Traveling without a mask, sitting in seats that must be left empty to maintain social distancing, spitting and littering on trains or platforms can lead to hefty fines once Delhi metro services resume in the capital, according to people familiar with the affair.
A flying squad of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which protects the Delhi Metro, will be on the lookout for any violation of the rules that have been put in place to contain the spread of Covid-19. The fines could start from Rs 500 for first-time offenders and are likely to increase significantly for a repeat offense, the people added.
Delhi Metro services have been suspended since March 22, when a “janta curfew” (voluntary curfew) was observed in an appeal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, two days before a national blockade was imposed. 68 days. While other modes of public transport have been allowed with restrictions since then, as part of a gradual “unblocking”, Metro services, including the Delhi Metro, which serves nearly 2.4 million passengers a day, have been suspended. .
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When the Delhi Metro will start has not been announced yet, but there have been indications that its restart could be part of the next unlock rules to be announced before September 1.
Decisions regarding new protocols for the Metro, provided it resumes, were made at a meeting called by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Thursday, which was attended by senior CISF officials and the Delhi Police. The meeting was also attended by senior police officers from the contiguous states of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, as the Delhi Metro also operates services to parts of these states that are within the National Capital Region (NCR).
One of the officials who participated in the meeting said, on condition of anonymity, that it was decided that all the guidelines set by the Indian Council of Medical Research should be strictly followed. “Any passenger who is caught spitting or dirtying will be fined. Those who don’t follow rules like wearing a mask; they are sitting in seats that are to be left empty; or deliberately violating social distancing rules will also be fined, ”the official said.
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When contacted with the Deputy Inspector General, CISF, Jitender Rana, said that the Alpha teams of the force and the flight squadrons will intensify controls and monitoring. “Apart from our regular security work, our teams will also be on the lookout for anyone disrupting hygiene in the Delhi metro, thus putting other passengers at risk. These offenders will be caught and fined, ”Rana said.
A third officer familiar with the events said: “The fine will be ₹ 500 for a first time offender and can be significantly increased for repeat offenders. Those who do not comply or refuse to pay the fine can be prosecuted and handed over to the Delhi Metro Rail Police (DMRP), a unit of the Delhi Police, ”he said.
The third officer added that CISF personnel screening passengers at entry points will wear personal protective equipment. Before passengers can enter the station, their body temperature, masks will be checked and their status will be checked in the Aarogya Setu app. “This may cause queues outside the station, so Delhi Police personnel will be deployed to ensure social distancing,” he said, adding that the access doors to the stations will be opened depending on the number of people and size. of the station.
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Other regulations in the Delhi Metro once it starts operating include a ban on the use of tokens, the introduction of an automatic recharge function to recharge smart cards, designated passenger places on the platforms and controlled air conditioning, with the temperature that it will stay at 26 degrees Celsius.
Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal last week urged the Center to resume metro services in the national capital, saying the city’s people were requesting it. “We have discussed this with the central government on several occasions. We have urged the Center to explore the possibility of resuming Metro services in Delhi, while keeping it banned in other states. Delhi is a special case because we have the Covid-19 situation under control, ”he said in a webinar with merchants.
A DMRC spokesperson confirmed that a meeting with security officials was held on Thursday. However, the spokesperson declined to comment on what happened at the meeting.
Prashant Kumar, 27, a Mehrauli resident, who works at a private finance firm in Connaught Place, said that since the subway closed, he has been forced to take taxis. “Working from home is not an option every day. We have to go to the office and the company does not provide taxi refunds. The expense is too much for me. We have been waiting for Metro services to resume. If the government can resume flights, it can also take proper precautions and resume Metro service, ”said Kumar.
In almost all countries affected by Covid-19, lockdown restrictions, including those on public transport, were lifted after the peak of daily cases declined and remained low. This trend has been constant in countries such as Italy, Spain, Germany, South Korea and Japan. Epidemiologists have also warned against the resumption of Metro services, citing an increase in Delhi’s case positivity rate. In fact, like Friday, Delhi registered an average of 1,544 new cases of infection in the past seven days, the highest since mid-July.
Dr Lalit Kant, former chief of epidemiology and communicable diseases, ICMR, said in Delhi that the number of Covid-19 cases is increasing every day. “The positivity rate is already increasing. So if the population is mixing, the chances of infection are likely to increase, ”she said.
Sewa Ram, a professor and director of the department of transport and planning at the New Delhi School of Planning and Architecture, said there was a similar fear with the operation of DTC buses, but Metro has better infrastructure. “However, modifications will be required. Authorities must guarantee contactless travel, social distancing and operational changes. There need to be strict controls and measures. If done in the right way, the reopening of the Metro will be of great help to the people who depend on it for their mobility, ”said Ram.
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