Honoured as the 'Metro Man' of India, much revered former chief of the Delhi Metro rail Corporation (DMRC), E Sreedharan wrote to Deputy Chief Minister (CM) of Delhi, Manish Sisodia against the Government of NCT of Delhi's proposal to allow free travel for women in DTC buses, cluster buses and the Delhi Metro trains, reports Livemint.

In the letter, Sreedharan stressed that the free travel will worsen overcrowding and lead to mishaps. He alleged that the proposal is an 'election gimmick to win votes of women in the next Assembly election' and urged the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government to 'not destroy' the efficient and successful public transport system for electoral gains.

"I would, therefore, appeal to your government not to destroy an efficient and successful public transport system such as Delhi Metro for electoral gains," Sreedharan said.

Sreedharan further underscored that no metro rail system in the world had extended free travel facility only to women exclusively. He emphasised that any compensation paid by the Delhi government to the DMRC for free travel of women is tax-payer's money and a taxpayer has a right to question why only women are being given free travel.

Earlier, Sreedharan had also wrote to and urged the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi to not agree to the proposal as it would lead to an alarming 'precedence'. He wrote to PM Modi given the centre and the Delhi government both hold equal 50 per cent share in the DMRC.