A funny thing happened over the weekend: I thought of giving the Delhi Metro Airport Express a dry run just for fun. I went to the New Delhi railway station and was impressed with the underground Airport express metro station for its airport like ambience and feeling. Passed through a security check just like on the airports and then reached the ticket counter which had well-dressed customer care executives and I asked one of them that I want to go for a joy ride and come back from Dwarka – Sector 21 (the last station on the line) and she tells me: “You need to pay Rs 100 and you can come back in another 1 hour on this token” and I am like… “OK”. I shell out a Rs 100/- leaf and take the blue Reliance token, ready to feel the excitement.
I pass through the gates and sit inside the good looking plush metro train. I am still feeling very good about my decision to try our the Airport Express and embrace myself for the views through the windows (though later on I realized there are actually no views to be seen , 75% of the train is underground and above the ground too there are no stunning views.) The train departed in 5 minutes and the acceleration was awesome and exhilarating.  There are blue LEDs and digital displays indicating where the train as reached and everything is great about it.
Now comes the treacherous part of the journey. I reached Dwarka 21 and asked one of the well dressed customer relations officer that I want to go back to New Delhi station (my origin point) and he is like you need to buy another Rs 100/- ticket for that. I told him about my conversation with the ticket seller and that she told me that you can come back in an hour. He tells me that anyways the metro would take 1 hour and 5 minutes to make the entire round trip and there are heavy penalties to defaulters. I go to the ticket counter and inquire about the same. The guy tells me the fine would be Rs 20/- for every hour and the system starts announcing train departure after 1 minute.
I took the token and entered the train and whoosh … here we go with uncertainty of a heavy penalty in mind. The well dressed guy again comes to my seat and asks me if I bought a new ticket and I told him that it would a Rs 20/- fine only and he is like :”Now you would come to know what happens when you reach New Delhi station, whether its a heavy fine or what?” and I am feeling like I have broken one of the biggest laws in New Delhi.
Now, for the funny part. I reached New Delhi station embracing for a long explanation session and heavy penalty. But, I thought of trying my luck first and ran to the exit gates (and the time was 10 minutes above 1 hour now) and put the token inside the slot and the gate opened and the message “Have a nice day” flashed on the digital display. And it was like an exciting feeling with all the melodramatic explanations and warnings the executive had given him and I was all smiles and went outside the station like I just passed customs with lakhs worth of undeclared goods. I termed this as the “Have a nice day!!!” experience.
