Dwarka residents happier than any airport-bound traveller

What would you choose: More than an hour of commuting through noise pollution and car exhaust — not to mention the possibility of a traffic blockade — or spending a hundred rupees for a smooth ride that cuts the travel time by a third of usual?

What would you choose: More than an hour of commuting through noise pollution and car exhaust — not to mention the possibility of a traffic blockade — or spending a hundred rupees for a smooth ride that cuts the travel time by a third of usual?

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For Dwarka residents, the choice is the latter. The airport Expressline, which opened on Wednesday, provided an easy commute to the heart of the city and a solution to their perennial problem.

“We never realised that New Delhi or central Delhi could be so close to Dwarka. Now, I can ask my wife to make tea for me before boarding the train at New Delhi station and get it served hot when I reach home,” said Sridhar Pandey, a resident of Dwarka sector 21. He said that his house is a stone’s throw from the Metro station.

Dr Komal, a dentist who stays at the outskirts of Dwarka, travels to central Delhi daily. “I commute by car to avoid hassles of poor public transport. It used to take me over an hour to reach. But now it is just a 20-minute ride. The most important thing is that you reach your destination safe,” she said.

Julian Antony, a doctor and a resident of Dwarka Sector 4 also echoed the sentiment, but wanted some improvements. “The frequency of trains, and its service hours should be increased to cater those who return home late night,” he said.

According to him, the line might not excite airport-bound travellers as it would excite the Dwarka residents.

A token vendor at the New Delhi Expressline Metro station said he sold tokens mostly to airport-bound travellers, while in the afternoon most were Dwarka-bound passengers.