The long wait for Gurgaon to have its own Metro system was over on Thursday when the first Rapid Metro train was flagged off.
Rapid Metro is expected to change the landscape of Gurgaon by providing a robust intracity transportation system.
The launch of Rapid Metro network will boost connectivity within Cyber City, the corporate and retail hub of Gurgaon, which witnesses a footfall of a lakh people daily.
Though the stations on the network saw meagre footfall on the first day, officials said that the turn out is likely to improve by the weekend when more people will become aware of its launch.
Excited children of a local primary Government school became the first riders of the rapid Metro trains.
As the commercial operations of the system coincided with Children’s Day, the authorities had invited
50 students of a local Government school to become the first riders of the Rapid Metro Rail.
“The Metro ride proved to be special for these students and their faces beamed with excitement,” said Sunita Rani, principal of a Sector 9 school.
Officials said that by providing the intracity connectivity, Rapid Metro will help take off 30 per cent of the city’s road traffic.
For office goers in the Cyber City, the system will provide a breather from the daily cheek by jowl traffic.
“Metro connectivity will save me from the peak hour rush, especially during evenings. I think the network will help decongest the roads in the upscale colonies,” said Aditya Chauhan, a BPO executive and resident of Sector 52.
For office goers, the Rapid Metro Rail will provide an alternate option to commuters and save time.
“At present, those employed in the Cyber City either use private vehicles to commute or opt for company transport. In both situations, they have to get stuck in the peak traffic hour rush. The Metro will save us from the ordeal of long-winded routes taken by office cabs for pickups and drops,” said Vipul Desai, a senior vice president with IBM.
For women, the system is a thumbs-up as it provides a safe and secure alternative to other unsafe modes of public transport for end-mile connectivity. “It is a wonderful initiative, keeping in mind security. The Rapid Metro timings (6.05 am to 12.20 pm) are very comfortable, especially for women doing the graveyard shift,” said Shivani Mehra, a resident of Sohna Road, who works as an assistant at DlF phase III.