E Sreedharan, known as India's "metro man", will be included in the inauguration of the Kochi Metro on Saturday, which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The office of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who wrote to the Prime Minister's Office yesterday asking it to allow Mr Sreedharan to be on stage with Mr Modi, has tweeted: "Following GoK's request, @PMOIndia has informed that E. Sreedharan & Oppn. leader will be included in the #KochiMetro inauguration."

As the top advisor to the Delhi Metro Rail Corp, which has constructed the Kochi metro, Sreedharan played a lead role in the new project and many have objected to what they describe as his being sidelined.

Sreedharan had said he has no complaints about not being allowed to share the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he inaugurates the Kochi metro on Saturday.