rush hour on the Metro

had to leave my car for servicing in CP
on my return i found that there were many people
waiting for the Dwarka train
i wondered where were they going?

Delhi
unlike Mumbai or Kolkatta
rarely has traffic flowing in one direction
and that seems to be the case with the Metro too

when i worked in Mumbai for a project
i had to travel from Andheri to Worli
the system i followed was this
if i had to go in for an edit
would be to catch the 8.40 train from Andheri
which was crowded but manageable
anything later was impossible

if i had meeting later in the day
i would catch the train at 11
and try returning by 4
in both cases the train would be empty
(this rule holds true in Delhi Metro too as of now)

however
during morning rush hour
the trains in Mumbai leaving from town
for the suburbs would be empty
but this is not the case in Delhi

mornings
people are travelling from Dwarka to CP and beyond
and there are people travelling to Dwarka line
to places like Jhandewalan, Rajendra Place & Karol Bagh

on the other line
students are rushing off to the University
while sarkari employees are coming to work
there is no escape

and when the metro expands to NOIDA
and Gurgaon
the situation will remain the same
(i know friends who drives from NOIDA to Gurgaon to work
and the other way)
of course the Metro
will cut down travel time
but the trains will be crowded
both ways

today
i decided
to hang around a bookshop
at the Metro station
and catch the train later
it was less crowded

how long will that be the case ?