HD Devegowda takes metro ride in Delhi. (Image/ X @H_D_Devegowda)
The veteran leader boarded the metro at Lok Kalyan Marg Station and travelled around the national capital.
Former prime minister and Janta Dal (Secular) (JDS) veteran HD Devegowda on Sunday took a metro ride in the national capital. The 91-year-old stalwart was accompanied by several senior officials of the Delhi Metro. Onboard the train, Devegowda also had a chit-chat with fellow passengers and officials.
The former PM took to X to share his train journey. While sharing a video of metro ride, Devegowda said, “It was my wish to travel by #DelhiMetro for years now. It was fulfilled today. I had given financial closure to the project in 1996 as PM amidst resistance inside my cabinet and outside. I am glad God gave me the courage to go ahead. It has helped people. @OfficialDMRC”
It was my wish to travel by #DelhiMetro for years now. It was fulfilled today. I had given financial closure to the project in 1996 as PM amidst resistance inside my cabinet and outside. I am glad God gave me the courage to go ahead. It has helped people. @OfficialDMRC1/2 pic.twitter.com/BMxZQ6QvzP— H D Devegowda (@H_D_Devegowda) August 4, 2024
The veteran leader boarded the metro at Lok Kalyan Marg Station and travelled around the national capital. While expressing gratitude to the Metro staff and its officials for a pleasant journey, Devegowda said, “I boarded the train at the Lok Kalyan Marg Station and went round a good distance. It was a pleasant experience @OfficialDMRC. Director of Infrastructure Shri Manoj Singhal and other #DelhiMetro staff were very kind to me. My sincere thanks to them and my security staff.”
Earlier on Saturday, the former PM also visited the Prime Ministers’ Museum in Teen Murti Bhawan. While praising the museum, DeveGowda said that it was an overwhelming and humbling experience to visit the PM Sangrahalaya and congratulated PM Modi for conceiving the museum’s project.
“I visited the PMs Museum @PMSangrahalaya in New Delhi, today. It was an overwhelming and a humbling experience. I congratulate PM Shri @narendramodi for conceiving this history project, which recognizes the contributions and diverse backgrounds of all our PMs,” the former PM posted on X and shared photos of his visit.
I visited the PMs Museum @PMSangrahalaya in New Delhi, today. It was an overwhelming and a humbling experience. I congratulate PM Shri @narendramodi for conceiving this history project, which recognises the contributions and diverse backgrounds of all our PMs. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/S0sZc45a9l— H D Devegowda (@H_D_Devegowda) August 3, 2024
The JDS chief is credited with kickstarting the Delhi Metro Project. The story dates back in the 1970s when an idea of starting a railway-based Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) in the four main cities of India was proposed.
It was the then Prime Minister, H D Deve Gowda, whose government approved the metro in Delhi. Jai Kishan, the then Chief Secretary of Delhi, also supported the project. It could be done through the efforts of NP Singh, the then Secretary of Urban Affairs and an IAS officer from the Karnataka cadre, who was close to the ex-PM, said E Sreedharan, popularly known as Metro Man in an interview with Hindustan Times in 2017.