Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Been there, Done that -- Bengaluru Metro

Finally, 5 days after Metro service was launched in Bangalore, I went on my first metro ride. It was a holiday and I was visiting my grandma and aunts who live in Cambridge Layout. Visiting them was never an issue before 'cos I had my two-wheeler. Last Diwali, I disposed off my bike. And, because I am not comfortable driving my car, I have to either wait for the Arien to pick or drop me or take an auto. You do not want me to rant 'bout the rampant auto issue that folks in Bengaluru face. I was quite glad I had another option. Yes - The Metro!

After a nice loong chat with my aunts, and my grandma, a bowl of papaya, hot chai and biskoot, I decided it was time to go home. While I could have taken the metro frm Ulsoor, I opted to walk up to Indira Nagar and then take the metro from that station. The walk was invigorating. It had jes stopped raining and somehow the place felt so much like Bangalore and not Bengaluru.

Image Courtesy: www.mrnewz.com

The metro ride was a joy. I have travelled on the Delhi Metro and so while the experience was essentially the same, I was so glad to experience it here. The ride from Indira nagar to Baiyappanhalli cost me Rs. 12.  "So cheap.. so so cheap" was all that was running in my head :D I wished I had taken the ride earlier, as it was becoming quite dark and I really could not appreciate the view. All the seats in all the coaches were occupied. And quite a few ppl were standing when I got on. It took me ~6 mts to reach the station. I was lucky enough to get on the feeder service that dropped me off right opposite my Dad's place. That cost me Rs.9. I got to spend some time with the Taurean and the senior Arien before the Arien landed up to pick me up. If I had taken an auto from Indiranagar to my home, I would have spent minumum Rs. 100. On top of that, I would have to listen to the auto drivers rant 'bout how IT folks who sit in AC rooms all day are mean (because they refuse to pay auto drivers their hiked up charges). Let me not forget to add that most times, they are positively rude and refuse to take you anywhere that you have to go to. The metro is such a nice solution to all those issues. I wish they hurry up and finish up all the other lines as well. I wish they had a station near K R Puram or B Narayanapura. There is some plan to extend the existing route to whitefield. I wish they do.

Go Bengaluru!! Very positive news for Bengaluru!    

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

We went on the metro for a joyride all the way to M.G.Road and back. Just timepass, but it feels really good and Jahnavi enjoyed to the core :D. Now, hope we don't have to wait for another 5 years for the extension. They really need to speed it up a bit more.

Good the feeder service is there, otherwise it's quite a walk from the station to your place, right? Autos also refuse these awkward distances.