Yamuna's stench marring the new station's experience; feeder service trouble hurdle too
Yamuna's stench marring the new station's experience; feeder service trouble hurdle too
The Metro has rolled into East Delhi but it's not on a smooth ride yet. The eastward step has come with a plethora of problems for commuters, beginning with a stinking Yamuna Bank station.
Scarcity of Metro feeder buses and fleecing autowallahs are among the few other teething troubles.
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On the second day of its east run, MiD DAY visited the Metro station and found a stinking loophole in the spanking new complex.
So strong is the stench that commuters could be seen fighting it even before they reached the station building.
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As soon as vehicles took a left turn from the Akshardham Road towards the Metro station, commuters were forced to cover their noses to keep the smell out.
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Inside, flies could be seen spotting the gleaming steel walls, the foul smell unbearable in the closed space.
"I have been standing on the platform for just five minutes and I already want to run away. The stench is everywhere," said Anita Gupta, a commuter.
Few feeders
Other than the stench, commuters complained about the lack of Metro feeder buses as well.
At around 5 pm, when MiD DAY visited the Metro station, commuters could be seen waiting for 15 to 25 minutes for the buses to arrive.
"I have been waiting for over 15 minutes but there is no feeder service. Whenever a bus arrives, passengers crowd it.
Many people prefer walking to the main road for some other form of transport," said Saurabh Kumar, a harassed commuter.
A Delhi Metro Rail official, who was guiding the feeder buses outside the station, agreed there was a problem with the service.
"There is a shortage of drivers. So all the buses are not being run. But a few drivers have been summoned from the Vishwavidyalaya Metro station," said the official, wishing anonymity.
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Autowallahs on a roll
However, taking advantage of the situation, autowallahs could be seen fleecing passengers. Complete chaos ruled the Metro station exit as traffic marshals failed to regulate the traffic.
"I tried hiring an autorickshaw but they are overcharging. There is nobody to whom we can complain," said Gaurav Gupta, a commuter.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) spokesperson admitted that there were some problems with the station.
"Ten buses have already been provided for the feeder system and four more were sent today evening.
There is a shortage of drivers as some of them have been removed due to disciplinary action taken against them. When more join, the situation will improve.
There is no reason to panic. We will deploy more traffic marshals if the need arises," said DMRC spokesperson Anuj Dayal. But he denied that the station was stinking.
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