The Mumbai Metro will resume operations starting Monday for the first time since March, when its services were closed when the first nationwide shutdown was announced to slow the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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While Metro services across the country had resumed operations on September 7, in the fourth phase of Unblocking, the Maharashtra government had decided not to resume operation of these trains. However, last week, the state government gave permission for Metro’s operations in the city to resume in a phased manner.
(Read more: Maharashtra allows subway, business operations, weekly markets)
“Taking into account all the sanitation protocols, we are ready to welcome Mumbaikars from tomorrow in a safe and hygienic manner. Here’s a sneak peek at what their new subway rides will look like, ”Mumbai Metro tweeted Sunday.
As the Mumbai subway returns to normal, this is all you need to know:
1. The only operational line, connecting Versova and Ghatkopar, will operate between 8:30 am and 8:30 pm.
2. During peak hours, trains will operate with a frequency of 6:30 minutes. During other hours, these will run every eight minutes.
3. Trains will make more than 200 trips per day with only 300 passengers authorized to travel on a single train.
4. Temperatures inside the carriages will be maintained between 25 and 27 degrees Celsius and passengers will be encouraged to use digital tickets, smart cards or tickets based on QR codes.
5. No plastic token will be given to passengers for a trip.
6. The doors of the station will open 15 minutes before the departure of the trains. Entry and exit will only be allowed from certain doors.
7. Only asymptomatic passengers can board the Metro trains and wear masks and maintain social distancing is mandatory.
8. While the Maharashtra government had allowed the Mumbai subway to resume operations from October 15, the authorities decided to resume services from October 19 after the completion of all security operations.
9. With almost 1.6 million cases of Covid-19, Maharashtra is the worst affected state in the country. Mumbai, its capital, is among the worst affected cities in the country.
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