the Safdarjung area at 4:44 pm and continued till 4:46 pm. The other gusting to 96 kmph battered the Palam area at 4:33 pm.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The storm affected flight, rail and metro operations across Delhi-NCR

People across Delhi-NCR braved a dust storm accompanied by squall on Sunday afternoon. So far, four incidents of wall collapse have been reported from various parts of Delhi. The incidents were reported from Najafgarh, Transit Camp, Nehru Place, Mohan Garden in Uttam Nagar, and Raj Nagar in Palam. Two fire tenders each were rushed to the areas, no casualty, injury or loss of property have been reported so far. Number of flight diversions at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport due to bad weather conditions goes up to 70. pic.twitter.com/tdETtZNMRb — ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2018 × The storm affected flight, rail and metro operations across Delhi-NCR. As many as 70 flights were diverted and more than 24 delayed. Metro operations were also halted for as long as 45 minutes. Ghaziabad: One killed, 4 injured after a tree fell on them near Lal Kuan Shiv temple during the thunderstorm. — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 13, 2018 × The Northern Railways said the train movement was disrupted on the section between the Hazrat Nizamuddin and Palwal stations due to tree felling. A few passenger and freight trains were held up for around 25 minutes because of the disruption. The Kalka-New Delhi Shatabdi Express was also stopped near Sonepat due to the uprooting of trees. The weatherman forecast partly cloudy skies and a possibility of light rainfall tomorrow. 1 woman dead & 1 man seriously injured after a hoarding fell on them due to heavy dust storm in Greater Noida — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 13, 2018 × The officials said two squalls whipped through the national capital. One clocking 109 kmph hit the Safdarjung area at 4:44 pm and continued till 4:46 pm. The other gusting to 96 kmph battered the Palam area at 4:33 pm. (With inputs from agencies)

Delhi dust storm: Four incidents of wall collapse reported

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Sunday took a ride in Bangalore metro, shopped for books and savoured local delicacies. Gandhi was on a two-day weekend visit to poll-bound Karnataka.

"Gandhi, accompanied by party leaders, rode the metro and later shopped for some books at a bookstore in the city centre," a party official said.

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Congress President <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RahulGandhi</a> takes time out for a selfie during a ride on the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NammaMetro?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NammaMetro</a> in Bengaluru. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BengaluruNammaHemme?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BengaluruNammaHemme</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JanaAashirwadaYatre?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JanaAashirwadaYatre</a> <a href="https://t.co/A6tq6msmHW">pic.twitter.com/A6tq6msmHW</a>
— Congress (@INCIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/INCIndia/status/982917404966744065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Congress chief boarded the metro at Vidhana Soudha metro station and took a train&nbsp;to MG Road station.

Gandhi was accompanied by other senior party leaders like state unit chief G. Parameshwara, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, senior party leader Mallikarjun Kharge and state in-charge K.C.Venugopal, among others. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah bought metro tickets for all party leaders.

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CM <a href="https://twitter.com/siddaramaiah?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@siddaramaiah</a> bought & gifted books to Congress President <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RahulGandhi</a> at a bookstore in Church Street.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BengaluruNammaHemme?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BengaluruNammaHemme</a> <a href="https://t.co/RNC7AP5HkX">pic.twitter.com/RNC7AP5HkX</a>
— Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) <a href="https://twitter.com/INCKarnataka/status/982925090844274688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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After the metro-ride, Rahul Gandhi visited High Street, a recently renovated vehicle-free pedestrian plaza.

He also visited a bookstore located at Church Street and browsed through books.<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3ZkUkJHyqbc" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

CM Siddaramaiah bought and gifted books to Gandhi, that included Tamil writer Perumal Murugan's 'The Goat Thief', British author Karen Armstrong's 'A History of God', 'The Art of Living' by Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh and a book on the Japanese concept of 'Ikigai'.

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Congress President <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RahulGandhi</a> stops for lunch at Koshys. The staff share pictures of Former Prime Ministers Nehru ji and Indira ji dining at their establishment. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JanaAashirwadaYatre?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JanaAashirwadaYatre</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BengaluruNammaHemme?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BengaluruNammaHemme</a> <a href="https://t.co/pTMVypZQ7f">pic.twitter.com/pTMVypZQ7f</a>
— Congress (@INCIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/INCIndia/status/982924519286411264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Gandhi, along with other leaders, stopped at Koshys for a quick traditional lunch and was spotted indulging in post-lunch&nbsp;kulfis at a local joint.

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Congress President Rahul Gandhi stops by for a post-lunch kulfi in Bengaluru. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JanaAashirwadaYatre?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JanaAashirwadaYatre</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BengaluruNammaHemme?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BengaluruNammaHemme</a> <a href="https://t.co/KUZyMIGZOF">pic.twitter.com/KUZyMIGZOF</a>
— Congress (@INCIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/INCIndia/status/982932346168016896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

After metro-ride, Rahul Gandhi visited High Street, a recently renovated vehicle-free pedestrian plaza

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Sunday took a ride in Bangalore metro, shopped for books and savoured local delicacies. Gandhi was on a two-day weekend visit to poll-bound Karnataka. "Gandhi, accompanied by party leaders, rode the metro and later shopped for some books at a bookstore in the city centre," a party official said. Congress President @RahulGandhi takes time out for a selfie during a ride on the #NammaMetro in Bengaluru. #BengaluruNammaHemme #JanaAashirwadaYatre pic.twitter.com/A6tq6msmHW — Congress (@INCIndia) April 8, 2018 × Congress chief boarded the metro at Vidhana Soudha metro station and took a train to MG Road station. Gandhi was accompanied by other senior party leaders like state unit chief G. Parameshwara, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, senior party leader Mallikarjun Kharge and state in-charge K.C.Venugopal, among others. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah bought metro tickets for all party leaders. CM @siddaramaiah bought & gifted books to Congress President @RahulGandhi at a bookstore in Church Street.#BengaluruNammaHemme pic.twitter.com/RNC7AP5HkX — Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) April 8, 2018 × After the metro-ride, Rahul Gandhi visited High Street, a recently renovated vehicle-free pedestrian plaza. He also visited a bookstore located at Church Street and browsed through books. CM Siddaramaiah bought and gifted books to Gandhi, that included Tamil writer Perumal Murugan's 'The Goat Thief', British author Karen Armstrong's 'A History of God', 'The Art of Living' by Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh and a book on the Japanese concept of 'Ikigai'. Congress President @RahulGandhi stops for lunch at Koshys. The staff share pictures of Former Prime Ministers Nehru ji and Indira ji dining at their establishment. #JanaAashirwadaYatre #BengaluruNammaHemme pic.twitter.com/pTMVypZQ7f — Congress (@INCIndia) April 8, 2018 × Gandhi, along with other leaders, stopped at Koshys for a quick traditional lunch and was spotted indulging in post-lunch kulfis at a local joint. Congress President Rahul Gandhi stops by for a post-lunch kulfi in Bengaluru. #JanaAashirwadaYatre #BengaluruNammaHemme pic.twitter.com/KUZyMIGZOF — Congress (@INCIndia) April 8, 2018 × (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: Rahul Gandhi takes a metro ride, browses books in Bengaluru

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