Delhiites had a tough time navigating through arterial roads,which were clogged with vehicles,on Friday. The areas near New Delhi Railway Station witnessed a heavy jam,and the entire stretch was packed with taxis and private cars. Luggage-carrying passengers could be seen wading through knee-deep water to make it to the station in time for their trains. Krishna Lal,who left home early to reach the station on time,said,I knew there would be a traffic jam,so I left an hour in advance. But I still missed my train. I was stuck outside the station for half an hour. Now I will have to catch a bus. A police officer said traffic is always chaotic outside the railway station,and the problem only worsens when it rains. Whenever it rains,the situation at the station becomes chaotic. Many miss their trains. Also,trains get rescheduled,resulting in overcrowded waiting rooms, he said. Some commuters complained that they had missed their trains because autorickshaw drivers refused to take them. Balbir Singh,a passenger,said,I came to the station from the ISBT after returning from Rajasthan to catch a train to Jalandhar. I had asked my wife and daughter to meet me at the station. But the train had left by the time I reached. My phone battery has run out of charge,and I do not know what to do. I am angry with the autorickshaw drivers because none of them were ready to come here. Narayan,another frustrated passenger,said,Whenever it rains,autowallahs hike the rates. I paid the autorickshaw driver extra,but the vehicle broke down in the middle of the road. I got late and missed my train. Though the downpour was frustrating for passengers,porters made the most of it. When it rains,we go and stand at the main entrance,and offer to help people bring in their luggage. As the passengers are helpless and in a hurry to catch trains,they do not bargain. We get what we ask for, said a porter at the station. As many as seven trains,including the Patna-bound Jan Sadharan,Jharkhand Swarn Jayanti Express and Kaifiyat Express,were rescheduled due to the rain. There were minor problems. A train got stuck at the Delhi-Ambala section for an hour due to some technical fault,and a few trains had to be rescheduled. Otherwise,everything went smoothly. But it was difficult for commuters as many missed their trains, said a Northern Railways spokesperson.
