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A light-hearted guide to ensure a ‘sukoon-bhari’ metro journey, my fellow DU commuters!

Do you also find yourself scratching your head, armed with a bag on your shoulder and eyes glued to your station’s name on the map as you travel? Then it’s time we address the pain in the “standing abs.”. Let’s figure out how we can bag a seat here (ah, the sacred quest for the coveted throne), and let’s not forget that bagging a seat in the Delhi Metro is more difficult than acing the exams that got you here.

You need to master the art of hovering skillfully around seated passengers. Learn to hover like a seagull, eyeing a discarded fly. Your stances should have a ‘kezual’ yet desperate style, embodying a blend of nonchalance and neediness. In other words, it’s all about lurking in the shadows and waiting for the opportune moment to strike.

While you are on it, make sure you keep an eye on your fellow travellers; a slight shift in their position will cost you an opportunity of a lifetime! In addition to noticing those who you’re strategically placed near, also beware of sudden movements from other commuters; it’s a fierce game of musical chairs, just without the music or fun, or maybe with the automated voices of “The doors will open on the left. Please mind the gap” as music.

Overhear conversations within a 5-metre radius. A casual “I’ll get down at Mandi House” deserves note-taking, or prepare to cling to the vertical pole until Kashmere Gate.

Yeh Khan Market jaayegi na?” means they are going to stand and donate their seat the moment “Agla station Khan Market hai” plays.

What else can come in handy is a ‘lean’. As the metro doors slide open, try adopting a nonchalant pose against the nearest vertical pole, one hand in your pocket, the other subtly gesturing towards an imaginary prize seat. It’s all about projecting an air of indifference while your eyes scream, “This seat is mine.”

To make things work even better in your favour, you need to lock eyes with your fellow commuters, assert dominance, and silently communicate, “I’ve claimed this territory; proceed with caution.” Such subtle power play amidst the ‘metro-seat diplomacy’, will put even the US hegemony to shame.

You can also play smart with your age, just like my dad does. He has decided not to colour his hair black and let the grey locks shine so that he gets to own the ‘senior citizen’ seat.

You can also take inspiration from the omnipresent brave warriors who have the incredible ability to fit into impossibly small spaces just to get themselves a place to sit. With the flexibility of a yoga trainer, they will squeeze themselves into the tiniest inch of space to have ever existed on the planet, all in the pursuit of a seat that may or may not exist.

Before we bid you ‘a happy seating’, remember, bagging a seat in the metro is not just a sport; it’s a survival skill, a rite of passage that will take you places (quite literally). So, navigate the sea of stations and standing commuters skillfully, and may the seats be ever in your favour!

Read Also: A Not-so-Humble Guide to Travelling in Delhi Metro

Featured Image Credits: X

Kavya Vashisht

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TW: Rape

Many questions have arisen regarding the free metro and bus rides for women proposed by the Delhi Government. Read further to know more about another side of this coin.

About 5 months ago, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government proposed a scheme providing free metro and bus ride for women in Delhi. On 26th August, Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister, Manish Sisodia presented a grant of Rs 290 crore in the Legislative Assembly during the monsoon session for this ‘free ride’ schemes. Out of Rs 290 crore, Rs 140 crores was allocated for DTC, and cluster buses and Rs 150 crore for Delhi metro.

“Public transport is considered the safest for women and keeping that in mind, the Government had decided that all buses and the metro rides will be made free for women,” Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, said. He also added that those who are willing to pay for the tickets would be free to do so. There are many women who can afford these transports and must refrain from taking the subsidy. This is to ensure that those who genuinely require this scheme may best benefit from it.

However, both men and women have questioned the true intentions behind this scheme. Though the scheme may sound appealing to many women, it does bring about the debate on gender equality and the question as to where to draw the line. “With all due respect, women in Delhi didn’t ask for a free pass to ride when they voted for Kejriwal Ji, they had voted for the safe environment promised to them,” Priyanka Chaturvedi, a National Spokesperson, wrote on Twitter.

