LINE ONE COMPLETED:
There are currently eighteen stations. They are Shahdara, Welcome, Seelampur, Shastri Park, ISBT (Kashmere Gate), Tis Hazari, Pul Bangash, Pratap Nagar, Vivekanand Puri and Inder Lok (earlier Tri Nagar), Kanhiya Nagar, Kesahv Puram, Wazir Pur, Kohat Enclave, Pitam Pura, Rohini East, Rohini West, and Rithala
http://www.delhimetrorail.com/home/images/dmrc-map.jpg
DELHI TO BE SAVED BY NEW METRO
Delhi is big, Delhi is huge, Delhi is polluted and Delhi is gridlock.
The Indian capital with its 20 million of so residents, is suffering under a huge and overwhelming blight of traffic, human, animal and motorised.
This huge metropolis has no public transport to speak of. True there are the ubber-crowded buses, with no destination boards, or registered stops. There are the numerous 'autos' (motor rickshaws) that buzz in and out of the thronging streets. Sadly due to awesome amounts of corruption the rickshaw fares are open to abuse, with government efforts to regulate meters, a nationally recognised farce. The more eco-friendly, but congestion causing cycle-rickshaws are by definition slow, and are only allowed in Old Delhi.
The city is split between the near medieval Old Delhi, and the British Raj designed, wide avenues of New Delhi.
The millions of pedestrians everywhere, coupled with 360,000 holy cows, ambling about on the roads, just add to the congestion.
Delhi is by no means easy to get around. This is not good, in a capital city that represents the government and economy of over a billion Indians.
Something had to be done, something radical, something very expensive.
http://www.frankossen.com/Tram_no.22_-_Calcutta.jpg
Kalikutta tram fest.
India had lagged behind the rest of Asia for long enough. The only city in India with a rapid transit system is Kalikutta. As reported in Trams Are Tops, Kalikutta has a beautiful decaying tram network, and a more up to date, underground railway, they call The Metro.
This situation had gone on long enough, it made no sense that Kalikutta had a metro, while the much larger Delhi, the capital didn't!
In 1996 it was decided that Delhi, too, would get it's own metro.
The plans for the capital's rapid transit would be far more ambitious than the single up down line in Kalikutta.
Three lines were planned, two of the elevated, and one underground.
The system is planned to look like a capital 'H', with the central line being the underground one. The elevated lines will feed p@$$engers from 43 stations in the suburbs to the underground line, with 10 stations. The underground line will serve the city's two major railway stations, and the commercial centres of New and Old Delhi.
Work began on the construction of the northerly elevated line three years ago, closely followed by work on the underground tracks.
Everywhere you go in Delhi you see men smoking bidi, propping up shovels and spades, wearing Delhi Metro flouresent vests, and chatting.
http://www.abhivyakti-hindi.org/parikrama/...elhi_metro2.jpg
Modern Train.
Despite the lack of visible work, progress has been good.
Trams are Tops was delighted to ride on the first open section of the Metro, from Shandara, over the rather murky River Yamuna
to the temporary terminus of Tiz Hazari. The modern elevated station is situated under the shadow of the awesome Jamal Mashid Mosque, and the famous Delhi Red Fort.
This section opened on December 24 in 2002, to an onslaught of day-trippers. The metro was overwhelmed by excited Delhittes, bringing the whole family, to witness the delights of their new Metro. People can from miles away, just to ride, each parting with the 6 Rupee fare, for the full four stop ride. In true Indian style there was a failure with the automated ticket system. So everybody had to stand in line to buy a ticket from a kiosk. The kiosk only had one window, there was chaos. Indians don't normally stand in line, normally employing ballistic elbows, to get what they want. At one stage on the first day, shutters had to be pulled down; the crowds were so overwhelming.
Thankfully when the second section opened, last month from Tiz Hazari to Tri Nagar to the West, there was less chaos. And even less is anticipated when all of this elevated line will have been completed by 2005.
