HYDERABAD: Commuters, who had eagerly waited to travel on the city Metro Rail on the first day of its commercial operations, had to face hardships on Wednesday with the ticket vending machines (TVMs) at most locations rejecting the currency notes inserted by passengers to buy tickets.
The ‘May I Help You’ desk staff, who were put on duty at the TVMs in stations, were found helpless and guiding passengers to the ticket counters which witnessed serpentine queues as a result. The TVMs at Ameerpet and Rasoolpura Metro stations did not function for some time, causing inconvenience to the commuters.
“I went to the TVM to avoid the long queue at the counter for buying a ticket for travelling from Ameerpet to Kukatpally, I inserted four notes of 10-rupee denomination but the TVM accepted only one note and ejected the other three probably for being soiled and crumpled. I tried to insert the same notes thrice again and each time the notes were rejected,” said Srinivas Reddy, a passenger.
Same was the case with Radhika who went to purchase ticket through TVM at Ameerpet station to go Uppal. When she inserted a 100-rupee note, it was rejected. Advised by the staff to insert another note, she used a 50-rupee note and it too was rejected, maybe for being crumpled. For Sunil Kumar of SR Nagar, who tried to recharge the smart card through TVM. the experience was terrible as the new 500-rupee note too was rejected thrice as the note was found to be folded.
The machines accept currency notes of all denominations—10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 2,000 rupees. The TVM screen displays the acceptable denominations of currency. However, commuters said it would take a while for people to get used to such facilities. Self-operated TVMs, which dispense journey tickets and recharge smart cards, were installed at all the 24 stations on the Miyapur-Ameerpet-Nagole stretch.
No loos in paid areas
Paid and unpaid areas have been marked in the stations and there are no toilets in the paid areas. So once a passenger purchases a ticket and enters into the paid area, which includes the route to the platform, they have to wait till they reach the destination in order to relieve themselves. In case one needs to use a washroom after purchasing the ticket, they have to drop the token back, and buy a new one.
Staff manage crowd without breaking sweat
Crowd control was near perfect on day one. Sporting green T-shirts emblazoned with ‘May I help you?’ On the back, the staff frequently blew their whistles, cautioning avid selfie-takers against crossing the yellow line on the edge of the platform. “I have been asking people not to cross the yellow line for over an hour. I have to repeat this to every new person,” said one worker.
Parking was the biggest problem
Considering the number of passengers who took the train parking spots at various stations might be insufficient as the footfall is likely to increase in the coming days. Vehicles were parked on sidewalks meant for pedestrians, causing congestion. Till this issue is resolved, Metro will be a bigger trouble for those who choose to walk than the traffic on the roads. The govt has plans to build more parking spots.
Women feel need for separate coach
Among the many things missing in the Hyderabad Metro Rail, a separate coach for women is also one. Though this is something that is common across Metro Rail across the country, women in Hyderabad feel that there is a need for one. When Express took the first train from Nagole to Ameerpet, she was continuously leered at until she had to scream. “While I was travelling on Wednesday, the heavy rush made me constantly check if someone was staring at me. Buses and MMTS have this separation, one in the Metro would also help,” said a passenger commuting to Begumpet. Another resident of Secunderabad said, “It is always convenient to have a separate compartment for women.” “It is safer and is also something we are used to. However, this alone doesn’t solve the problem and we need to have a security system in place,” opined Deepika Shanker, who works as a finance manager in a multi-national corporation.
Over a lakh took Metro on first day
The people’s response to Hyderabad Metro Rail on the first day was more than anticipated. Nearly one lakh commuters travelled on the train. Till 5 pm, about 50,000 people had travelled and the rest between 5 pm and 10 pm. Of them, 80 percent travelled to work and 20 per cent went for a joyride, said the MD of HMRL. The speed now is about 33 km per hour and will be increased to 80 kmph.Steps were being taken to create parking lots and no parking charges would be levied for next few days, he added
Last-mile reach remains a struggle
For commuters using the Metro, one of the most pressing issue appears to be the lack of availability of last mile connectivity. With no dedicated auto stands, bike sharing, taxi bays at a majority of the Metro stations, commuters were largely left on their own to hunt for transport options. Take the case of Usha Selvaratnam, a resident of Mythrivanam who had gotten off at the Ameerpet interchange after her first Metro ride. “The buses don’t go near where I stay,” said Usha. The govt, however, is trying to improve this scenario