The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has resumed its operations after a gap of nearly 6 months, with limited operations on the Yellow Line from Samaypur Badli to HUDA City Centre and Rapid Metro for limited hours.
The Delhi Metro had shut down operations due to the Covid-19 pandemic but has resumed them with strict social distancing and necessary precautionary measures in place. The next five days will see a staggered resumption of service in other lines too.
The DMRC in a statement said, “As per the graded resumption plan, DMRC resumed its services on Yellow Line and Rapid Metro, from 07:00 am Monday. Operations in the first four hours from 7:00 am to 11:00 am were smooth with approx. 7,500 passengers availing the services. DMRC got complete cooperation from its commuters who availed the services for the first time in 169 days with all new norms of Metro travel in place owing to the ongoing pandemic.”
Travellers across the national capital welcomed the commencement of Metro services. A passenger told The Daily Guardian, “Metro rail helps save time and money. This is a good decision taken by the government. But it is essential on the part of passengers to take all necessary precautions while travelling.”
The Metro services are being resumed with strict SOPs issued by the DMRC as protective measures against the coronavirus.
Only asymptomatic people are allowed to board trains and stations at containment zones will stay shut. Passengers have also been asked to download the Aarogya Setu app on their smartphones and undergo thermal checks at stations. As per guidelines, authorities have also decided to discourage cash transactions and tokens. The frequency of trains will be regulated to avoid crowding at stations and in trains.
On the resumption of Metro services, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, “I am happy that Metro services resume today. Metro has made good arrangements. We should not be careless in taking precautions.”
The DMRC has deployed around 1,000 extra staff across the network to assist passengers. The Metro authority has also advised passengers to earmark extra time for travel as the carrying capacity of each train will be drastically reduced to around 20 per cent of the pre-lockdown period due to social distancing norms. Passengers have also been advised to talk less in view of the highly infectious virus.
Earlier, Delhi Metro operations had been suspended from 22 March when the Janata Curfew was imposed in the wake of the pandemic. They have been resumed after the Central government issued guidelines on 29 August and allowed Metro services in the country to resume operations in a graded manner.