With the third phase of the phase-wise upliftment of coronavirus-induced lockdown ending on August 31, reports suggest that metro services may soon resume across the country as part of Unlock 4.0. The Ministry of Home Affairs will soon be releasing guidelines for the fourth phase of opening up of lockdown and is reportedly expected to allow the resumption of metro services.
Earlier, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government has also sent a proposal to the Centre to restart the metro services on a trial basis in the city-state from the first week of September.
"I have requested the Centre that Delhi should be treated differently. Corona situation is improving in Delhi. If they do not want to run Metro trains in other cities, let it be so. But, in Delhi Metro train services should be started in a phased manner on a trial basis. We have raised this issue before the Centre many times, I hope the Centre will soon take a decision in this regard," he said during a virtual meeting with Delhi's traders and entrepreneurs.
DMRC prepar SOP to reopen its services
According to the Dainik Jagran report, the Delhi metro has prepared a set of standard operating procedures (SOPs) to check the spread of the deadly coronavirus when it reopens its services.
- Government officials, people engaged in essential services will likely be allowed to use Delhi metro in the first phase
- For social distancing in metro trains, stickers have been placed on the other seat leaving one seat in each coach on which it is written - 'Please don’t sit here'.
- Delhi Metro set to restart with only 50 per cent occupancy per coach.
- Passengers will be asked to smart cards instead of tokens.
- Only asymptomatic passengers will be allowed to enter the metro stations.
- It will be mandatory for the passengers to use the Aarogya Setu app.
- The metro train will halt for more than 30 seconds as compared to earlier to ensure social distancing is followed.
Metro services were suspended in late March to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected more than 31 lakh people in the country so far.
The Delhi Metro has reportedly suffered a loss of nearly Rs 1,300 crore since the closure of services since late March due to Covid-19 situation.
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