The metro rail in Delhi is a part of the city’s image today. Characterized by five corridors denoted by different colours, besides the newly introduced Orange line (Airport Express Line), the present network of Metro Rail in Delhi is like a skeleton that holds the city and the hinterland of the National Capital Region (NCR) together. Criticize it or love it, you cannot ignore it.
If you are a visitor to the capital, you should not miss a ride on the metro at any cost. In reality, you cannot. Whatever way you reach the city, there is a metro station for you: at two Railway Stations (New Delhi and Old Delhi), the airport (IGI Airport) and the major bus terminals (Anand Vihar and Kashmere Gate). And more often than not, there would be one near wherever you want to go.
Come, experience what the metro has done to Delhi. It is perhaps the only public transport mode that has succeeded to draw people out of their personal vehicles and contributed in reducing congestion on the road network. Delhi has now become a seamless city as one can go from Uttar Pradesh to Haryana effortlessly.
Grab a metro route map which is available at most metro stations free of cost, so that you don’t lose your way.
The Red Line came into vogue first from Shahdara to Tis Hazari. Slowly but steadily, today the network length has grown beyond 200 km in length. It has brought about a paradigm shift in the mobility patterns of the city, and made commuting comfortable and convenient. Outskirts of the city have got connected to the city centre.
You must visit Akshardham Temple, which is an architectural wonder and has religious relevance as well. The metro station is quite near the temple complex, all you need to do is follow the signages to the correct exit gate. In there, you can also have the wonderful prasad, and hop on the metro to your next destination.
If you are in the mood for a greenery, go to Botanical Gardens in Noida. You would not even realize when you cross the state boundaries. The metro station is located near a major hub of bus services, Noida Sector 37. You may also hop on a bus to visit the Okhla Bird Sanctuary in Kalindi Kunj.
You must visit Pragati Maidan once during your stay in Delhi. It is one of the largest exposition grounds of our country. Artisans, technicians and experts of relevant fields get together here during the various events that are organized here. An amusement park was here by the name of Appu Ghar, but it is now closed down.
Entertainment awaits you full swing at the Delhi Zoo. Huge is a small word to describe the sprawling campus. You may also enjoy a boasting ride in the moat of Purana Quila.
Alternatively, you can cross the Yamuna River and get off at Rajiv Chowk. You would emerge in Connaught Place, the heart of the city. It is the commercial hub of the city. You may visit British Council on K. G. Marg, or relax in the Central Park, catch a movie in one of the multiplexes. Or shop a bit on Inner Circle, Palika Bazar, Janpath and nearby areas. Are you tired or hungry? Options to satisfy your taste buds are many: Milk shakes at Cavanders, Pizzas in Pizza Hut, Nirula’s, Wimpy’s, South Indian Cuisine at Sarvana Bhawan, Non Vegetarian Mughlai preparations in Delhi Durbar and Kake da Dhaba, Mexican food at Rodeo’s, Chinese at Taste of China are just a few mouth watering examples.
Decide which direction you want to go next, because Rajiv Chowk is an interchange station between the Yellow and Blue Lines. Lest you choose to explore the Blue line, get of at the very next station, Ram Krishna Ashram Marg. It is located in the heart of the famous furniture market of Panchkuian Road. This used to be a booming market, but now some of the merchants have been relocated. However, the remainder is no less interesting.
As you cross Jhandewalan, you cannot miss the 108 feet high Hanuman Statue which stands adjacent to the metro line. Get off at Rajouri Garden to explore the adjoining malls. Shopping activities beckon you down the line too, in Tilak Nagar, Janakpuri, Dwarka, etc but these are mainly residential areas.
Delhi is not known as the paradise for shoppers for nothing. On the yellow line, you can visit Chandni Chowk and Chawri Bazaar and shop to your heart’s content. You should not miss the shopping experience at Kamla Nagar markets. Diametrically opposite on the corridor, there is INA metro station which is near Dilli Haat, INA Market and Sarojini Nagar Market. Malviya Nagar and Saket are some popular shopping destinations connected by the metro network. Lajpat Nagar and Khan market metro stations on the Violet Line shall bring you to the most popular shopping hubs of South Delhi. Pitampura, Netaji Subhash Place and Rohini on Red Line are the marketing nodes of the north western part of Delhi.
If you wish to hang around in malls, go straight to M G Road station. A number of shopping arcades with exciting food courts are nearby.
Explore the true feel of Delhi as it used to be once upon a time. The Red Fort stands in quiet testimony of the grand era of the Mughals. Alongside, some historic structures such as Delhi Gate, Kashmere Gate, Magazine where ammunition and local bulletins used to be stored, take you back in time. Look at the buildings that stand dilapidated along the roads – you would be awestruck by the intricately designed iron railings, wooden fascias and beautiful architectural elements.
India Gate, the first image if which flashes in one’s mind when you talk of Delhi, stands near Central Secretariat metro station on one end of the beautiful vista of Rajpath. Rashtrapati Bhawan is on the other end. The colonial architectural style can be seen in whole of Lutyen’s Delhi in low rise bungalows and administrative buildings.
Nehru Place and Kalkaji Mandir metro stations of Violet Line shall bring you to the beautiful Lotus Temple or the Bahai House of Worship, which looks like a lotus, a prototype of the Sydney Opera House in Australia. The archaeological sites of Qutub Minar, Mehrauli Archaeological Park, Garden of Five Senses and Chatterpur Temple are popular destinations for tourists on the Yellow Line.
The AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital Complex is also connected by the Yellow Line and Moolchand Hospital is served by the Violet Line. Hence, if you need medical attention, all you need to do is board the metro from the station nearest to you. Other medical institutions connected by the metro web are Max Hospital in Saket, Batra Hospital in Hamdard Nagar, etc.
Educational centres such as Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University are also accessible by the metro.
Explore Delhi on “The pride of the country”!
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