Delhi Metro is probably the best thing that has happened to the city in a long time. Other than the fact that it has made traveling easier for a lot of us, it’s also economical. And while we love the typical “dilli” vibe of it, there are a lot of things (mostly things that people do) that leave us pissed. Like elaichi in a wonderful biryani.
Here are some Delhi Metro clichés that are too annoying to put up with.
1. People who forcefully fit on one seat.
There’s always this one person who asks you to scooch, just so they can fit into the tiny space on one seat. And the worst thing is that you either end up with no space to sit, or just choose to give up the seat. It’s like musical chairs in there – except, not fun at all.
2. People who rush to get in.
I get it, we’re all mostly hurrying, and no one wants to miss a metro on purpose. But, when the announcement says that we must wait for people to get off, then what’s the point of the unnecessary pushing? I mean, there’s logic there – so maybe wait, and then get in. I blame Geet for her “train chhoot rahi hai” melodrama, everyone’s just taking inspiration.
3. Rajiv Chowk
That’s it, that’s the point. The station is a person equivalent of that one relative who has nothing good to offer but can’t keep quiet. It’s a station, but it’s also a food court, and there are just too many gates, but no proper explanation as to where they lead. And sure, it’s a common point for connecting lines, but why is everyone pushing someone?
4. People who have no respect for someone’s privacy.
Why is it that a random uncle, aunty or even a kid, for that matter, is interested in my playlist? At times, these people are so engrossed in other people’s phones that they snoop into our conversations. They know who you’re talking to, what song you’re listening and whose Instagram story you just checked out.
5. People who eat/drink and spill.
We’ve all seen drinks, food or bits of snacks left on seats and the floor – and this happens on most days. A) Consumption of food and beverages is prohibited. B) How can people just leave things expecting that someone would clean up after them? This makes those unclean seats inaccessible, and of course, it’s unhygienic.
6. People who wouldn’t remove their bags from their seats.
It’s surprising how many people get offended if they’re asked to remove their bags from their seats, let alone do it out of empathy. I’ve even seen some picking a fight – over seats meant for people to sit.
7. People who risk it all to just get in.
There are so many times when someone obstructs the metro door with their hand, or well, the entire body. Why? Because they can’t wait for the next metro. And so they quite literally decide to risk it all, with no worry of what might happen. Then there’s the entire thing where all metro doors open, and end up taking all the time to close back.
8. Machines that accept “special” notes.
When I first saw these machines for buying tokens and recharging smart cards, for some reason I thought that this would lessen the hassle. But then again, there’s just no win-win with technology in our country. So, for some reason, these machines do not accept all notes – they need to be crisp and perfect, and maybe just maybe that’d work. Of course, most of us end up in lines after our tiff with these weird machines.
Oh, and if you do these things, STOP!