Karnataka

For God’s sake, Metro stations ain’t rain sheds

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Aug 8, 2013, DHNS:

Monsoon in Delhi brings along many problems – not just washed away roads and traffic jams but associated issues too. On days of heavy downpour, pedestrians, motorists, autowallahs and all and sundry tend to take shelter at the entrance of Metro stations, blocking the way of those who actually want to use the Metro.

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While Metro users are naturally upset with this seasonal development, motorists counter: If not here, where are we supposed to go?

Sheetal Kumar, who takes the Metro from Noida Sector 16 station every day, says, “Yesterday, when I reached the Station, I was surprised to see a huge crowd at the entrance itself. And not just at the gateway, the crowd extended all the way up the escalator and the adjoining stairs. I was convinced that the Metro must have stopped but later realised that all these people are either motorists or pedestrians.”

Ravish Pandey, another Metro regular, who takes a train from Malviya Nagar says, “I actually ended up having an argument with people in the crowd. They should realise that unlike them, not everyone has the luxury of time to wait for the rain to stop. People are on the go and our time is too crucial to be held up like this.”

A similar problem is noticed on the roads when motorists stop under over bridges and at toll tax booths. Last year, the Public Works Department had sent instructions to the Delhi Traffic Police to not let any two-wheelers stand under flyovers, at underpasses or over bridges however hard it rains. However, whether such an order is implementable or not, is anybody’s guess.

Meetu Khanna, who drives her way to office every morning , says, “It’s the same old story every year. Just last week, I only stopped short of banging my car against a motorist who had stopped his bike under a bridge on the DND flyway. For God’s sake, a flyway is supposed to have non-stop traffic movement. You can’t just stop your vehicle whenever and wherever you want.”

However, motorists counter these arguments effectively. Karan Kapoor, a biker, asks, “Is your time more important than someone’s life? How can you even ask a biker to drive in rain? There is little visibility, roads get flooded, you can’t make out a pothole from a decent road. What option do we have if not take shelter in Metro stations, under bridges and in tool tax booths.”

He is a Software Engineer from Moodbidri currently living in Kuwait. He likes to travel and post interesting things about technology. He is the designer of Kannadigaworld.com. You may follow him on FB at fb.com/alanpaladka

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