IITF throws Metro commuters off-balance

A simple Metro ride from Gurgaon to Pragati Maidan in order to reach the ongoing India International Trade Fair (IITF) turned out to be a nightmarish experience for the 22-year-old Sakshi who works in a private firm. As she got down at the Central Secretariat she got stuck at the Mandi House Metro station for more than half an hour. Although, this is an account of just one visitor, there are several commuters like her who have had to face this problem when they board the Metro station to reach the trade fair venue.

Apart from the visitors who throng the Trade Fair, it is the office going people and the college students who suffer the most due to the crowd rush in the stations. 

A regular feature at the Pragati Maidan Metro station is the non-functioning lifts which leave the visitors with no other option but to take the stairs. Apart from this, problems like overcrowding at the ticket counters, non-functioning escalators and ticket vending machines what the commuters face on a daily basis.

Geetika, an employee working in a private firm in Noida said, “I live in Patel Nagar and it takes me one and a half hours to reach my office. I leave home by 8.30 am only because of the delay in Metro services for the past few days. Apart from the delay in Metro, there is too much overcrowding inside the ladies coach. To make the matter worse, male passengers also end up coming inside the coaches reserved for women.”

Aishwarya, a Delhi University student, echoed the same sentiments, adding that the guards at the Metro station are at fault since they do not stop the men from entering the women coach.

Another recurring problem faced by several commuters at the Metro stations are, the maps showing wrong information about the train stoppages. For instance, commuters travelling on the violet line complain about how the train going towards ITO abruptly ends at Mandi House causing inconvenience to the commuters.