Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Good News for Gurgaon Residents: Metro To Ease Journey

The opening of the Delhi-Gurgaon Metro line may be good news for many but getting to the Qutub Minar station the first station in Delhi is going to be a problem.

The nearest bus stands Lado Sarai and Andheria More are almost a kilometre away and the only way to get there is by auto, which again are difficult to get. Though DTC will start feeder bus service from Central Secretariat to Qutub Minar station from June 21, it is yet to decide on the number of buses. ‘‘We will start feeder services the day the line opens. We have not decided on the number of buses, but during peak hours the service will be available every 10 minutes,’’ said Naresh Kumar, chairman, DTC.

‘‘A number of buses cross Qutub Minar Metro station but they don’t stop here. We have to walk almost a kilometre to reach Andheria More or Lado Sarai bus stand,’’ said a labourer at the station site.

Though Chattarpur Metro station is near Andheria More bus stand, the station will not be immediately functional. ‘‘The trains will not stop at Chhattarpur as this station is likely to be opened in August. We got the land in October last year. Therefore, construction work started late,’’ said Anuj Dayal, DMRC spokesperson.

Getting an auto in this area is another problem. Moreover, it can dig a hole in your pocket. Most autos refuse to go by meter and they dont’ ask anything less than Rs 100.

‘‘Getting an auto here is a big problem and one has to shell out a minimum of Rs 100 to go to South Extension and close to Rs 150 for Connaught Place,’’ said Radhika, who stays in Gurgaon and works in a hospital in Vasant Kunj. She added, ‘‘I’m happy that now I can avoid the maddening jams at NH-24 and reach home much faster, but my biggest concern is commuting from Qutub Minar station to my office.’’

Those with cars will have it easy as the Qutub Minar station has parking space for 100-odd vehicles. The 10 stations on this elevated section are Qutub Minar, Chhattarpur, Sultanpur, Ghitorni, Arjangarh, Guru Dronacharya, Sikanderpur, MG Road, IFFCO Chowk and HUDA City Centre. Initially, DMRC will run five trains at a frequency of 12 minutes. It will take commuters close to 27 minutes to travel between the two operational ends Qutab Minar and Huda city centre

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