The Delhi Metro on Monday resumed its services with 50 per cent capacity. This comes nearly a month after a complete suspension of the metro services in the national capital due to the raging second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, metro commuters on Monday were seen breaking norms put in place. Rules were not followed inside some metro trains, wherein passengers were seen standing due to overcrowding. According to the metro guidelines, commuters are not allowed to stand as overcrowding needs to be controlled.
Complying with Delhi Disaster Management Authority's (DDMA) guidelines on Covid appropriate behaviour, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) started its services with 50 per cent seating capacity.
In the wake of overcrowding, the Delhi Metro today said entry for several stations was intermittently closed to ensure social distancing.
"Entry for a few of our stations are being intermittently closed and opened for short durations to ensure social distancing as part of our crowd control measures. Please bear with us and allow for extra time in your commute," the Delhi Metro's tweet read.
Other than the Delhi Metro, traffic snarls were also witnessed at several places, including at the ITO.
Delhi has been under strict lockdown due to an unprecedented surge in Covid cases since April 19. While the metro services were completely suspended on May 10.
Now, as Covid cases and daily positivity rate continues to decline, the Delhi administration has started a phase-wise unlocking exercise.
In the process for the second consecutive week, after permitting for construction and manufacturing/ factories since May 31, DDMA in its order issued on Saturday has allowed opening markets and malls in Delhi on an alternate day (odd-even basis), which will be decided on the basis of shop's number.
Apart from all these, Government and private offices will also reopen and to ensure Covid appropriate behaviour, Delhi police personnel have been deployed outside metro stations.
Umed Singh, a police official deployed at Connaught Place, said, "We have been directed to ensure that people do not assemble at one place and follow Covid guidelines. We have to make a video of public movement."
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