Delhi Metro likely to run again starting Sept 1 after five month hiatus

SOP in the works, only 257 gates of total 671 Metro gates will open

After over five months of hiatus, Delhi Metro, the national capital region's lifeline is expected to be back on track, from September 1.

It is expected that the coronavirus pandemic will change the way people commute by Metro. There is a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in the works, which will work as a guide for Metro commuters in the near future.

Metro services have been suspended since March 22, when the nationwide lockdown was announced and DMRC has so far incurred a revenue loss of over Rs 1500 crore.

Social distancing restrictions will make it challenging when Metro opens up and in order to ensure that only 257 gates of the total 671 gates of Metro, will open. It is learnt only two gates of stations like Rajiv Chowk, Kashmiri Gate, Central Secretariat, Hauz Khas will be opened for passengers.

 

To avoid crowding, DMRC will ensure that only a certain number of passengers enter the metro station, therefore only one gate of each metro station and two gates of a large metro station are expected to remain open, once the services resume.

Not more than 50 people will be allowed inside the coach, this is nearly a sixth of the usual amount of passengers travelling in a single coach, on an average day.

In order to put stricter hygiene standards in place hand sanitizers will be installed at the metro stations along with contactless ticket vending counters, mandatory temperature checks will be done at the entrance gates of the metro stations, for which both DMRC and CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) personnel will be deployed.

 

The frequency of the trains would increase but the overall travel time would go up as the trains stoppage time is expected to double from the current 20 seconds. For some interchange stations the stoppage time is expected to be even higher.

“As part of the standard operating procedure for DMRC, we will announce that all gates will not be available, there will be only one entry/exit gate or maximum of two gates at large stations. Since tokens are a risky affair, we will not allow them and they will have to be replaced with smart cards, which in turn would be topped up via digital payment methods,” Delhi Metro Rail Corporation managing director Mangu Singh had said earlier.

DMRC is awaiting the Unlock 4 guidelines from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

As far as restricting the travel to specific category of commuters is concerned, the decision will be taken by the MHA and not DMRC.