She further argued in another tweet saying, “Hate to remind this, but Nirbhaya was gang-raped in a bus in Delhi. At that time the country didn’t protest over free rides for the women but for making the capital safe for its women to be able to take a bus or metro at any time of the day. Get your priorities right!”

“What is worse, once concession is given to one section of commuters, immediate demands will arise from more deserving sections, such as students, the handicapped, and senior citizens. The disease will spread fast to all other metros in the country, making them dependent on state governments for subsidies,” E. Sreedhan, more commonly known as Metro Man, wrote in a letter to PM Narendra Modi, requesting not to agree to the proposal as it would set “an alarming precedence”.

“The argument of the Delhi government—that it will reimburse the revenue losses to the DMRC—is a poor solace. The amount involved is about Rs. 1,000 crore per annum today. This will go on increasing as the metro network expands and with further fare hikes,” Sreedharan added.

The scheme also faced a whole lot of criticism regarding issues like overcrowding and a probable drop in the quality of services due to the erosion of DMRC funds. Instead of cutting water and power bills, Kejriwal proposed free metro to women, out of whom may well be able to afford the already-cheap mode of transport. Instead of improving security infrastructure and uplifting women’s safety, the government appears to be offering unnecessary expenses to be added to the State List.

Despite the probable “good” intentions of the Delhi Government, free metro and bus rides for women doesn’t seem to be the most viable proposal in theory or in action.

 

Feature Image Credits: Hitesh Kalra for DU Beat

Aditi Gutgutia

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This piece aims at comparing and contrasting between two of the most popular transportation mediums amongst the students of the University of Delhi (DU) in light of the National Transportation Day.

The daily pilgrimage to college is clearly left incomplete if one does not mention about transportation, be it the long metro rides or the jam packed buses! Here is a comparison and evaluation of Delhi Metro and Delhi Buses on various factors ranging right from comfort to money.

1. Comfort:

The metro offers a comfortable journey as one is away from the sudden breaks and jerks. But the seats are something which everyone has a mutual hatred for! Hard and uncomfortable, with people trying to squeeze into the tiniest of cracks and effectively invading your privacy is something everyone is troubled during the metro rides.

The buses on the other hand have a much more deadlier relationship when it comes to seats and people. The local buses which you board on places near the campus are surely very crowded. But the ones that connect bigger areas offer respite with only one person per seat.

 

2. Time efficiency:

The metro is steady, stable and unvarying in this attribute. It takes the same amount of time, every time, more or less. Constancy is a much desired trait, no doubt, in humans as well as in one’s means of transport. The bus on the other hand is at the mercy of the city’s infamous traffic jams. Bus travel can stretch excruciatingly long at times but that is if you are truly unfortunate. For reliability, metro is always the wisest option.

3. Expenditure:

The bus wins this one hands down! Personal observation! Where it costs me about 200 rupees for 5 days of travel in the metro, and that too if I stick strictly to my route from home to college and college to home, the bus offers unlimited travel for Rs. 165 a month to wherever I may want to venture (student perks, y’all! ). So much more money for food

4. People:

Travelling alone in the metro can be quite tiresome when you are forced to eavesdrop on conversations you otherwise will have no interest in. Although for some it’s the opposite, some who find spicy snippets of gossip amusing.

The bus on the other hand has not yet put me through such an ordeal. Till now I have found the people in the bus to keep their love affairs to themselves. Although there is no guarantee of this remaining unvaried in the future since the people everywhere are still the same puerile Delhiites.  (Of which I’m one and proud to be so!)

5. Congestion:

This is completely susceptible to the time of your travel. Both the metro and the bus fare more or less the same in this category. Both are filled to the brim in office hours with no breathing space. People are known to die (almost) in both. Both subject people to the same kind of harrowing treatment on trying to board or de-board the metro/bus. People are inconsiderate of others in both and no matter how crowded, they often tend to let other people have a whiff of the gases brewing inside them

6. Accessibility:

Bus stops are everywhere. Metro stations are on their way but even then, in a city like Delhi, they cannot achieve the ubiquity of the bus stops. Constructing metro stations is a lot more work and requires a lot more space. Buses are far more convenient on this front.

