After being closed for more than five months due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Delhi Metro is ready to resume services from today. Subway operations will resume in stages, and the first line to be opened in the system is the yellow line, connecting Samaypur Badli and Huda city center at Gurugram. During the next five days, that is, on September 12, the rest of the Lines will also be operational with all the security measures to control the spread of Covid-19 in the Metro facilities, which requires everyone to follow a new one. social normality. distancing, mask and hand disinfection. But today and tomorrow, only the Yellow Line (49 KM with 37 stations consisting of 20 underground and 17 elevated stations). The trains will operate in two shifts, between 7 a.m. and 1 a.m., and between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Metro commuters must follow certain SOPs for a comfortable and safe travel experience:
1) Use only designated doors: To maintain order and regulate the flow of passengers with rules of social distancing, only one or two doors will be kept open for the entry / exit of passengers at a station. Therefore, passengers are advised to check the assigned gate number / location well in advance on the DMRC website.
2) Comply with the new rules: In addition to the usual front-line staff at the stations, the DMRC has deployed an additional around 1000 officers / staff along the line (s) / network to assist and guide passengers in the wake of the new rules of travel in Metro.
3) Train regulation: Although DMRC is doing its best to provide its passengers with a seamless and seamless travel experience, yet with a train’s cargo capacity drastically reduced to around 20% from the lead-up period due to distancing regulations social, it will be a regular challenge to passengers who may head to a station with expectations of a pre-closure travel experience by the Metro. Therefore, in this modified scenario, the public is advised to:
a) Avoid unnecessary travel as much as possible. Try to stagger travel times for office / home / other jobs as much as possible, so that the carrying capacity offered under the new standards can be used reasonably by creating a travel pattern in which people do not rush to the station only in the morning or during rush hours.
b) To avoid overcrowding in trains / stations, situations may arise where the DMRC may have to choose to start certain empty trains from terminal stations or short-circuit some trains to manage busy areas on a particular route / section.
c) Travel time is also increased by 10-20 seconds at boarding-disembarking stations to ensure social distancing. This can also increase the total travel time on a trip by a few minutes. In view of these factors, passengers are advised to dedicate an additional time of approximately 15 to 30 minutes for each trip, to reach their desired destinations on time.
d) The use of the ‘AarogyaSetu’ application with regular health status updates is recommended for those who travel daily with smartphones.
4) Cashless transactions: Be a smart passenger and carry your smart card with you on your way to the metro. It is contactless, recharges easily through online modes, and offers a discount of up to 20% on each trip. The tokens will not be available at the stations for the time being, as they require a frequent human interface for travel transactions and pose a risk of coronavirus infection.
5) No service in containment zones: Since the Delhi Metro operates in Delhi-NCR, it will not provide services to stations within the containment zones for any given day in either state.
6) Civil defense volunteers / staff antigen testing: For better crowd management in / out of stations, DMRC is also in contact with authorities to provide around 1000 civil defense volunteers. Some important stations have also been identified where law enforcement agencies such as the local police etc. will be connected to monitor the law and order situation outside vulnerable areas. In addition, authorities have been asked to organize antigen testing of around 15,000 DMRC staff members who will be serving the public around the clock. This will go a long way towards ensuring a Covid-free atmosphere when running the services.
7) Travel light: The public is advised to travel with minimal luggage and avoid carrying metal items for faster search at points of entry. Keep only pocket hand sanitizers, if any, while traveling. Hand sanitizers will not be allowed beyond the 30 ml quantity from a safety point of view.
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