Delhi in transition

I was the last three days in New Delhi. And as always in the last few years it was a mixed experience. On numerous fronts developments are clearly visible, while elsewhere it surely could and should be a little faster and better. But that's modern day India for us. Isn't it?

The first positive - the travel from the airport into the city is much quicker and smoother with the tons of flyovers and underpasses now in place, but the continued growth in traffic does cause jams in the mornings and evenings plus a lot of construction is still ongoing ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games.


Now to my best experience.
Over the years I have heard so many positive things about the Delhi Metro, but never got to travel on it. I love to travel by the tube, underground or metro whatever you call it around the world. You get to see the people, the facets of a city...

So finally on Wednesday I had the chance to take a ride myself. Out from Pragati Maidan into Noida and then later on back to the other side of town to Dwarka.
It was a lovely experience at the stations and within the trains. Surely international class and worth a ride for anyone who happens to travel to Delhi. Maybe peak hours might be difficult due to the rush. I liked the chip entry, simple for me but difficult for people with little technical knowledge. It does delay the entry and exit from the stations.

And a story I need to tell you in connection with the Delhi Metro. Last summer while travelling on the German highway close to Hanover I saw a oversized truck carrying a train coach on its back. This isn't something usual so had a closer look. It was a coach from Bombardier and actually on its way from the factory in Germany to India then it was written "Delhi Metro" on the front and on its side. I was surprised at first, but then read later on that the Delhi Metro was acquiring German coaches to ply in Delhi. Now I travelled in one of these...

But the worst was the heat. I know no one can do anything about it as such, but 47 degrees on Wednesday was a little too much for me personally. It felt like a furnace, even in the evenings and with high humidity it was sticky too. I left Delhi earlier today, but have heard from friends that it rained today to end this period of excessive heat.

I was also present and a speaker at the India Football Forum on Thursday and will be writing about it soon. Interesting panels and discussions...