Faster, cleaner, cheaper but needs more publicity

small bus stop on the roadside separates two neighbourhoods in southwest Delhi’s Dwarka. Until a month ago, the empty bus stop was home to beggars and street dogs.

For the last couple of weeks, many office goers have begun waiting here. This is where the just-introduced nonstop bus from Dwarka to JLN Stadium originates.

At 8.12am, the HT reporter boarded the bus — route number DS-2 — that starts from the Dwarka sector 4 and 5 crossing at Aashirwad Chowk. At least five men and a couple of women, all in their 40s or 50s, also boarded it.

A male passenger told the driver to wait for his colleague who was on his way. The driver obliged. A few more passengers boarded.

The bus started at 8.20am and stopped at some points to pick up people. In the next 10 minutes, there were over 20 passengers, all on their way to office.

Adesh Gill, 52, a Central Public Works Department employee, is a regular passenger. She has been using public transport since 2005. Earlier, she used chartered buses but never got a seat. She also had to walk a few miles from home to reach the bus stop, which meant starting half an hour early every morning.

“I read about destination buses in a newspaper and found that the nearest bus route from my home was only a 5-minute walk. I was very happy. This is my fourth week in this bus. It’s cleaner, faster, air-conditioned and the money they charge is only ₹25,” said Gill.

She reaches office between 9.05am and 9.15am. On an average, she says, at least 15 passengers travel daily in the bus and by now, everyone has become familiar with the rest.

At Bhikaji Cama Place, Gill got down from the bus and a couple of more passengers boarded. The conductor said this was temporary to encourage commuters to use the bus. Later, the bus would be non-stop to JLN Stadium.

Every passenger got a feedback form. Most passengers rated the service between ‘very good’ and ‘excellent’. A 53-year-old man, who had been using his car to commute till last month, said the service was ‘appreciable’.

Towards the end of the journey, the crowd thinned out. They said reaching office has become faster and cheaper. It takes nearly one hour and 15 minutes to reach JLN Stadium from Dwarka when traffic is thin. SNEHAL TRIPATHI