Agla station social media hai: How commuters engage with the metro online

Delhiites see the metro not as merely a mode of transport but as a living, breathing part of the city’s cultural fabric. From the quintessential fights for the seat, to rush hour madness and quick snacks at the interchange stations, we talk about distance in metro stations: “6 stations only? That’s not far”, “Two interchanges, ouch!”.

Social media has captured the essence of the metro experience with memes and viral trends with the official DMRC account keeping up with the times as well.'My favourite thing about the city is Delhi metro that takes me to all these places'Saloni Sahni, who regularly travels on the pink line, shares, “DMRC’s content feels relatable and is presented in a way that younger people can connect with easily. It makes the metro feel like more than just a mode of transport and creates a stronger connection with regular commuters.”Delhiites’ connection to the metro is personal. For Induja Tyagi whose switch from buses to metro has been a welcome change. She shares, “I enjoy seeing different generations of people using the metro. You see fashion trends in town, observe people patiently waiting for their destinations to arrive, or longing for other people to board off just to get that one seat after a long tiring day. If you ask me what I like the most about the city, I might think it's the lush greens in Central Delhi or it's the timeless heritage sites or it's the relishing street food, but then end up saying it's the Delhi metro that takes me to all these places!”

Commuters’ content leads the trendThe metro's popularity online extends far beyond official accounts.

Viral reels of crowded coaches, debates over commuting etiquette, and relatable observations about interchange stations have built a thriving digital culture around Delhi's most-used mode of transport. DMRC's social media presence taps into this familiarity, combining practical updates with content that reflects the everyday experiences of its passengers.DMRC's social media strategy appears to build on this familiarity, blending service updates with content that reflects the everyday experiences of its passengers.

“Social media is usually the quickest source for updates, and it helps me plan my travel better. Whether it's a delay, service update, or advisory, I tend to come across it online first,” Saloni says.Commuter Akansha Zutshi observes that the metro is usually seen online through user-generated content. “I have never encountered the ever so entertaining fights and people dancing in the metro myself, but these reels are my favourite form of entertainment.

Delhi police is a great example. They evolved with the way Instagram is moving, they caught on to early trends, and keep showing up on the algorithm. It’s helping them with engagement and staying relevant even without being relatable.

I think DMRC already has such a relatability niche so there are many trends they can tap into for their social media.”

Aim to keep a balance in content: DMRCAs part of its outreach efforts, DMRC now shares daily themed content such as Metro Mondays and Timely Tuesdays, encouraging commuters to make the shift to public transport. Anuj Dayal, Principal Executive Director, Corporate Communications, highlights the social media strategy of DMRC and says, "We update our social media for every delay or change in the train schedule or station maintenance. We also try to keep up with social media trends to connect with our audiences, especially Gen Z.

Since we are a service oriented organisation and operation related updates are crucial to smooth functioning, we do not post humour and memes very often but aim to engage our passengers with artwork in the stations and other facilities."