Tourists spots in Delhi

By Payal Saxena

Londoner and rugby fan John Brown, 40, is planning to visit Delhi in October 2010 for the Commonwealth Games. He, however, is a bit apprehensive. Last time he came to Delhi, touts literally took him for a ride as soon as he landed at the international airport. Auto drivers and taxi drivers fleeced him and traffic snarls tripled his travelling time. But John might be in for a surprise in 2010 as smooth transport facilities are being put in place ahead of the Games.

Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi international airport has been spruced up with retail outlets, restaurants, prayer room, hospitality zone, wheelchairs and prams and 118m walkalators. Travel within Delhi from the airport will be easier, with Metro rail and radio cabs, and low-floor air-conditioned buses with Wi-Fi connectivity running to 17 locations. The five roads from the airport, which lead to different parts of the city, will ensure smooth flow of traffic.

Zipping at twice the speed of a normal Metro train and with just six stops, the airport line of the Metro will be a commuter’s delight. Ten per cent of the cost of the airport line is paid by GMR Infrastructure Ltd, the promoters of Delhi International Airport Ltd.

“Tourists visiting India in 2010 will get a taste of Indian hospitality at the airport as even the Central Industrial Security Force is being trained in behavioural skills. The signages will be bright and huge. Tourists will not have any problems in getting anywhere,” said Arun Arora, associate vice-president, corporate communications, GMR. “To make things even easier, check-in counters will be installed at two Metro stations—New Delhi railway station and Shivaji Stadium station, Connaught Place. As the buses are Wi-Fi enabled, passengers can check in on the buses to save time.”

A multi-pronged strategy to handle passengers is being perfected at the airport. For this, a GMR protocol team is working with a protocol team of the Games. Representatives of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (CGOC) and the Delhi government will receive the athletes. They will then be shuttled in special buses on corridors earmarked for them. Tourists can hop on to the Metro from Terminal 3.

Once completed, phase two of the Metro will provide easy connectivity to 10 out of the 11 Games venues. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has completed 25 per cent to 57 per cent work on Metro lines passing near Games venues and they will be opened by September 2010, a month before the Games begins.

“The DMRC has already started the publicity drive of Metro rail routes in hotels and guesthouses, and is providing maps everywhere. We will also be giving tips on all the tourist spots in Delhi and how to reach there. Special training in English and behavioural skills is being given to staff. The number of Metro trains will rise from 70 to 200 in time for the Games,” said Anuj Dayal, chief PRO, DMRC. “Foreigners love museums and souvenirs. For this, we will promote the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Chowk Metro station in central Delhi and will launch steel models of Metro trains.”

Not just the Metro, Delhi roads, too, are being given a makeover. The Delhi government has cleared nine projects ahead of the Commonwealth Games. These include five projects related to streetscaping and beautification of 80km of key PWD roads in the city. Around 25 nurseries in the city are nurturing saplings to be planted on roadsides. Several roads, including various stretches of the Nelson Mandela Marg, Mahipalpur Road, Mathura Road and Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, all in south Delhi, will be beautified and strengthened as part of a Rs 270-crore project.

The transport department’s proposal to construct four new bus depots in the city has been cleared. These depots, which will cost Rs 114.40 crore, will park 710 buses. People will finally be able to bid adieu to the rickety Delhi Transport Corporation buses as the government is procuring 3,000 low-floor buses to boost the city transport system during the Games.

Delhi has been unfriendly to pedestrians and cyclists. But in 2010, tourists should be able to walk and ride around the city without fear. While cycle tracks will be made along the approach roads to stadia and the Games Village, there are plans of making cycle tracks all along city roads after the Games. All three agencies—PWD, Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the New Delhi Municipal Council—have appointed consultants for streetscaping and for making Delhi pedestrian-friendly and creating cycle tracks.

Said Delhi Chief Secretary Rakesh Mehta: “We want to make the area around the venues and the Games Village on the banks of the Yamuna, pedestrian-friendly. At least 30 per cent to 40 per cent of Delhi’s population walks, so proper footpaths are a must. We also want to create cycle tracks which we would like to extend to the rest of the city after the Games, taking into consideration views of other stakeholders.”

The New Delhi government has also promised to install specially designed street furniture, telephone booths and information kiosks in the streets adjoining the Games Village and stadia. There would also be drinking water fountains, environment-friendly toilets and dustbins and brightly coloured letterboxes as part of the streetscaping drive. How much of it will actually be executed is yet to be seen, but for John it could be his best bet ever.