Pangs of Metro commuting

While proceeding to her office in Udyog Bhavan, 52-year-old Yamini Rai, sits on the reserved seat for women in the Delhi Metro. Rai, who lives in south Delhi, has been using the Metro for a decade now, and with around eight years remaining for her retirement, travelling remains the one thing that continues to trouble her.

“Initially when the Metro was introduced we all were excited. It was fast and one could reach anywhere in minutes. But soon travelling by Metro became monotonous and very mechanical. In my youth I would travel by buses and somehow it used gave me the space to breathe,” Rai said before making an exit at the Udyog Bhavan station.

Of course, a major portion of the Delhi’s population take the bus. But with the advent of the Metro, opting for a faster mode of transportation seemed a better option.

The rising population, however, has meant there is no relief for commuters as day after day all modes of transportation run across the city packed with passengers. Metro also is no exception.

Kshitij, an PR professional, thinks otherwise and told Metrolife, “Time is money and Metro seems to be the fastest and most effective way to commute”. Yet, with the ever growing crowd, the pushing and pulling, the monotony of travelling has rendered many like Rai
in despair. 

There is no doubt that one could spot a chirpy group of students in some of the packed coaches, or a loving couple seated next to each other, but the majority of those who travel by it spend their time either worrying about getting a seat or reaching their destination as soon as possible. Dhananjay, who works for a private contractor in Anand Vihar, lives in Malviya Nagar from where he travels every day to his office consuming almost an hour of his morning.

“By the time I reach office, I am drained out of energy as most of the time I end up standing. It’s exhausting but there is no option. I have tried taking the bus and it takes even more time,” Dhanjay says.

Samrat, a student, believes that it depends on person to person whether they want to make their journey exciting or boring. “My college is in South Campus and I live in Karol Bagh but honestly I don’t even realise how long the journey is. I usually listen to music or read a book,” before being pushed by a thrust of passengers getting at the Central Secretariat station.

Abdul, a daily labourer on  route to Badarpur, however, seemed to be quite a happy person. “It’s warm in winters and cold in summers. Also it is not that expensive. What more can one ask,” he said.