Badminton players from across the globe, who are in Nagpur for the ongoing prestigious tournament, enjoyed a Metro Ride today (Saturday). Other than India, players from Japan, Uganda, Thailand, and Maldives enjoyed the Metro Ride. The players were accompanied by their coaches and organizers of the international tournament presently underway at Mankapur Indoor Stadium.
The team boarded Metro from Airport Station and travelled to Khapri Station and then to Zero Mile Freedom Park Station. The players thoroughly enjoyed Metro Ride. International Badminton Player and a Nagpurian, Ms Malvika Bansod was full of praise for the Nagpur Metro services. “It would be an honour to be Maha Metro Brand Ambassador,’’ the young and acclaimed Badminton Player said.
The cleanliness impressed her the most, she said and added, that though this has been her first ride, she would prefer Metro Ride to other transport means, while commuting in Nagpur in the future. It is a matter of pride that city boasts of such a Metro service, which has incorporated Nagpur’s history and tradition in its project, Ms Bansod said. “I would recommend Metro services to others,’’ she assured.
Badminton coach from Japan Ms Satoko Suetsuna found the Metro ride very comfortable and the cleanliness in the train and at the station reminded her of Metro services in Japan, she said. Thailand Coach Shri Nitipong Saengsila said that he was inspired by the architecture of the metro stations. The Metro stations are worth visiting and watching atleast once, the Thailand coach further said.
Shri Rishwan Shiyam and Shri Brian Kasirye, Badminton players from Maldives and Uganda respectively, said that they would appreciate similar metro services in their countries too. Earlier, the players, coaches and tournament organizers visited Airport Metro Station and paid obeisance to Father of Nation Mahatma Gandhi, at the Bapu Kuti there. They also enquired about the Hangout Centre and Library there. The players also had a halt at the Khapri Metro Station.
In their last leg of the Ride, the players went around the Zero Mile Freedom Park. They watched the Battle Tank, the placards giving information about the freedom struggle, the amphitheatre. The players and others were welcomed by Shri Sudhakar Urade, General Manager (Operations) and other Maha Metro officials. The officials gave them detail information about the Nagpur Metro Project.
Shri Mangesh Kashikar, Secretary Nagpur Badminton Association, Shri Vishwas Deswandikar and Mr. Milind Deshmukh, both Technical Coordinators, Smt Rucha Pande and others were present during the Metro Ride.
