Even as Delhi pushes for the coveted UNESCO World Heritage City tag, the city’s roads miss these once-upon-a-time immensely popular lifelines. For those who witnessed the National Capital during the 1970s and 1980s will fondly remember taking a ride in the tongas, double-decker buses and fatfatiyas on the roads of Delhi.
These were discontinued because either they emitted dangerous levels of noise and air pollution or were considered too slow to give fast-moving vehicles any sort of competition.
And then animals were involved in tonga operations! But the one mode of commute most Delhiwalas of the past generations miss is walking on the city’s roads. Here’s what we miss…
Trams
Delhi was introduced to trams in 1908. By 1920, the city had 24 trams running mainly in Old Delhi areas like Chandni Chowk and Sadar Bazaar. Due to the rising congestion caused by the trams, these were taken off road in 1963.
Since 2017, the Delhi government has been toying with the idea of bringing trams back (from Shri Digambar Jain Lal Mandir to Fatehpuri Masjid). Whether the plan will see the light of the day is anybody’s guess.
Tongas
These horse-driven carriages exuded a regal aura and were as common as today’s battery-operated rickshaws. These usually plied between the Old Delhi and the New Delhi railway stations.
Given the increasing number of vehicles on Delhi roads, the number of tongas dwindled till in 2011, the then Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) issued a complete ban of their services. The ‘clip-clop’ sound of the horses’ hooves is no longer heard on Delhi roads.
Double-decker buses
Way back in 1970s when the transport department functioned under the then Municipal Corporation of Delhi, double-decker buses occupied pride of place on Delhi roads. Called Suvidha buses, these gained popularity due to their novelty of being two-tiered. The lowest fare used to be five paisa and highest, 30 paisa.
Fatfatiyas
Yes, you read it right. Fatfatiyas were once a common mode of public transport in Delhi. The word was coined for the five-seater carrier powered by powerful motorbikes such as Harley Davidson.
Fatfatiyas plied between Ajmeri Gate and Darya Ganj to Connaught Place from 1950s to 1970s. The fare ranged between 25 paisa to 1 rupee.
Walking
Last but not the least, walking on Delhi roads is what is missed the most. With pavements heavily encroached upon and roads choc-o-bloc with vehicles – the two-wheelers often taking over pavements during traffic jams – there’s no space left for pedestrians to walk.
One of the few areas where a large number of people still walk about peacefully is Connaught Place, thanks to its wide alleys.