The Centre has recently issued ‘Unlock 4’ guidelines of the nationwide lockdown, which states that metro services can resume all across the country from September 7, 2020. While Maharashtra is still not ready to operate its metro trains, states and UTs like Karnataka and Delhi are all set to start the services. In Bangalore, metro services will begin on Purple Line on September 7. Services on Green Line will start on September 9. In the first phase, the 6-coach trains will operate from 8 AM to 11 AM and 4.30 PM to 7.30 PM on the purple line. Delhi metro has declared that it won’t issue tokens now and allow only Smart Cards for travel. It will resume services on Yellow Line on the first day. Blue Line and Pink Line will resume on September 9. Operations on Red, Green and Violet Lines will start on September 10. The trains will operate from 7 AM to 11 AM and 4 PM to 8 PM. But the question arises, is it at all safe to commute by public transport now? The coronavirus tally in India has crossed a whopping 3.90 million and the death toll is around 68,472.
How Safe Is It To Travel By Metro Now?
The metro authorities have issued all precautionary tips and guidelines to ensure safe and socially-distanced travel of its passengers. They have put social-distancing markings at various points of the stations and also on the chairs. They have also limited the number of passengers at a time inside the coaches. But having said that, human beings are prone to making mistakes. And a little carelessness can make the virus spread like wildfire.
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The Virus Can Spread In A Matter Of Seconds!
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had issued a recommendation listing modes of transportation from the safest to the riskiest amid the pandemic. In rank 1 is solo driving, which is the safest way to travel now. The riskiest mode of travel, cruise ships, is in rank 7. Public transport is in rank 6. In public transport like trains and buses, maintaining safe distances from others might be difficult, especially during the rush hours. People might not be aware of their actions when they are getting late for their offices or schools. They might touch surfaces which have come in contact with a COVID-positive patient. Though it’s recommended to sanitize hands frequently, practically we cannot do it at every minute and the virus can get transmitted in a matter of seconds. Or even if we take all the precautions, we cannot expect every other person doing the same. Say, a person not wearing the face mask properly is a carrier of the virus and sneezes in front of you. How would you spare yourself from that?
Can Asymptomatic Patients Transmit The Virus?
A report on June 11 by WHO had suggested that most transmission occurs through symptomatic patients. However, another study by Narayana Heath stated on June 19, “There is recent evidence that COVID-19 can spread through silent carriers. These silent carriers or spreaders are people who are infected with coronavirus but show little or no symptoms of the disease. As a result, these people carry on with their daily lives, meeting family and friends, going to work, and spreading the disease without their own knowledge. It appears that most asymptomatic carriers are healthy young adults and children. If you come to contact with people who are positive for COVID-19, you may be positive despite not showing any symptoms of the disease.” Therefore, while going to work or any other place via metro, you won’t be able to assess if you’re coming in contact with a virus-infected patient.
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Reportedly, after the resumption of domestic flights on May 25, around 800 passengers got the infection till July 9. Therefore, despite all the hygienic measures, it’s best to avoid public transport. If you’re at all travelling, you can take the road instead and travel secluded, inside a car. We must stay together in your motto to eradicate the pandemic at the soonest possible time. Meanwhile, these AI-driven ‘orange’ robots are cleaning up Dubai’s metro stations.