NEW DELHI: Mudita Jagota is living with spinal muscular atrophy, a genetic disorder characterized by weakness and wasting (atrophy) in muscles used for movement.
As it was the SMA awareness month, Jagota chose to thank the Delhi Metro, which she takes to college and other places in the city.
“Delhi Metro has been life-changing for me. Had it not been the metro, it would have not been possible for me to go to college or other places in Delhi every day. The metro stations are well-equipped with lifts, ramps and special arrangements to punch the metro card or token. Inside the metro area there are special areas for persons in a wheelchair in the first and the last coach,” she said in a video post, praising the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s differently-abled-friendly service.
“Whenever I reach the metro station, I always get an attendant who helps me settle in the train comfortably and also informs the locomotive pilot about my destination.
"The locomotive pilot, in turn, ensures the doors do not close until I have boarded the metro. As soon as I reach my destination, there is another attendant waiting for me who helps me exit that metro station safely. I sincerely thank the Delhi Metro for being a world-class facility and helping me travel across Delhi,” she added.
The DMRC has been receiving such feedback in the form of videos, praise and advice. Recently, a letter was addressed to the former chief of the metro, E Sreedharan, also known as the Metro Man, by a daily commuter.
He thanked him, explaining how he was able to lead a balanced life due to the metro and escape traffic jams.
“We get varying feedback, and complaints too. The nature of complaints is mostly operations-related or appreciation for different reasons,” the DMRC spokesperson told this newspaper.
While the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation attracts commuters from across the city, popular Punjabi singer Daler Mehdi last month responded on its Twitter handle to discourage users from making Tik Tok videos in the metro.
The average ridership of the Delhi Metro has increased, according to DMRC. The average monthly line utilisation for May was 46,99,807 and for June was 47,20,168. Line utilisation measures a Metro journey in terms of the number of corridors used by a passenger.