7. View:

Metro gives an aerial view and can be quite awe-inspiring the first few times. One is left gaping at the neat roads and tiny cars crawling along, their rash movements imperceptible at the height I was at. But one gets used to all things in life, especially the good ones. No one stares out the window in the metro any longer, they are all busy staring at their phone screens, texting, playing games or have earphones plugged on. Soon I started feeling nostalgic for the road. The metro gives an isolated feeling at times, as if you are disconnected from the outside world.  On the road you get a closer view of the workings of the city, you feel closer to its heart brimming with blood and activity!

 

Feature Image Credits: Hitesh Kalra for DU Beat

Chhavi Bahmba

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Managing cards has always been a tricky business for students. They tap College ID cards at AFC gates and flash Metro Cards to college guards. In order to clear the card clutter for students, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and Delhi Travel Corporation (DTC) have come up with a new fool-proof plan, the college ID Cards of the students shall, beginning 1st October 2018, double up for Delhi Metro Smart Cards.

The barcode lines on the back of the average College ID card will act as the connect between the University and
the DMRC. DU has been in talks with the two corporations for a while. The card shall not only provide better
accessibility to mass transit systems in the capital, it shall also entitle them to 45% discount during peak hours, and 20% discount during non-peak hours. This has also given a new direction to the political manifestos of the various fronts operating within the varsity. Mr. Moosa Heirawala, Dean Students’ Welfare, University of Delhi, says, “It was peculiar to hear that various political fronts approached the Chief Minister to ask for fare deductions, since, we were already planning to get 45% discount on Metro and DTC rides to the students through this venture.” Such arrangements have been made to facilitate the transits of the student body. The students too, on their side have accepted the news with open arms.
“My girlfriend lives in Dwarka, and shuttles to North Campus daily. Earlier, because of sharp metro fares, I used to
take the Airport Express with her from New Delhi, go all the way to Dwarka, and without making the exit, had to
wait for the train outbound for New Delhi. But now, I will finally be able to make an exit. It is all because of the
new facility that has been incorporated into the existing system,” says Janaki Prasad, a frustrated student. Quite interestingly, it has been observed that although the present strength in colleges on any given day is generally not that high, all the ID Cards pay a tap to the AFC gates across various metro stations every day. It is noticed that cards of even those students, who have forgotten what their college campus looked like, are being used daily which has brought forth some stark criticism amongst the management at DMRC.
“We have observed that students are giving their cards to others in exchange for favours. This shall not be tolerated. We’re in talks with the University to link card usage with attendance. If a student is marked present in college, s/he shall be credited with discount in her/ his card,” says the President of DMRC.

While the fate of this plan hangs in a balance, the students are trying to make the best use of it while they can.

Disclaimer: Bazinga is our weekly column of almost believable fake news. It is only to be appreciated and not accepted.

Feature Image Credits: CitySpidey

Aashish Jain
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The Delhi metro has helped students through hard times and good times. Snaking through the vast corridors of the state, it has become more than just a means of transport.

For students, the presence of Delhi metro has been a boon. We have now started to spend more time underground than above the ground, happy in our moleskins. No, it is not a place for Pritam and his band to sing romantic songs, and it is not a place for Amitabh Bachchan to let out his inner child in front of his ‘father’. It is our commute, our lifeline. The Delhi metro has served many purposes for the average student of the University of Delhi (DU) since its beginning. Despite helping students beat the strenuous Delhi traffic, the Delhi metro has many other amenities to cater to students. The Vishwavidyalaya metro station’s cheap INR 50 earphones become necessities; copies, books, earrings, and food are readily available right at the metro stations. Not to mention the utility of the bicycles for use on a leisurely day around the campus.

