Hindu has reported today that Delhi Metro had more than 20 lakh travellers on 12th August, the maximum so far. Within a few years of starting, the Metro has become the best travelling mode of the Delhites.
In 1991, when I had come to Delhi to take charge as the President of the All India Telecom Employees Union Class III and started staying at Dada Ghosh Bhawan, the CHQ of the union, the situation was very difficult. Almost every working day Comrade Moni Bose, who was the General Secretary of the Union and myself had to go to the Sanchar Bhawan, the office of the Department of Telecom, to meet the officers and discuss the issues of the workers. For some time we were going by an old car, but we had to abandon the same due to continued breakdowns. The only way was bus and autoriksha. Due to heavy rush, it was difficult even to get in to the bus. The next alternative was auto-riksha. The buses as well as the auto-rikshas were very old and dirty since there was no daily washing or cleaning. Before getting in to the auto-riksha you have to bargain with the driver who will demand very high fare. Many will pass away, before you get the chance to get in to an auto. And on the way ten to fifteen minutes, the auto may stop due to break-down. Some repair and then start again. The roads were badly polluted due to smoke coming out of the buses and autos. When coming back from Sanchar Bhawan it was more difficult to get bus or auto. Usually we had to wait for more than one hour to get any conveyance. The traffic jam was so much that it took more than one hour for the journey. It was really a torture every day to go to Sanchar Bhawan and return.
After the Metro has come, the entire situation has changed. Now it takes only 10 to 15 minutes to travel the entire distance by Metro. It is air-conditioned and neat. Of course, in the peak hour there is rush, but tolerable. The Metro is a boon to the people. The Delhi Metro has got six lines with 197 km distance. More lines are bein constructed. And the main credit goes to the Chief of the Metro Shri Sridharan.