Santosh Biradar, an engineer working for a major infrastructure conglomerate, took a risk today. Instead of the routine hiring of a taxi from the New Delhi station to catch a flight to Hyderabad, he decided to board the airport metro rail service on the first day of its operation. And the country’s first private-operated metro rail did not fail him. He not only reached the airport a good half an hour before usual time, but also saved money.
“It’s a revolution in the making for this country. This is a major step towards transport modernisation,” an excited Biradar said. The sheer joy of travelling at around double the average speed of most superfast trains in India seems to have thrilled him to the core.
Santosh is not alone in marvelling at the “world-class” infrastructure and services provided at the Airport Express Line of Delhi Metro. Most of the passengers on board the first metro train to Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, with coaches imported from Spain, shared his enthusiasm.
“It is a dream come true. Travelling in this train makes me believe that we are in sync with the developed world now,” said another passenger Raghav Arora, a retired banker. “The monopoly of taxi drivers who used to harass us will end now. This outstanding service is not only a technological marvel, it is safe too,” he added.
Trains running on the 23-km stretch of the Airport Express Line, built at a cost of Rs 5,700 crore, followed schedule with a clockwork precision that, according to passengers, makes one doubt the need for traditional waiting rooms at railway stations. The opening of the line today for general public use has reduced the time of travel between the heart of the city and IGI airport to a mere 18 minutes as compared to about an hour till yesterday.
Trains on the line run at a speed of 105 kilometres per hour (kmph), which would soon be ramped up to 120 kmph. Also, the inaugural fare of Rs 80 between the New Delhi and Airport stations, which is free from the hassles of road transport in the capital, has become a major advantage for commuters. The charm and comfort of travelling in the airport line does not end here. The five-storey New Delhi station houses a huge shopping centre and a multi-level parking, too.
The metro corridor is manned by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). The line includes four stations to begin with — New Delhi, Shivaji Stadium, IGI Airport and Dwarka Sector 21. Later, two new stations of Dhaula Kuan and NH-8 will be added.
“Apart from the savings of time and money, it is the cleanliness of the stations that attracted me. This will surely change the image of India as a country with garbage spilled in and round the railway stations,” said Hwang Soh-Young, a South Korean tourist travelling in the airport metro.
The only loose end that remains to be tied is the check-in facility for commuters which has so far been delayed owing to differences between the airlines and Reliance Infrastructure, the operator. Sources informed that check-in counters will be set up by airlines in a few weeks. As ridership increases, the “revolution” is set to be complete. After all, no revolution is successful without mass participation.
