Amidst the surge in Omicron cases in the capital city, the authorities of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) have imposed a new restriction on the Delhi metro, which will now operate with only 50 per cent of seating capacity. Also, DTC and other city buses will comply with the same rule. Due to the low seating capacity, commuters have to wait in long queues for metro and buses. The passengers are facing difficulties with the new regulations of public transportation.
Speaking to The Daily Guardian, Ekanshi, a passenger, said, “I woke up early to board the metro. From now on, I am sure I will be getting late because in winter it gets difficult to wake up early every morning. Also, returning home is again a headache as there will be a long queue again. So, I need to leave for home soon.”
Similarly, other passengers are also facing the same difficulty and are leaving one or two hours before their scheduled time. However, most of the passengers who travel by bus are struggling even harder.
“For the past hour, I’ve been waiting for the bus. The buses are nearly packed, and I’m not sure whether I’ll be able to catch the next one. If I am late, I may have to take an auto,” another passenger told this correspondent.
Some of the passengers who travel by buses are planning to travel by cars from now on. Most of the passengers complained that their waiting time has increased and are now almost taking half an hour extra to reach their destination.
“My office is quite nearby, so I am planning to drive my car for a few days. There is no point in waiting for the bus for so long,” Nishtha, a commuter, told The Daily Guardian.
As per the new restrictions, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) officials stated that out of 712 gates, only 444 gates would be opened. Also, the entry into the metro stations would be regulated by restricting the number of gates opened in the stations. On Tuesday, Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, declared a yellow alert under which all schools, gyms, cinemas and colleges would be closed, and the shops selling non-essential items would be opened on an odd-even basis.