Dubai: Apart from easing their daily commute, Dubai Metro has helped many residents build new relationships over their rides.
The friendship between Anandita Kumar and Sayani Chakraborty was forged during Metro rides. Soon after the Metro began its services, the two met and today, along with the celebrations of a decade of Metro’s services, the two Indian expatriates are also marking a decade of friendship. Both hail from Kolkata, in the Indian state of West Bengal.
Bonding on the go
Anandita and Sayani came to Dubai in 2009 and started working the same year. As they were new to the city, they had few friends.
Recollecting how they bonded on the Metro, Anandita says, “I heard [Sayani] talking on the phone in my mother tongue [Bengali] and I saw that she was wearing the traditional Bengali style gold ring. So I approached her and enquired if she is from my state.”
The conversation paved the way for their interactions.
Metro buddies
As they took the Metro on a regular basis, the friendship deepened as the two realised that they had other things in common apart from their language, culture and food habits.
“We found out that our husbands shared the same surnames and we had some common professional connections also at the time,” said Anandita.
As the friendship blosommed, they began to coordinate their Metro timings to catch the same train as they used to board the train from two different stations.
“I used to take the Metro from Khalid Bin Waleed Station and I would call Anandita before boarding the train. She would take the same train from Karama (ADCB) station. Many times, I would get off at her station and join her and so we could board the Metro again together,” said Sayani.
Soon, they began meeting each other to shop or attend each other’s family functions. Their friendship, both say, that has grown so strong that it will be forever.
They are thankful to Dubai Metro for bringing them together.
“The only thing we miss now is our Metro rides together as we have started driving after changing jobs and moving houses,” said Anandita.
