Friday the 3rd Sept 2010 marked my first ride in the maiden journey of the Metro from Gurgaon to Delhi. So excited that got the new pass made in advance, checked out the parking and the ride time in advance. So went on the landmark ride at about 4 pm from Sikanderpur to CP with wife to enjoy an evening.
Coming out at CP in about 50 minutes was a very smooth ride and back was also.
Having travelled in the London Tube, the New York Sub, the Canadian sub etc., the Delhi Metro from Gurgaon was going to be a unique experience. Not the first time, as earlier had gone to Chandni Chowk when it had started.
I wanted to give a "Top 10" to the bes to the Metro and the "Top 10" worst of the Metro, so here I am starting with the TOP 10 best, not necessarily in that order! and you can may be contirubute to the rest of it.
- Superb planning of the Route: it is a great way to get connected to Central, South Delhi directly and other areas as well. The way Metro has been erected on the central pillars now looks amazing architecture as the way it was constructed, piece by piece, brought in and just "assembled".
- Rich Interiors: very plush decorated pleasing colors makes one comfortable to ride.A Satisfying ride.A very high gloss of the interiors makes it a very "comfortable stay" in the Metro, even if for 20-30 minutes!
- Very Neat and clean: its a great way to travel "business" class at Economy rates! Neat till the time janta does not soil by puking! and throwing trash around. I think it is a offence!
- The View from the top: especially when you travel from Gurgaon to Delhi and look on your left side from the doors and big windows: it's a great view: to see sprawling farm houses, with their swimming pools and dining and camping areas now open to public view!
- 2 minutes it takes average from one station to the other: its exciting to travel in 2 minutes from Saket to Hauz Khas! from Green Park to AIIMS in 2-3 minutes. and the halt at every station of 15 seconds makes everyone ready to disembark in time!
- Going Underground at Qutab Minar: then remain so till CP and beyond. But if you "surface" at lets say Green Park, its a wow experience and you can say" I have been "transformed"! Tunneling all the way must have been a Herculean task for the engineers. But its great!
- Zooming to 135 kms in seconds is its top speed. It does create the excitement and makes your adrenaline rush!
- Lighting and Air-conditioning: are superb; well placed lights and emergency lights also; overcrowded in such journeys without A/c would have been like jumping from an aircraft without a parachute!
- Ease of getting in and out: I found my favorite station in Gurgaon as the one opposite Garden Estate called Gurudronacharya, ( yes I remeber the controversy about the naming of the stations!). Parking at most stations is a huge task. Don't try at South Delhi stations as none exists! HUDA center gets full by early morning, so this one looks OK right now.Getting into 2 layers of the station, first ticket level, then platform level is a good thought. Elevators and Lifts are handy. I think elderly can try it out.Having made a " pass" is a good thought to save you from the long ticket lines!
- Company: I know this is the favorite! and you must have been waiting for Taresh to come to the right one, why at the bottom!; Well, the Girls, the Youngsters and all the nice Ladies who come in do give you a good company. Sometimes you feel, you can into the Metro or the Mini- Fashion Street! with latest Gadgets, gizmo's, mp3, i phones, mobiles, laptops... everyone seems to be giving a fashion statement. Especially when the Youngsters join in at the Saket, Green Park stations, you feel you are at DU! and have traveled back in time ( my college days come back!) Pretty Girls in their best attires and well dressed do look as if they planned for a serious "Day-out", charging the atmosphere and bringing in the "breeze"
Now waiting for you to "re-arrange" the above Top 10 in the right order and post back.with nice comments!
More soon when I travel again on the Airport link and Badarpur Metro from CP
Share all good thoughts and views!
Cheers!
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- For unlimited travel over short periods. There are two kinds of cards - 1 day and 3 day.
- - Value of 1-Day Card: Rs 100
- - Value of 3-Day Card: Rs 250
- - Refundable Deposit: Rs 50/- payable at purchase (refundable on return of card)
| Line | Length (Kms) | No. of Stations |
|---|
| Line No.1- Shahdara-Tri Nagar-Rithala | 22.06 | 18 |
| Line No.2- Vishwa Vidyalaya-Central Secretariat | 10.84 | 10 |
| Line No.3- Indraprastha-Barakhamba Road-Dwarka Sub City | 32.10 | 31 |
| Total | 65.00 | 59 |
Phase II Network
Phase II of Delhi Metro Rail project consists of the following lines:
| Line | Length (Kms) | No. of Stations |
|---|
| Shahdara – Dilshad Garden | 3.09 | 3 |
| Indraprastha – Noida Sector 32 City Centre | 15.07 | 11 |
| Yamuna Bank – Anand Vihar ISBT | 6.17 | 5 |
| Vishwavidyalaya – Jahangir Puri | 6.36 | 5 |
| Inderlok – Kirti Nagar -Mundka | 18.46 | 15 |
| Central Secretariat – HUDA City Centre | 27.45 | 19 |
| Dwarka Sector 9 to Dwarka Sector 21 | 2.76 | 2 |
| Airport Express Line | 22.70 | 6 |
| Anand Vihar – KB Vaishali | 2.57 | 2 |
| Central Secretariat – Badarpur | 20.04 | 15 |
| Total | 124.63 | 83 |
|---|
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