College students spend a substantial amount of time commuting in the metro. The average, broke DU student can hardly afford the luxury of an Uber cab. For the lucky few off-campus students, the metro sometimes serves the purpose of not just connectivity, but also as a completely acceptable excuse to be late to class, on the days the usually punctual metro is confronted with a technical snag.

For a few of us, the metro is also about chance encounters. We meet new people every day, whether it is that jhola-carrying cute guy who asked you what you are reading, or the aunty who threw you dirty looks for rocking out to AC/DC. The metro is a host of characters, and mingling with them is our very own capsule.

Recent expansion in the metro will prove to be more helpful in bridging the north-south divide. The 21.56 km stretch of the Pink Line which is operational now connects the North and South campuses of Delhi University, which would reduce the travel time to 40 minutes. The line also connects 12 stations and the Blue, Yellow, Red, and Airport metro lines. In December 2017, the Prime Minister opened a section of the Magenta Line connecting the Kalkaji Mandir metro station to Botanical Garden in Noida. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is hence slowly expanding and is expected to cover 700 kilometres in a few years as per the Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

 

Feature Image Credits: India Today.

Sara Sohail

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As students of Delhi University, we tend to spend a lot of time, travelling to and fro between college and home and more often than not, majority of us prefer taking the metro. Compared to other means of commuting, Delhi Metro is cleaner, air conditioned, convenient and provides a quick service eliminating the possibility of getting stuck in hour-long road traffic jams.

Apart from this, a large number of colleges are in close proximity to the metro stations and are usually not more than a 5 minute auto ride from them. However, considering such huge volumes of people travelling through the metro, it acts as a nice place for pick pockets to operate. Gone are the days when only Jewelry and Purses were the only things susceptible to get stolen. The smart phone revolution has compelled everyone to own a smartphone for themselves, which on an average, is no less than Rs.6000, hence making them a lucrative item to steal.

Sadly, I have been a victim of the same and lost my mobile phone while travelling from Vishwavidyalaya to Laxmi Nagar metro station. Like anyone who lost their cell phone, would do, I got a complaint registered on the lost and found section of Delhi police online portal and submitted a copy of the same at Yamuna Bank police station. Days went by, and eventually I lost all hope of getting my cell phone back.

Interestingly, a few days later, I had the opportunity to speak to a policeman in my vicinity about the same and he, in the course of our conversation explained the negligible possibility of anyone getting their stolen phone back, once lost in the metro.

He said, that these pick pockets operate in a group of 3-5 people and generally spot their target beforehand which is usually when they see someone using their phone. Once that has been done, one of them distracts the victim by slightly pushing while the other person gets the phone out of the pocket while the victim is distracted and hands it over to the third person standing behind so as to prevent getting caught. They usually target students, travelling with their friends/boyfriend/girlfriend as they tend to be less alert and ‘distracted’ (of course).

Once that has been done, they immediately switch the phone off, making it difficult to track the phone even if you have the IMEI number. After that, they get off the metro, take the phone to repairing hubs like Gaffar Market and get the IMEI number tampered. Once that is done, it is almost impossible to track the phone. It is however necessary to get the police complaint registered so as to make sure that the stolen phone is not misused.

Cell phone theft, apart from the monetary loss, also at times causes a huge of loss of data including important documents and memorable pictures. Therefore, it is very important to have your data backed up. Nevertheless, being conscious and alert about your belongings can prove to be really beneficial and save you from a rather heartbreaking (and a pocket-aching) loss.

Image credits: The Hindu

Aditya Narang

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Being a student of Delhi University and a resident of NCR, the daily comfort and convenience by which I have been travelling to college for more than two years now would not have been possible without the revolutionary invention of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. Hesitant at first because of my unavoidable confusing road sense, today, I cannot imagine my journey to any place, near or far in the city, or its neighboring places without it. The metro has shaped me into a more confident, excited and spontaneous traveler than I confess to be and despite my level of laziness, I could not have asked for a better means of transportation in Delhi.

