The Union Home Ministry has recently issued guidelines to the state governments declaring that they might resume operations of buses, cabs and auto-rickshaws during the lockdown extended up to 31st March. However, as per the orders, metro services will remain shut now. Though no date has been fixed yet for the resumption of metro operations, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has already started taking steps to ensure that the passengers maintain social distancing once the services finally resume.
What’s Happening?
Here’s a brief of how Delhi metro stations are going to look once the lockdown ends:
- There will be markings for people in front of the ticket vending machines so that people make queues keeping safe distances between them.
- Check-ins will also have social distancing markings.
- The platforms will have circular markings in white with bold red borders. Each of them will have a message written on them, ‘Ensure Social Distancing‘.
- Passengers will not need to go through any physical frisking during entry. Also, this will be the very first time that frisking is being stopped by the authorities. DMRC came to this decision after about 29 of the total CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) security personnel tested positive for coronavirus.
- When the riders passing through the DMFD door (Door Frame Metal Detector) trigger a beep sound, the authorities will stop them, asking them to take out the metal they are carrying. If no beep sound is triggered, the passengers will be allowed to proceed.
6. If a station becomes overcrowded, the CISF personnel won’t allow further entry and the station doors might be shut down.
7. Passengers will have to sit on alternative seats inside the trains.
8. Only limited people will be able to stand inside the trains.
9. There will be hand sanitizers at the entry and exit points of each station.
10. Usage of currency will not be encouraged.
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What Else?
The security personnel will also check whether each traveller has Aarogya Setu app installed on their phones or not. The app is a must for every person travelling by metro. Wearing facemasks is mandatory as well. People will have to undergo thermal screening and those with flu-like symptoms will not be allowed to travel. The metro authorities will provide special Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE) kits to the Quick Reaction Teams of the CISF.
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These measures are a relief to the various working professionals, service providers and more who might need to avail the metro services almost daily after the lockdown is over. However, it’s better to avoid travelling as much as possible, unless it’s absolutely necessary.