DMRC introduces this step to facilitate passengers travelling in Delhi metro during peak hours

In a bid to facilitate passengers travelling in the Delhi Metro during peak hours, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Monday introduced a new move. The metro services resumed in a staggered manner after 169 days of COVID-19 halt on September 7 and reportedly witnessed over 3 lakh journeys on September 13.

Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, the DMRC said that the peak hours are from 8 am to 12 noon and from 4 pm to 8 pm. A headway of two minutes and 45 seconds to six minutes will be maintained from 8 am to 8 pm, added the DMRC. It has asked passengers to stagger journeys so that adequate social distancing can be maintained in the metro. 

"Delhi Metro's peak hours are from 8AM - 12 noon and from 4PM - 8PM. To facilitate passengers, a headway of 2 min 45 sec to 6 min will be maintained from 8AM to 8PM. Please stagger your journeys so that adequate social distancing can be maintained in the Metro," it tweeted. 

Delhi Metro's peak hours are from 8AM - 12 noon and from 4PM - 8PM. To facilitate passengers, a headway of 2 min 45 sec to 6 min will be maintained from 8AM to 8PM. Please stagger your journeys so that adequate social distancing can be maintained in the Metro. #MetroBackOnTrack pic.twitter.com/U47aBDnPHa — Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (@OfficialDMRC) September 14, 2020

The DMRC on Monday said that they are further strengthening the social distancing signages inside trains, as all the major lines have now been made operational since September 11. DMRC said that apart from stickers on alternate seats, they are now increasing the social distancing signages inside the trains. 

"800 coaches are already equipped with the floor markers and within a week, floor markers will be placed in the remaining 1400 metro coaches," said DMRC.

As per reports, the DMRC will run 4,500 trips from Monday to meet the surge in ridership and is now following the old time table and running in its usual time from 6 am to 11 pm. 

DMRC has taken several strict COVID-19 measures to ensure the safety of passengers amid coronavirus outbreak. Wearing of face mask/cover will be mandatory for all commuters during entry into the stations/trains and during the entire journey. Use of ‘Aarogya Setu App’ for updating health status by passengers will be advisable.

All passengers will be required to undergo thermal screening and hand sanitisation at the entry/frisking point itself.  Passengers having temperature or sign of COVID-19 will not be allowed to travel and they will be directed to report to the nearest medical centre. 

Meanwhile, Delhi's COVID-19 tally on September 13 increased to 2.18 lakh after 4,235 new infections were reported in 24 hours. There have also been 4,744 COVID-19 related fatalities across the national capital to date.

Notably, this was the fifth day in a trot that Delhi recorded a daily spike of over 4,000 fresh cases.