The most significant line, certainly for tourists, will be the underground tracks, from Delhi University, via both elevated lines, to the Central Secretariat, home of parliament and most of the foreign emb@$$ies.
Progress here is good too. The first phased opening of the underground line will be in mid-2004, with completion by December 2005. In a country where the word 'deadline', normally means nothing, work is keeping to schedule...
The workers on the metro are being paid way above average wages, there is a great feeling of pride city wide, in the whole project, and what benefits it will bring to Delhi.
http://www.suedasien.net/images/news/nov2003/sapna.jpg
The Delhi metro, on an elevated section.
The Delhi Metro has been designed to run through Hindu, and Muslim areas, bringing more unity to the city. The great Muslim market at Chawri Bazarre, will be connected to the international shopping centre of Connaught Place, dominated by Sikhs and Hindus. The main line railway stations, will be connected to the University, the clogged arteries of Delhi should flow more efficiently than they do at the moment.
It is estimated that 2,600 bus journeys could be taken off the streets every day, once the whole of the first phase with its 62-km of lines opens. Delhi's buses don't just clog the streets and confuse p@$$engers, they are also deadly. A staggering 5 people a day are killed by Delhi buses, with an average of 13 major accidents, the Metro will hopefully put a stop to this.
Over 2 million full-time p@$$engers a day are anticipated, once the day-trippers have all been, and seen their new Metro.
Delhi has the highest car ownership in India, although small by Western standards, the number of cars on the streets is increasing, it is hoped that rather than driving, commuters will choose the efficient new Metro.
Everything is new modern and exciting on the Metro. Most Delhittes have never been on an escalator, so special attendants have been employed to help apprehensive people on and off. The Escalators have all been fitted with Sari Guards to protect the ladies'. Digital clocks, an obsession in India, are proudly on display on the station platforms. They are all set to the same time, a phenomenon that rarely happens on the cross-country railways. The system employs 300 sahayaks to help p@$$engers and to try and stop 'Trams are Tops' reporters from taking photographs, 'for reasons of national security'.
The Japanese-Korean designed trains run off overhead wires, not diesel, they are clean modern, and have route maps inside. 'Trams are Tops' noticed the complete lack of these on the Kalikutta Tram system, lessons are being learnt!
http://www.hindustantimes.com/wfsf/2002/De...esWeb126540.jpg
Security in action on the Metro
The Metro has a special 100 strong Police force or men and women, eager to keep their showpiece Metro safe from 'miscreants' and thieves. The drivers all have radios, to keep in contact with their control rooms.
All this would be taken for granted (apart from the Sari Guards) in the West. In India it is revolutionary, especially the attention to safety.
India has an appalling safety record on their national rail network, 616 people died in 463 railway accidents, between 1999 and 2000, this appalling record, hopefully wont be duplicated on the Delhi Metro.
Efforts have been made to reduce the pollution in Delhi, which is said to be so bad; it is the equivalent of smoking 20 cigarettes a day.
Auto-rickshaws are by law meant to use CNG gas, rather than Kerosene, this has improved air quality, it is hoped that the reduced road traffic as a result of Metro usage, will further help towards the goal of a 'Clean Green Delhi'
Delhi Metro has relied heavily on foreign experts and advice, to get the Metro rolling. Now the Indians are equipped with the knowledge, other Cities, including Bangalore, and Mumbai are showing interest in their own Metro systems, infact in Bangalore plans are well advanced, with a campaign in local papers, gaining support and momentum.
Phase One of the metro will hopefully be completed by the end of 2005, a Japanese Investment bank has promised @$$istance with the construction of more lines, to destinations, not yet covered by Phase One. By 2021 the network could be 240km in size, it remains to be seen.
What is clear is that the Metro is here to stay, and benefit Delhi.
The Metro came just in time, any later and Delhi would have ground to a rather polluted halt. 'Trams are Tops' says Viva the Delhi Metro.
'Trams are Tops' says Jay Jay Delhi Metro Hey, Boht Utcha!
More Info:
http://www.delhimetrorail.com/home/routeMap.htm
There are currently eighteen stations. They are Shahdara, Welcome, Seelampur, Shastri Park, ISBT (Kashmere Gate), Tis Hazari, Pul Bangash, Pratap Nagar, Vivekanand Puri and Inder Lok (earlier Tri Nagar), Kanhiya Nagar, Kesahv Puram, Wazir Pur, Kohat Enclave, Pitam Pura, Rohini East, Rohini West, and Rithala
http://www.delhimetrorail.com/home/images/dmrc-map.jpg
DELHI TO BE SAVED BY NEW METRO
Delhi is big, Delhi is huge, Delhi is polluted and Delhi is gridlock.
The Indian capital with its 20 million of so residents, is suffering under a huge and overwhelming blight of traffic, human, animal and motorised.
This huge metropolis has no public transport to speak of. True there are the ubber-crowded buses, with no destination boards, or registered stops. There are the numerous 'autos' (motor rickshaws) that buzz in and out of the thronging streets. Sadly due to awesome amounts of corruption the rickshaw fares are open to abuse, with government efforts to regulate meters, a nationally recognised farce. The more eco-friendly, but congestion causing cycle-rickshaws are by definition slow, and are only allowed in Old Delhi.
The city is split between the near medieval Old Delhi, and the British Raj designed, wide avenues of New Delhi.
The millions of pedestrians everywhere, coupled with 360,000 holy cows, ambling about on the roads, just add to the congestion.
Delhi is by no means easy to get around. This is not good, in a capital city that represents the government and economy of over a billion Indians.
Something had to be done, something radical, something very expensive.
http://www.frankossen.com/Tram_no.22_-_Calcutta.jpg
Kalikutta tram fest.
India had lagged behind the rest of Asia for long enough. The only city in India with a rapid transit system is Kalikutta. As reported in Trams Are Tops, Kalikutta has a beautiful decaying tram network, and a more up to date, underground railway, they call The Metro.
This situation had gone on long enough, it made no sense that Kalikutta had a metro, while the much larger Delhi, the capital didn't!
In 1996 it was decided that Delhi, too, would get it's own metro.
The plans for the capital's rapid transit would be far more ambitious than the single up down line in Kalikutta.
Three lines were planned, two of the elevated, and one underground.
The system is planned to look like a capital 'H', with the central line being the underground one. The elevated lines will feed p@$$engers from 43 stations in the suburbs to the underground line, with 10 stations. The underground line will serve the city's two major railway stations, and the commercial centres of New and Old Delhi.
Work began on the construction of the northerly elevated line three years ago, closely followed by work on the underground tracks.
Everywhere you go in Delhi you see men smoking bidi, propping up shovels and spades, wearing Delhi Metro flouresent vests, and chatting.
http://www.abhivyakti-hindi.org/parikrama/...elhi_metro2.jpg
Modern Train.
Despite the lack of visible work, progress has been good.
Trams are Tops was delighted to ride on the first open section of the Metro, from Shandara, over the rather murky River Yamuna
to the temporary terminus of Tiz Hazari. The modern elevated station is situated under the shadow of the awesome Jamal Mashid Mosque, and the famous Delhi Red Fort.
This section opened on December 24 in 2002, to an onslaught of day-trippers. The metro was overwhelmed by excited Delhittes, bringing the whole family, to witness the delights of their new Metro. People can from miles away, just to ride, each parting with the 6 Rupee fare, for the full four stop ride. In true Indian style there was a failure with the automated ticket system. So everybody had to stand in line to buy a ticket from a kiosk. The kiosk only had one window, there was chaos. Indians don't normally stand in line, normally employing ballistic elbows, to get what they want. At one stage on the first day, shutters had to be pulled down; the crowds were so overwhelming.
Thankfully when the second section opened, last month from Tiz Hazari to Tri Nagar to the West, there was less chaos. And even less is anticipated when all of this elevated line will have been completed by 2005.
The most significant line, certainly for tourists, will be the underground tracks, from Delhi University, via both elevated lines, to the Central Secretariat, home of parliament and most of the foreign emb@$$ies.
Progress here is good too. The first phased opening of the underground line will be in mid-2004, with completion by December 2005. In a country where the word 'deadline', normally means nothing, work is keeping to schedule...
The workers on the metro are being paid way above average wages, there is a great feeling of pride city wide, in the whole project, and what benefits it will bring to Delhi.
http://www.suedasien.net/images/news/nov2003/sapna.jpg
The Delhi metro, on an elevated section.
The Delhi Metro has been designed to run through Hindu, and Muslim areas, bringing more unity to the city. The great Muslim market at Chawri Bazarre, will be connected to the international shopping centre of Connaught Place, dominated by Sikhs and Hindus. The main line railway stations, will be connected to the University, the clogged arteries of Delhi should flow more efficiently than they do at the moment.
It is estimated that 2,600 bus journeys could be taken off the streets every day, once the whole of the first phase with its 62-km of lines opens. Delhi's buses don't just clog the streets and confuse p@$$engers, they are also deadly. A staggering 5 people a day are killed by Delhi buses, with an average of 13 major accidents, the Metro will hopefully put a stop to this.
Over 2 million full-time p@$$engers a day are anticipated, once the day-trippers have all been, and seen their new Metro.
Delhi has the highest car ownership in India, although small by Western standards, the number of cars on the streets is increasing, it is hoped that rather than driving, commuters will choose the efficient new Metro.
Everything is new modern and exciting on the Metro. Most Delhittes have never been on an escalator, so special attendants have been employed to help apprehensive people on and off. The Escalators have all been fitted with Sari Guards to protect the ladies'. Digital clocks, an obsession in India, are proudly on display on the station platforms. They are all set to the same time, a phenomenon that rarely happens on the cross-country railways. The system employs 300 sahayaks to help p@$$engers and to try and stop 'Trams are Tops' reporters from taking photographs, 'for reasons of national security'.
The Japanese-Korean designed trains run off overhead wires, not diesel, they are clean modern, and have route maps inside. 'Trams are Tops' noticed the complete lack of these on the Kalikutta Tram system, lessons are being learnt!
http://www.hindustantimes.com/wfsf/2002/De...esWeb126540.jpg
Security in action on the Metro
The Metro has a special 100 strong Police force or men and women, eager to keep their showpiece Metro safe from 'miscreants' and thieves. The drivers all have radios, to keep in contact with their control rooms.
All this would be taken for granted (apart from the Sari Guards) in the West. In India it is revolutionary, especially the attention to safety.
India has an appalling safety record on their national rail network, 616 people died in 463 railway accidents, between 1999 and 2000, this appalling record, hopefully wont be duplicated on the Delhi Metro.
Efforts have been made to reduce the pollution in Delhi, which is said to be so bad; it is the equivalent of smoking 20 cigarettes a day.
Auto-rickshaws are by law meant to use CNG gas, rather than Kerosene, this has improved air quality, it is hoped that the reduced road traffic as a result of Metro usage, will further help towards the goal of a 'Clean Green Delhi'
Delhi Metro has relied heavily on foreign experts and advice, to get the Metro rolling. Now the Indians are equipped with the knowledge, other Cities, including Bangalore, and Mumbai are showing interest in their own Metro systems, infact in Bangalore plans are well advanced, with a campaign in local papers, gaining support and momentum.
Phase One of the metro will hopefully be completed by the end of 2005, a Japanese Investment bank has promised @$$istance with the construction of more lines, to destinations, not yet covered by Phase One. By 2021 the network could be 240km in size, it remains to be seen.
What is clear is that the Metro is here to stay, and benefit Delhi.
The Metro came just in time, any later and Delhi would have ground to a rather polluted halt. 'Trams are Tops' says Viva the Delhi Metro.
'Trams are Tops' says Jay Jay Delhi Metro Hey, Boht Utcha!
More Info:
http://www.delhimetrorail.com/home/routeMap.htm