Every year, there are millions of newbies who may need to begin their journey but remain doubtful for not being as aware or assured of the delightful and not-so-delightful facts of this wonderful creation just yet, which could be of help. Thus, having gained enough knowledge from my own experiences, here are some of the things that I feel, every daily commuter through Delhi metro should know:

1. Delhi Metro Smart Card

First and foremost, if you’re a soon-to-be daily passenger of metro, it’s imperative that you buy a Metro Smart Card or Travel Card for a hassle-free journey. You can recharge it once with the amount you feel suitable for yourself (starting from Rs.100-200) and use it for multiple journeys based on the value available on it. They not only help you save your time and efforts in waiting at long queues for tokens, but also let you save money by providing a 10% discount each day.

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Image Credits: blog.ridlr.in

 

2. Avoid the Rush Hours

Nobody likes to travel in overcrowded compartments where you’re most likely to get stuffed, pushed or worse- stepped on by someone’s big foot. To avoid being the victim of such situations, try traveling by the clock if you can. With the rush hours being from 8 – 10 am in the morning and 6 – 8 pm in the evening, try starting a little early from your destination, if possible. The early birds get a wonderful reward- a comfortable seat and more air to breathe in.

Image Credits: www.indianexpress.com
Image Credits: www.indianexpress.com

 

3. Travel Buddies

Traveling long distances can be boring after a few minutes. To make your journey fun, try traveling with a companion. If they aren’t available, make music or a novel your best friend and feel the difference. Watch time fly in front of your eyes as you plug in those earphones and get immersed in a world of your own.

Image Credits:www.fakingnews.firstpost.com
Image Credits: www.fakingnews.firstpost.com

 

4. When a Metro gets stuck

Don’t get jumpy if the metro stops in the middle of your journey. It’s very normal for the metro to stop or slow down at stations like Qutub Minar, Kirti Nagar or any other, sometimes. It doesn’t mean that the metro’s dysfunctional or that you’ll be stuck on the bridge for hours. The worse possibility is of making you a minute or two late, but would you rather consider being stuck in a road traffic jam for hours in the heat, with absolutely no way out? I don’t think so.

Image Credits: www.indiatvnews.com
Image Credits: www.indiatvnews.com

 

5. One Metro with more than just one Final Destination

Before boarding the metro, understand that being at the right platform might not get you where you need to go. It will only get you closer, for every metro that arrives on that very same platform is required to reach two or more destinations and will thus, have it written/announced before arriving. Thus, check before you sit. For instance, a Qutub Minar metro will not take you to Huda City Centre and a Noida City Centre one will not reach Vaishali. It’s best to avoid such mistakes.

Image Credits: www.indiatvnews.com
Image Credits: www.thehindu.com

 

6. Beware of the large crowds

There are a number of Lines having various stations for different places in Delhi. To board a metro for a different line, there are a few Inter-change stations with the major ones being Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat and Kashmiri Gate. However, step with caution. These are the stations where you’d consistently struggle to get through the huge chaos of people coming at you like a bullet at any time of the day. So, make sure to keep all your essentials inside and don’t lose anything, especially yourself.

Image Credits: www.indiatvnews.com
Image Credits: www.indiatvnews.com

 

7. Women’s Compartment

There’s a reserved ‘women’s only’ compartment at the end of each metro to provide a better comfort level and convenience to all. However, there will be times when you would be forced to shift ‘a little more’ on your seat despite having no space left for the one who decided to sit with you. Kindly keep your cool with a ‘chalta hai’ attitude. While playing games or texting, you may even have someone peeking into your phone from behind, trying to make use of their free time as much as they can. Kindly spare them. (If possible)

Image Credits: www.mensxp.com
Image Credits: www.mensxp.com

 

8. The Delhi Metro App

To make your travel smoother, download the Delhi Metro Mobile App, which gives you every bit of route information regarding everything about the metro you need to board for your destination. You can also recharge your metro card on the DMRC website or download a Delhi Metro Map to avoid any confusion.

