delhi

Updated: Mar 14, 2018 22:55 IST

A part of Delhi Metro’s Pink Line was thrown open for public use on Wednesday evening, with commuters on Day One terming a commute on the line nothing less than a “thrill ride”.

With 15 minutes to go before the first train, the Durgabai Deshmukh South Campus station was already buzzing with eager commuters. Some were busy taking photos of the sparkling new station interiors, while others took selfies from the ‘driverless trains’.

The biggest cheer came from students of Delhi University’s south campus who until now had no metro station in the vicinity. For Neha, who goes by her first name, the time for her daily commute to Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College will now be reduced by more than half with the opening of the new line.

“I stay in Subhash Nagar and I have been travelling by bus all this while which takes me at least an hour. Now my travel time by the Metro will be 29 minutes,” she said.

Adarsh Sharma of the same college said that the line will make commuting easy for students headed towards Delhi University’s North Campus. “There are libraries and also friends in north campus. But, reaching the place by road was a big pain. Travelling now will become easier as we will just have to change a train and take the Yellow Line at Azadpur inter-change station,” he said.

For residents of outer and north Delhi, reaching the city’s southern part and even the airport too became easier with the opening of the 21.56km km stretch between the South campus station and Majlis Park.

“I boarded the first train at Majlis Park and got down at South campus station to go to the airport. I was earlier trying to book an app-based cabs, all of who cancelled. A friend later told me about this line, so I hopped in,” said Tarun Ahuja, a resident of north Delhi.

Due to its proximity to Dhaula Kuan and the airport, the south campus station will also help commuters board the Airport Express metro line, which will later connect the south campus station.