Weekend rush: Citizens flock to ride Metro on second day
Ashish Roy | TNN | Mar 10, 2019, 04:38 IST
Nagpur: Residents of Orange City flocked to ride Nagpur Metro on Saturday with the same zeal as was witnessed on Friday. According to MahaMetro, around 11,500 people travelled on Saturday. MahaMetro officials said that Metro rides would be free on Sunday too.
Some 11,000 people had travelled on Friday even there were seven to and fro rides instead of six. Metro officials attributed the higher number to Saturday being an off day for government and some private offices and wide publicity to free rides given by the local media.
Even though it was a free ride, MahaMetro asked people to take tickets from the counter and use them at automatic fare collection (AFC) gates. These tickets have quick response (QR) code printed on them. When you place them on the sensor of the gate, it opens automatically. MahaMetro officials wanted Nagpurians to become familiar with the use of such tickets. This system will continue on Sunday too.
Some people had difficulty in placing the QR code against the gate sensor. They were helped by the station staff.
While MahaMetro is offering joyrides, some people are ready to pay for them. A middle-aged man reached Sitabuldi station in the morning and took out a Rs500 note and asked the staffer to issue him 10 to and fro tickets. When he was told that the ride was for free, he said that he didn’t mind paying. The ticket seller politely refused to take the money.
While these are joyrides, some people are already using or plan to use the facility for non-entertainment purpose. Tushar Patil, who lives near airport, had returned from Mumbai by Duronto. Not wishing to pay exorbitant autorickshaw fare, he walked from the railway station to Sitabuldi Metro Station, boarded the 8am Metro and got down at Airport Station. He then walked home.
Dinesh Gole, who works in Mihan and lives in Sitabuldi, is elated over starting of the Metro. “I will use it everyday as it is very convenient for me to reach my workplace. It takes a long time to reach Mihan on my two-wheeler. It is tiring and costly too,” he said.
Shobhana Bandopadhyaya, divisional railway manager (DRM) of South-Eastern Central Railway (SECR), enjoyed Metro ride from Sitabuldi to Khapri and back by the 11am train with her family. She had requested Metro officials to ensure a seat for her.
Emergency button being misused
Some mischievous children are misusing the emergency button provided in Metro coaches. A Metro official said that Ladies Special train on Friday stopped around ten times because a child was repeatedly pressing the button. “Other women asked him not do it but his mother did nothing to stop the kid,” the official further said.
MahaMetro managing director Brijesh Dixit said that a system would be evolved to deal with such situations if they occur frequently. “The button does not directly stop the train. It send an alarm to the train driver. We may ask the drivers not to stop the train if the button is being pressed repeatedly. The coaches have CCTVs and we may punish the offenders,” he added.
Dixit appealed to Nagpurians not to indulge in such behaviour. “This Metro belongs to all of them. They should consider it as their own and not disrupt operations,” he said.
Some 11,000 people had travelled on Friday even there were seven to and fro rides instead of six. Metro officials attributed the higher number to Saturday being an off day for government and some private offices and wide publicity to free rides given by the local media.
Even though it was a free ride, MahaMetro asked people to take tickets from the counter and use them at automatic fare collection (AFC) gates. These tickets have quick response (QR) code printed on them. When you place them on the sensor of the gate, it opens automatically. MahaMetro officials wanted Nagpurians to become familiar with the use of such tickets. This system will continue on Sunday too.
Some people had difficulty in placing the QR code against the gate sensor. They were helped by the station staff.
While MahaMetro is offering joyrides, some people are ready to pay for them. A middle-aged man reached Sitabuldi station in the morning and took out a Rs500 note and asked the staffer to issue him 10 to and fro tickets. When he was told that the ride was for free, he said that he didn’t mind paying. The ticket seller politely refused to take the money.
While these are joyrides, some people are already using or plan to use the facility for non-entertainment purpose. Tushar Patil, who lives near airport, had returned from Mumbai by Duronto. Not wishing to pay exorbitant autorickshaw fare, he walked from the railway station to Sitabuldi Metro Station, boarded the 8am Metro and got down at Airport Station. He then walked home.
Dinesh Gole, who works in Mihan and lives in Sitabuldi, is elated over starting of the Metro. “I will use it everyday as it is very convenient for me to reach my workplace. It takes a long time to reach Mihan on my two-wheeler. It is tiring and costly too,” he said.
Shobhana Bandopadhyaya, divisional railway manager (DRM) of South-Eastern Central Railway (SECR), enjoyed Metro ride from Sitabuldi to Khapri and back by the 11am train with her family. She had requested Metro officials to ensure a seat for her.
Emergency button being misused
Some mischievous children are misusing the emergency button provided in Metro coaches. A Metro official said that Ladies Special train on Friday stopped around ten times because a child was repeatedly pressing the button. “Other women asked him not do it but his mother did nothing to stop the kid,” the official further said.
MahaMetro managing director Brijesh Dixit said that a system would be evolved to deal with such situations if they occur frequently. “The button does not directly stop the train. It send an alarm to the train driver. We may ask the drivers not to stop the train if the button is being pressed repeatedly. The coaches have CCTVs and we may punish the offenders,” he added.
Dixit appealed to Nagpurians not to indulge in such behaviour. “This Metro belongs to all of them. They should consider it as their own and not disrupt operations,” he said.
more from times of india Cities
LATEST VIDEOS
City
Former Congress MP Vijayashanti compares PM Narendra Modi with a terrorist00:35- Akash Ambani-Shloka Mehta wedding: Antilia decked up with flowers01:03
- On cam: Taxi driver saves life of a passenger from coming under the wheels of train in Agra00:53
- Miraculous escape for Golden Baba as SUV collides with divider on Yamuna Expressway01:13
All Comments ()+^ Back to Top
Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive. Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.
HIDE