Pune: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Pune Metro project on Saturday amid mobiles flashed by hundreds of people.

Modi has given full credit to the “double engine” (the BJP governments in the state and Centre) to start the Pune Metro project. He said, “ It is one of the solutions to solve the problem of urbanisation. We have set a long-term model of development to improve infrastructure. At present, more than 50 cities have started Metro projects. It is obviously a costlier one, but we have to take decisions like these to improve the quality of life.”

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis appealed to people to light up their mobile flashlights as a gesture to Modi for his approval of the project. The crowd gave a standing ovation and flashed their cellphone lights. Fadnavis said, “Now, we are working on the Shivajinagar and Hinjewadi Metro routes. We will complete all procedures for it by March and inaugurate this project by the PM in April 2017.”

The first phase of the project is expected to be completed by 2019, while the deadline for the completion of the second phase is 2021.

Union Minister of Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Venkaiah Naidu, Union cabinet minister Nitin Gadkari and Pune district guardian minister Girish Bapat were also present on the occasion.

Source: The Hindu and Pune Mirror, December 25, 2016