Daryaganj rejoices the end of isolation

NEW DELHI: For residents of Daryaganj, Sunday will mean a new sense of freedom from the usual jams on the Netaji Subhash Marg that passes through the locality. While the Delhi Metro reached the Walled City over a decade ago, it bypassed Daryaganj, the meeting point of Old Delhi and New Delhi. The opening of the Heritage Line finally provides the people there easy access to the suburban rail.
“All the existing metro stations in this area, such as ITO, New Delhi and Chawri Bazar, are actually not very close to our homes,” said Wasim Ahmed, an event manager and resident of Daryaganj.“Till now, most of us depended on personal vehicles for commuting because we didn’t have access to comfortable and reliable public transport.”
Pointing out how a trip in the metro from Delhi Gate, the nearest station, to the commercial centre of Kashmere Gate would now become easier, businessman Rajendra Juneja said, “It takes an agonising half hour to reach Kashmere Gate through the heavy traffic. Now we will be able to traverse the same distance in 10 minutes.”
The opening of the Heritage Line has left businessmen in Daryaganj optimistic about higher sales. As Mayank Jain, who owns Book Affair, a book store, explained, “There are many customers who want to visit Daryaganj but are deterred by the regular traffic jams. We expect more buyers to come now.”
Sanjay Ram, who runs a musical instruments shop not very far away, is not only happy about the potential uptick in his business, but he is also happy for the many patients who can now travel on the Heritage Line. “There are many hospitals in the area, including Maulana Azad Medical College, Lok Nayak Hospital and GB Pant Hospital. There was no metro connectivity to these hospitals till now,” he said.
Equally enthused is Delhi’s favourite food street at Jama Masjid. Owners of small roadside kabab and fried chicken sellers, who jostle for space alongside popular names like Karim’s and Al Jawahar restaurants, are happy the Heritage Line will stop there. “Many people want to come here, but don’t due to the crowded roads and parking problems,” said Almaan, manager at Karim’s. He conceded that a metro station existed nearby at Chawri Bazar, but it was not an easy walk from there though the forever clogged lanes.
The new metro line will also benefit tourists visiting Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk and Red Fort. “It will not be difficult now for tourists to reach these places,” said Pravesh Gulati, a Chandni Chowk businessman. “When the Chandni Chowk metro station came up, the number of shoppers there went up,” he continued. “Similarly, with a station at Red Fort, it will be easy not only for tourists but also for customers who want to cross over to our side of Chandni Chowk.”