Image Credits: www.techotv.com
Image Credits: www.techotv.com

 

9. Travel Snack Eateries

To grab a coffee to help you stay awake during an early morning lecture or eat on the go while you’re on your way back home, many metro stations have provided us with the irresistible advantages of eating joints like Café Coffee Day and WH Smith or a substantial food court with plenty of varieties like those at Epicuria, Nehru Place, Rajiv Chowk and Huda City Centre metro station.

Image Credits: www.redfoodie.com
Image Credits: www.redfoodie.com

Therefore, in comparison to other public transportations like buses, autos or cabs, metro continues to remain a boon and the most favourable and safest option for all. You’ll be surprised at how it turns out more than just a form of conveyance but a possible destination for a collection of memories and new acquaintances for all.

Happy traveling!

Featured Image Credits: www.subways.net

Shagun Marwah
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Ladies coaches in Delhi Metro and the envy they generate in the male passengers is not a new story. However, what’s new are the kind of answer’s women are giving to such questioning envy. One such unforgiving response was given by internet’s “Badass Aunty”. This conversation shared by Dyuti Sudipta on her Facebook has gone viral ever since it’s been posted. She posted a conversation between two complaining men and one woman who put an end to their prejudiced dilemmas

Dyuti explains,

” Overheard in Metro.

Guy 1: Dekh ladies coach poora khali hai. Idhar side itna bhara hua  hai, par fir bhi hume wahan jaake baithna allowed nahin hai. Khali padi hui hain seatein.

Guy 2: Haan yaar. Dekh, poora coach de rakha hai unko, wo bharti hain nahin, upar se humare coach mein bhi do do seatein de rakhi hain, hum baith gaye to utha diye jaate hain, bhale poora unka coach khali pada ho. Wo to bhar lein pehle!

Badass Aunty: Aap log paida hi nahin hone de rahe ho na beta, aur naseeb se paida ho bhi rahi hain to unko padhne likhne, bahar nikalne se rok rahe ho jee jaan lagake.  Ye sab kaam band kar do, kokh mein maar dena, doodh mein dubo dena, rok tok karna, fir dekho na beta, metro ki seatein kya, office ki kursiyan, khel ka maidan sab kuch bhar dengi ye, par usi cheez se to darr rahe ho aap, hai na? Hai na beta?”

 The conversation involves three people travelling in a metro. Two of the male passengers compare women’s coach which was not crowded with their jam packed one . They complain about this and express their discomfort about having to leave seats meant for women in general compartments, especially when ‘they’ (women) have their own. It is at this point when all our feminist dreams come to life and the Badass Aunty highlights effortlessly the oppression women face through female infanticide, confinement of women and the like.

Interesting comments have also been posted on this Facebook status. In one such insightful comments, Dyuti Sudipta who had been an integral part of Women’s Development Cell of Miranda House, justifies having different compartments and reserved seats for women. She says, “Well what happens is if we see women sitting in those two seats, or have the idea of the presence of two women in a coach otherwise filled with men, women have the courage to enter the general compartment, that in turn obviously contributes to the increased safety of public sphere. We can’t forever isolate women in an all female setting and pretend we are achieving safety in public space. However, we will have to induce the participation of the minority in domains dominated by majority by making it legitimate according to the rules and when the situation gets better and the participation is no longer dependent on the rule, the rule maybe abolished. We haven’t yet reached that point where not having the rule makes sense”

The conversation not only speaks for women, but inspires them too. In a world where patriarchy artfully propagates girl on girl hate, women need this voice. Young female passengers often complain about the curious eyes of ‘aunties’ in the female compartments which make them uncomfortable. In this context, Dyuti is quite right when she says, ” Some aunties are bad; some are bad-ass.”

Can we have more bad-ass aunties please?

Featured illustration credits: Rajat Mahanti/AbsoluteDesi

Tooba Towfiq

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