The Hindu : New Delhi News : Metro commuters voice concern over quality of travel

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Monday, Mar 16, 2009
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Metro commuters voice concern over quality of travel

Staff Reporter

DMRC to speed up the process of procuring more coaches for the existing lines

NEW DELHI: It was just one ride on the Delhi Metro railway from Rohini to Patel Chowk that made media professional Sanjay Kumar abandon his car for this mode of mass transit, which was quicker and more comfortable than his hour-long drive to office.

Two years after he made the choice Mr. Kumar said he is now being forced to consider driving again, all because of increase in waiting time and passenger rush. “Earlier the waiting time used to be four to five minutes, but now it has increased considerably and on some days it is as much as 10 minutes. The coaches are always cramped with people and the metro is increasingly beginning to resemble a Blueline bus,” he complained.

Similar complaints have poured in from commuters travelling on the Dwarka and Vishwavidyalaya lines.

“Ever since the line was extended up to Jehangirpuri, the coaches are crowded and the travel has become less comfortable. Especially during peak hours, one has to brave the crowds to even set foot in the metro,” said Shalini Singh, a Delhi University student who travels from Chawri Bazar to Vishwavidylaya.

With more passengers opting to use the metro and the service being extended to more areas, commuters have been voicing concern about the quality of travel, forcing he Delhi Metro Rail Corporation to speed up the process of procuring more coaches for the existing as well as upcoming lines.

Recently, the DMRC airlifted eight coaches from Germany, an exercise which cost them a fortune, but saved them the agony of a prolonged wait for cars. And with the date for the Commonwealth Games fast approaching, the Corporation has little option but to increase the pace of arranging more trains.

According to DMRC officials, for Phase II orders have been placed for 424 broad gauge coaches and 196 standard gauge coaches. If the orders are met, the Delhi Metro will have more than 200 train sets when Phase II becomes fully operational.

This will include 48 train sets of six-car formation while the rest will be four-car formation, officials said.

The broad gauge coaches being made by Bombardier Transportation of Germany will have 37 train sets of four coaches and 46 train sets of six coaches.

“Apart from the two train sets that are being airlifted, another seven train sets of four coaches each will be manufactured in Goerlitz, Germany. These will be brought to India by sea. The rest will be built at Bombardier’s factory being set up in Savli near Vadodara (Gujarat) as part of DMRC’s transfer of technology programme,” said Delhi Metro spokesperson Anuj Dayal.

The first train to be built at the Gujarat factory is likely to be handed over to DMRC by June this year and the standard gauge coaches will have 46 train sets with four coaches each, and two train sets with six coaches.

“The first train set is being manufactured in Korea and is likely to arrive in India by sea by the end of April this year. The trains that will be brought by sea will arrive at Mumbai or Chennai ports and then will be transported by rail track to Delhi,” he said.

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