Breathless due to the crowd, rue commuters of Delhi metro
A Delhi court has expressed concern over the issue of overcrowding in public transport and sought a report from the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).
With its incomparable connectivity and other facilities, the Delhi Metro is a lifeline for the residents of NCR. However, the recent overcrowding in the coaches, especially during the peak hours, has raised the eyebrows of both passengers and authorities. As a Delhi court expressed concern over the issue of overcrowding in public transport and sought a report from the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), last week, here’s what commuters have to say about their trouble.
‘I feel suffocated’
Manhar Singh Ahluwalia, a content analyst from Chhattarpur, says, “My office is in Gurugram, so I have to take the Metro to work. I am not at all comfortable travelling in an overcrowded coach, but I have no other option. And since I have asthma, the crowding makes it more difficult for me and sometimes I feel suffocated. To avoid this, I plan my travel early, but that means spending more time of my day in commute.”
‘I’d rather pay more for an auto than travel by metro’
Akshita Panwar, a 2nd-year student of DU, based out of Greater Kailash, shares, “I try to avoid the Metro as much as possible nowadays because of the crowd. I’d rather shell out more bucks for an auto than commute by Metro to feel safer. Even though I travel in a women-only coach, there are times when men stand in the coach despite the restriction. Plus, 95% people in the metro don’t wear masks. I get heart palpitation sometimes, when it’s too crowded and there’s hardly ever any seats available to sit down and calm myself. So I end up avoiding the Metro nowadays, when travelling by myself.”
‘I travel in the women-only coach to avoid overcrowding’
Manya Wats, an analyst based in Greater Noida, says, “I travel for work to Gurugram. So taking the Metro is an inevitable option for me, as it’s better than travelling by road and being stuck in snarling traffic every day. So, I usually travel in the women-only coach or the last coach as they are comparatively less crowded. Even though the fear of Covid-19 has subsided, I still put on a mask if the coaches are too crowded. While I’m used to overcrowded metros by now, especially during peak hours, I still have to be careful of pickpockets, as it is a menace! Sometimes, I even have to get down at some intermediate station for some air if the coach I’m travelling in is too crowded.”
‘I avoid the metro during peak hours’
Mohit Singh Negi, a front-end developer from Faridabad, says “Even though my office is in Gurugram and taking the Metro would be a more convenient route for my daily work commute, I don’t feel confident in an overcrowded metro anymore. I try to avoid it as much as I can during the peak hours. But thanks to the traffic in Delhi, it is sometimes the only option left.” Recalling an incident, he says, “I remember, just sometime back, a middle-aged passenger started feeling breathless due to the crowd. As a result, she had to get off at one of the stations and take an auto instead! Many people don’t feel comfortable in Metro anymore.”
Doctor speak
Dr Amit Bhushan Sharma, a cardiologist from Gurugram, says: “Overcrowding leads to decreased oxygen, and that, in turn, leads to hypoxia. When you’re in an overcrowded environment, your pulse rate rises by 10-15 beats per minute as compared to your regular pulse rate when sitting alone. Try to beat the peak hours, do breathing exercises like Anulom Vilom. Listening to light music can also calm you down.”
Author tweets Anu_95m