Commuters click selfies as PM Modi rides Metro train

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday surprised the Delhi Metro and its commuters, when he took a short ride on the public transport. He boarded the Metro train from Lok Kalyan Marg to Vidhan Sabha Metro station and returned back from Vidhan Sabha to LK Marg station.

The PM inaugurated Dr Ambedkar National Memorial on Alipur Road, which is some distance away from Vidhan Sabha Metro station.

Enthusiastic commuters clicked selfies with the Prime Minister at the metro station and inside the train during the evening rush hour. According to the DMRC official, "PM Modi traveled by Metro from Lok Kalyan Marg station of Yellow Line from 5:41 pm to 6:01 pm and returned back from Vidhan Sabha to LK Marg Station by Metro from 7:47 pm to 8:06 pm."

The DMRC official added during PM's travel, other Metro services were running normal on Line-2 as per normal schedule including passengers in the train, in which PM was travelling.

The Ambedkar Memorial at 26, Alipur Road is built at the place where the Dalit icon had breathed his last on December 6, 1956. Earlier, PM Modi had laid the foundation stone of the memorial on March 21, 2016.

The memorial has been given the shape of a book. The museum at the memorial intends to create a detailed experience of Ambedkar's life and his contribution to India through extensive use of static media, dynamic media, audio-visual content, and multimedia technologies. A meditation hall has also been created. Toran Dwars, a Bodhi Tree, a musical fountain, and facade lighting are other important elements of the memorial, a statement said.

Hitting out at political parties for politicising the legacy of BR Ambedkar, Prime Minister Modi had earlier this month said that no regime had honoured the Dalit icon like his government has. The PM's remarks had come close on the heels of widespread violent protests over a Supreme Court verdict putting in place 'safeguards' to prevent the misuse of a law to prevent atrocities against SC/ ST.