GURGAON, OFTEN referred to as the Millennium City is developing rapidly. It is home of India’s top business schools, corporate healthcare centers, sports and leisure besides establishing itself as a major industrial hub. The city has a number of booming sectors and estimated 5 lakh people travel to city daily from adjoining cities like Delhi and Faridabad. The city’s population has also increased from some 870,539 in census 2001 to 1,514,085 in census 2011. However, due to lack of urban planning, efficient intercity public transport system communicating with the city is a major problem, faced by daily commuters and citizens. The impact of poor transport system is likely to affect its expansion plans. None of the transportation modes in the city can be termed safe, valuable, competent, and affordable.

“The transportation system is really messy in the city. In the name of improving transportation facilities there are on-call radio taxis, which everyone can’t afford to hire. I used to travel daily from South Delhi to Udhyog Vihar by cab but it is very uncomfortable to reach office. The roads are too bumpy, and at most places, traffic jams are common sights,” said Anushaka Parihar, a call center executive.

“The Metro does exist but it only covers few hubs between Delhi and Gurgaon. We people have to reach to Metro, Metro isn’t reaching to us,” said Baldev Raj, a resident of Gurgaon.

The World Bank executive Miss Robert Alexander (name changed) who is researching on the transportation system of cyber city and its influences has another experience to explain. She believed that the connectivity between Gurgaon is very poor. It is highly surprising for researchers that there is no availability of taxis, bus services, auto rickshaws, and cycle rickshaws in almost 60% pockets of the city. Unavailability of transport in odd hours raises the issue of the safety question for women, girls, and senior citizens. Travelling in six seater auto-rickshaw is a terrible experience for the common person. It may be a living symbol of rural transportation in a modern city but most of rickety three-wheelers don’t follow pollution norms – they are unsafe and always overloaded. The poor public transport system affects the economically weaker section of the society, people living in the city or near vicinity. They have to spend a major chunk of their earnings on travelling. Some people are forced to buy personal vehicles, which is putting additional burden on roads, parking problems, traffic jams, additional fuel consumption, and accidents. The numbers of increasing vehicles are creating pollution, environmental, and health problems. She has concluded that the existing transport systems need to implement reforms in the Gurgaon, particularly mass public transport system to prevent further chaos on its roads.

This Citizen Journalist reached out to Gurgaon people and asked them how they would like to modernize their transportation system. Some of the reactions are very constructive and enlightening too.

Prateek Sanyal, a software engineer said that he wishes to see a cycling track and all company executives should utilize it frequently. “It will not only save the environment but will also be helath-friendly,” he believes. Namarta Honda, a resident of DLF city said that Metro can take the next decade to reach out all, but by then the population will also increase. “I think the number of buses should be increased and they should cover every nook and corner of the city. The state government should introduce three- seater auto-rickshaws and phase out six seater auto-rickshaws. I really hate to travel in six-seater auto rickshaws,” she said.

Abha Dutt, a Public School teacher said that Pod taxis are really dreaming idea for her but the capital and implementation cost of driverless pod taxis will be costly. “People are likely to misuse their functioning,” she said. Actually, pod taxis are computer-operated and the majority of people fail to operate a simple lift or use an escalator.

Gomti, working as servant didn’t seem happy with the government and wants government to provide her house to live in. “We poor people have to walk always to reach anywhere. I do not know the meaning of the transportation system, my priority is a house,” she said.

Dr. Sanjay Garg, an eye specialist likes the BRT corridor in Delhi. “I expect similar corridor in the city to avoid traffic jams. However, the network of city buses can reach out to all. The transport department must keep in the mind that there should be fewer vehicles on the roads and everyone should get the transport amenities,” he said.

Miss Robert Alexander concluded that constructing more flyovers, footpaths, cycling tracks, wider roads, foot over flyovers, and above all public awareness will likely to help in establishing, maintaining, expanding and  implementing plans of the transportation system of the city but she is worried that the increase in population may hamper all goals.