New Delhi, May 18 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta took a metro ride on Monday as part of the “Mera Bharat, Mera Yogdan” campaign, promoting the message of conservation at a time when fuel prices have become a politically sensitive issue.

During the journey, the Chief Minister was also seen interacting with fellow passengers and encouraging the use of public transport.

BJP MP from the North East Delhi Lok Sabha constituency, Manoj Tiwari, also travelled by metro following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to the nation to reduce fuel consumption. The MP appeared cheerful after getting a seat on the metro and remarked that the train was not very crowded.

Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood was also seen taking a metro ride in support of the fuel-saving initiative. He interacted with several passengers during the journey and urged citizens to adopt sustainable modes of transport.

In another step aimed at promoting eco-friendly transportation, parking charges for electric vehicles in Connaught Place have been reduced by 50 per cent. BJP MP Manoj Tiwari and NDMC Vice Chairperson Kuljeet Chahal distributed parking passes to encourage greater use of electric vehicles.

Speaking to IANS, Manoj Tiwari said, “We had the opportunity to interact with many people. One person said, ‘We want to meet you,’ and I invited him the next day. Some people shared that they travel by metro regularly. Their homes are around 500 to 600 metres from the metro station, so they walk to the station and continue their journey. Many of them frequently travel between Gurugram and Noida. It was a pleasure meeting all these people, and we also enjoyed the experience of travelling ourselves.”

Meanwhile, NDMC Vice President Kuldeep Singh Chahal arrived at the Seva Teerth Metro Station in an electric auto-rickshaw in line with the Prime Minister’s fuel-saving appeal. He also distributed passes offering a 50 per cent discount on parking for electric vehicles in Connaught Place.

Earlier, on May 11, PM Modi reiterated his appeal for reduced fuel consumption and greater use of public transport and electric vehicles. He also urged citizens to defer gold purchases amid the ongoing West Asia crisis, which has caused large-scale disruptions.

–IANS

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