These are the
memoirs of another man, me who qualifies as a common Man in a Metro. Right from
its inception in 2017, I have been a great fan of the Hyderabad Metro service.
I am proud to say that I frequently use Hyderabad Metro and am fascinated by
its convenience, speed, connectivity, and lack of frequent traffic jams that
are quite prevalent in the other, modes of public transport.
Metro is
convenient for me as we stay close to Miyapur station, one of the terminal
points. This ensures that I always get a place to sit when I start my journey.
My return journey station, Moosaram Bagh too is very close to the other
terminus, LB Nagar and I am ensured comfortable seating on both sides of the
journey. My wife jokes “you move from a drawing-room (house) to an Air-conditioned
Office (My workplace) courtesy, Hyderabad Metro”.
I call myself an
MMTS traveler using a Multi-Modal Transport System (MMTS). Metro train, Bus,
Auto, Cab, Car, walking are all means of traveling for me. The following are
some of my observations about Metro Travelers.
1) “Eating
and drinking are banned in Hyderabad Metro”. This might surprise many travelers
but it is true. Unlike a regular railway system where eating and drinking
non-alcoholic beverages is permitted, eating and drinking are not permitted in
Metro trains. Most don’t drink or eat, but in few cases, it has been noticed
that people munch on snacks (Kurkure, Chips, Frankie’s, Samosas and drink water
(permissible), and in some cases I have seen travelers drinking Coke/Pepsi. But
it is undeniable that most people don’t eat or drink as the journeys tend to be
short, maximum 10 or 15 minutes.
2) According
to the Hyderabad Metro Website, taking photos is also banned. But this too like
eating and drinking this is never enforced. There are no signboards about
prohibiting eating, drinking, and taking snaps and selfies. Commuters can’t be
blamed for indulging in these activities as most might not even be aware that
these activities are banned.
3) Most
commuters don’t believe in queuing up while entering the train or when they are
disembarking. It’s a free for all and even at terminal stations there is
pell-mell and people simply rush in like stampeded cattle!
4) No
respect for women, people with special needs, or senior citizens. Except for
the reserved ladies section where only women sit, all other seating area is
occupied by young men and women who give scant notice to others with special
needs. Even in places reserved for the senior citizens have to ask for people
to vacate the seats. No one voluntarily gets up and offers a seat. The other
day, a senior citizen demanded a seat. The man sitting had an interesting
reason not to get up. He said, “Ask those youngsters (pointing to some
teenagers) to get up. I am older than them”. This defeats the entire purpose of
reserving the seats. The seats are meant for senior citizens and people sitting
have to vacate without putting any preconditions!
5) During
the four years of my travel in Hyderabad Metro, I have some interesting
insights. No one reads printed matter of any sort! Apart from me (I read novels
and magazines), Once I saw a young girl reading a novel and on another
occasion, I saw a young man reading a newspaper. That is all! 99% of the
travelers are joined to their umbilical cord, the omnipresent cellphone. Most
people listen to music (loudly), talk incessantly (again loudly), see videos
(movies, serials, comedy shows) at high decibel levels. It is a cacophony of
sounds. Very few people use headphones or earphones. I am told that in Japan
there is pin-drop silence in metros and most if any all travelers use
headphones and earphones and text instead of talking to avoid disturbing
others.
6) Commuters'
backpacks are a big nuisance. The unwieldy backpacks often swing in all
directions and hit other standing travelers or brush the faces of the seated
travelers. I often think of the pack backers as being pregnant on the wrong
side. Most of the backpacks look like full-term pregnancies. It looks as if the
baby inside would pop out at any time. Hyderabad metro should use its train
audio system to advise commuters to put their back backs on the floor and not
take up additional space and assault the others.
7) Women
tend to converge both at the first and the last cars (compartments). The last
car had a women-only section which now allows all passengers but women still
prefer the first and the last cars.
8) Staircases
are not very popular and only around 5% of travelers use the staircases. Most
use the escalators and the lifts. Lifts are meant elderly and travelers with
special needs but most ignore the instructions posted at the lift entrance.
9) No
respect for personal space. Due to Covid, Hyderabad Metro has made it mandatory
that travelers sit only on alternate seats. But this is not enforced and all
seats are occupied. The travelers in the allowed seating make seating difficult
in the restricted seats by spreading their thighs and making sitting
unconvertable. But alas, the hardy Hyderabadi Metro travelers squeeze
themselves and slowly but surely make the unwilling next eat person sit
properly (with thighs close together).
10) In
spite of repeated requests by the Hyderabad Metro personnel there is too much
crowding at the front part of the train. The metro personnel plead and request
the commuters to move back but to no avail. There is a tendency to get into the
train from the front part and then move back. Common sense says that the last
compartment is least preferred. It is less crowded and there are more chances
of getting seating space.
