An Overview of Transport in Delhi

Delhi has a population of 11.5 million, and with an extended metropolitan population of almost 22 million, is spread over a length of around 52 km and width of approximately 48km. Depending upon your destination, you can go by rickshaw, auto-rickshaw, taxi, bus or metro rail. You can hire a rickshaw if you have to travel within a colony or to its contiguous area. If the distance is longer, you can hire an auto-rickshaw. Auto-rickshaw is also preferred by those who cannot wait for a bus or avoid its jostling crowds. However it is uneconomical to travel by an auto-rickshaw to far-flung destinations.

For middle class commuters who have to travel daily to their offices or work places, the best mode of transport is bus [1]. It is secure and economical. Bus is also preferred by those who cannot afford the auto-rickshaw fares even if they do not have to commute daily.

Delhi has two types of bus services. One type is the state owned service which is run by the Delhi Transport Corporation, popularly called DTC bus service. The other type of bus service is provided by private companies. Privately owned buses can be identified by their blue color and are, therefore, called Blue Line Buses. Bus fares for both the types of buses are determined by the state transport department.

Buses in Delhi are overcrowded. While the DTC services are being improved and better buses are being inducted, the private Blue Line buses leave much to be desired.

The auto rickshaw [2] and taxi [3]services in Delhi too are not quite as good as those in Mumbai, but with the installation of electronic meters and rigorous enforcement of law things are looking better.

Faced by the mounting transport problem, Delhi government has introduced Metro [4]rail service in the capital. Metro rail service is doing a good job, but it is running over limited routes and is yet to cover the entire national capital region.

There is also a plan to introduce monorail or LRT by 2010. This will provide every citizen of Delhi an easy access to comfortable and affordable mode of public transport within half a kilometer walking distance which is the universal norm for developing transport system the world over. The transport officials are confident that the mono rail service will be on track by 2010 and the Delhiites would be able to get on to a monorail to travel through the walled city or from Dwarka to Qutab Minar.

More information can be found here:

Taxi's in Delhi [3]

Metro Rail Service [4]

Bus transport in Delhi [1]

Auto-Rickshaw [2]