Reflections on transportation in Delhi

Yesterday we took advantage of all manner of Delhi transport from the metro to the auto rickshaw to the bicycle rickshaw (from which the image below was shot). Based upon the insane amount of traffic on the streets and the absolute impossibility of moving at any decent speed during rushhour--regardless of what type of vehicle you are in--going below ground makes a lot of sense. And Delhi's metro system is fast, clean, efficient, modern, cheap, and easy to use. The challenge is that the environment on your way to the metro, or your way out, is neither fast, clean, efficient, modern, cheap, or easy to use.

After being crammed like Indian sardines into a metro car in the late morning, I was delighted to learn about a unique Indian metro novelty--the ladies car. The first one or two cars of every Delhi metro train are devoted to the ladies and offer a rarified opportunity to not get up close and personal with a whole bunch of random male strangers. And, there is usually seating and lots of room in the ladies car--which makes it doubly great. For the next few journeys, Michael and I rode separately, with me living large in the ladies car.

Our guide book tells us that, due to the relative newness of the Metro system, Delhians are still learning about proper subway etiquette. The stuff you normally take for granted on a subway, such as being able to get out of the train at your stop without having to push your way out of the crowd with all the brute force you can muster, you can't really rely on here. They also haven't quite mastered the idea that you let people out of the train before pushing your way inside. It's a process. And, it sure beats sitting helplessly in a taxi or auto rickshaw on surface streets stuck in traffic going nowhere fast.