Metro politics unfortunate

The metro is the way to go for public transportation in all Indian cities. Its suitability dawned on the nation somewhat late. Left-ruled Kolkata was India’s first major city to realise the utilitarian and social values of a well-run network that is energy efficient and economical, with its metro operational since 1984. Only in the new millennium did the nation’s capital catch up, in 2002. The metro may be capital intensive but its running costs offer egalitarian connectivity and all cities now want it. Delhi Metro’s new Magenta Line, linking Noida in UP directly to South Delhi, was inaugurated by the Prime Minister on Monday. Uttar Pradesh has been inspired to start metro services in Lucknow and Kanpur too.

At the inaugural, the PM himself said that “development at times is seen through the prism of politics”. To say that of India may be as obvious as carrying lignite to Neyveli, but how dreadfully political metro expansion has become was evident from Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal not being invited to the flagging-off, that became an all-BJP show with the PM, ministers and the UP governor in the mix. The hollowness of any talk about “cooperative federalism” was exposed by the nature of the political beast in every Indian, even in those professing to be a party with a difference. Ironically, Mr Kejriwal is an avid champion of the metro, including about keeping its fares low to serve the public interest. That he wasn’t riding on it with the PM and UP CM was a travesty of fair play in politics.