Ticket fares on the Delhi metro are among the lowest in the world, ranging between just 8 rupees and 30 rupees. Anna Zieminski / AFP
Ticket fares on the Delhi metro are among the lowest in the world, ranging between just 8 rupees and 30 rupees. Anna Zieminski / AFP

New Delhi metro a welcome transport refuge from congested streets



New Delhi’s metro, which is clean, modern, air-conditioned and quiet, is a stark contrast to the congested, smoggy roads of India’s capital.

Its first line opened in 2002 and in the years since then it has expanded its network across the city, with more than 200 kilometres of track. In its third phase of construction, work is under way to weave another 150km of lines to more areas.

The Delhi metro runs more than 2,800 train trips every day, carrying 2.8 million passengers daily.

“We are one of the few metro systems in the world making an operating profit from day one,” says Anuj Dayal, the executive director for corporate communications, at Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, a joint venture between India’s government and the government of Delhi. “The reason why we are able to make an operating profit is we are getting 20 per cent of our revenue through non-ticket resources.

“We are able to generate money through advertisements, shop rentals. We have built a hotel which we have given on lease. We have built an IT park on our land, which we have given on lease. If you rely only on ticket revenues you will definitely be in loss because of the high investment involved,” he says.

“These projects world over are justified, government spending is there, because of the high economic rate of return. The financial rate of return is always low.”

Ticket fares on the Delhi metro are among the lowest in the world, ranging between just 8 rupees and 30 rupees.

Sixty per cent of the funding for the project came from the Japanese government in the form of loans and the remainder was provided by the federal and local governments.

A major challenge is that the trains are often “chock full” and “since the metro is new to the country, we had to spend a lot of time educating the public on how to use the system”, according to Mr Dayal.

He says the corporation organised “street plays in which we had to tell people how to use escalators, to ensure that they stand in line, to ensure that they don’t get stuck in train doors, so the initial one or two years was a challenge”.

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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Cultural fiesta

What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421,  Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day. 

The specs

Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors

Power: 480kW

Torque: 850Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)

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Fund-raising tips for start-ups

Develop an innovative business concept

Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors

Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19

Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.) 

Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months

Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses

Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business

* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna

The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre turbo 4-cyl

Transmission: eight-speed auto

Power: 190bhp

Torque: 300Nm

Price: Dh169,900

On sale: now 

Infobox

Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier, Al Amerat, Oman

The two finalists advance to the next stage of qualifying, in Malaysia in August

Results

UAE beat Iran by 10 wickets

Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by eight wickets

Oman beat Bahrain by nine wickets

Qatar beat Maldives by 106 runs

Monday fixtures

UAE v Kuwait, Iran v Saudi Arabia, Oman v Qatar, Maldives v Bahrain

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

Jigra
Director: Vasan Bala
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Rated: 3.5/5