Other States   

More metro, please

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s decision to introduce more trains on the crowded Kendriya Sachivalaya-Jahangirpuri route is a welcome step. This route witnesses extraordinary crowds with queues spilling over to even outside the station premises during peak hours ever since the route was extended from Delhi University to Jahangirpuri.

Instead of going in for more routes, DMRC should utilise the new coaches to first ease traffic on the existing routes. The revenue can be increased appreciably by doubling the number of coaches to eight in each metro rack. As things are, the metro rail is losing utility with many persons opting out because of jam-packed coaches.

DMRC should reserve one coach for women in each train. It is extremely difficult and painful for them to use jam-packed trains especially during peak hours.

Madhu Agrawal,

1775, Kucha Lattushah, Dariba, Chandni Chowk, Delhi – 110 006.

The Railways never take the public’s needs and demands into consideration while introducing new trains.

There is a large community of Keralites living and working in and around Delhi. Also, Kerala is fast emerging as a major tourist destination with its backwaters, beaches, greenery and ayurveda. Presently there are two daily trains to Kerala from Delhi and both of them run jam-packed most of the time. Getting a reserved seat at short notice is almost impossible. One way to mitigate the travel woes to some extent is making the Thiruvananthapuram Rajdhani Express a daily train. For two days a week it may be routed through Nagpur and Vijayawada so that there is a Rajdhani connection to destinations like Salem, Coimbatore and Palghat. On two other days it may be operated via Madurai, Tiruchirappalli and Tirunelveli so that these places also get a Rajdhani connection.

The Railways may also consider running at least one special train during Durga Puja, Diwali, winter and summer vacations to Thiruvananthapuram.

The proposed Duronto Express may also be originated from Thiruvananthapuram for the sake of passengers.

Dr. V. K. J. Jeevan,

J-8, Mahanadi Extension, IGNOU Campus, Maidan Garhi, New Delhi - 110 068.

With reference to M. Hashim Kidwai’s letter in these columns on October 5, “Lucknow to Aligarh”, the criticism of Aligarh Muslim University Vice-Chancellor P. K. Adbul Azis is shocking.

Education and politics are two entirely different fields. Comparing Professor Azis and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, as Dr. Kidwai has done, is illogical.

Prof. Azis visits the students’ hostels frequently but without informing media persons or anyone else. That’s why many are unaware of his interactions with the students. Iron gates erected on the campus help security men regulate the entry and exit points of the university. To say that this paralyses free movement would be an exaggeration. Had Ms. Mayawati built such gates, she would have got her name and picture engraved on every iron rod of each gate along with her party’s elephant symbol. Prof. Azis has not done anything of that sort at AMU.

Also there has been a dramatic fall in criminal cases, goonda raj and an end to the dictatorship of some professors. The proctor jeeps are on vigil almost 24x7 on the campus. Criminal elements have been thrown out of hostels, new branches of AMU are going to be opened across the country, new hostels are being constructed, innovative work is being carried out, eminent personalities like A.R. Rahman, Azim Premji and Shashi Tharoor, to name just a few, are being invited to give AMU a global exposure.

If all this is not for our welfare, then what is it for? Criticising someone is very easy, but it requires strength to motivate and appreciate.

Congratulations and best wishes to Prof. Azis from the students of AMU for all his work and achievements.

S. N. Mehdi,

B.Tech. student, AMU, Amir Nishan, Mukhtar Manzil, Aligarh – 202 002.

One can enjoy an auto ride in Delhi only at the expense of one’s temper. Recently I had to go from Ber Sarai in South Delhi to Kishan Garh, some 4 km away. No buses operate on this route and hiring an auto is the only option one is left with. Auto drivers, however, are reluctant to take this route since it is a very short distance.

It was around 6-30 p.m. the other day when I started looking for an auto. While some of the auto drivers declined straight away saying they were bound for another destination, others demanded exorbitant charges. When I demanded that the meter be switched on, each of them told me that their meter was not working.

At around 7-45 p.m. I forcefully boarded an auto which came by and asked him to take me to Kishan Garh. He said he was going another way and I told him to remember that his vehicle was a taxi.

He demanded Rs.60 for the ride and I asked for the meter. At this, he switched off the lights in the auto and warned me that I would be responsible for any accident that might happen. I threatened him that I would call the police if he did not put the meter on and take me there. He tried to pull me out of the auto by my collar several times and I resisted. Finally, I was forced to call the police.

When the driver realised that I meant business, he started the vehicle, put the meter and the light on, hurled an abuse at me and started the auto. When I reached Kishan Garh, the meter was showing around Rs.23.

Anil Varma R.,

Room No.242 E, Brahmaputra Hostel, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi – 110 067.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

For well-being
Literary journal
More metro, please
Three killed in road accident
Preparations for Chhath

Copyright © 2009, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu